What is included in a Railtours Ireland First Class package?

All tours are priced per person sharing and include:

  • All travel by rail and coach.
  • Reserved seats on trains.
  • Local tours as appropriate.
  • Entry fee to all attractions on the tour.
  • Information pack including itinerary.
  • Qualified Driver/Guide on coaches. Host on trains.
  • Hotels on all extended tours.
  • Breakfast at your hotel each morning.

 

Do you have a question about Railtours Ireland First Class? Below are some of our most Frequently Asked Questions and Answers. Feel free to contact us if you have a question which is not answered below.

 

Q. When I book a tour online, what happens next?
A. All our One Day Tours are immediately confirmed. All Overnight Tours are provisional and you will receive a FINAL confirmation email once all elements are booked together with Tour check-in information.The next contact you will have is when you check in for your tour at the appropriate Dublin train station at the correct time. You will be checked in by one of our Railtours Ireland colleagues wearing our highly recognisable bright yellow jackets!

 

Q. When I book a tour by phone, what happens next?
A. The next contact you will have is when you check in for your tour at the appropriate Dublin train station at the correct time. You will be checked in by one of our Railtours Ireland colleagues wearing our highly recognisable bright yellow jackets!

 

Q. Can I leave the tour before it returns to Dublin?
A. Yes, for example if you wish to leave one of our tours in Galway, you are free to do so. However, please advise your Railtours host on the day, otherwise they will be worried about you! Please note that there is no refund for any unused portions of the tour. If you wish to extend your tour and spend an overnight in Cork, Killarney, Galway and Belfast we can arrange accommodation / subject to availabilty.

Q. On your extended tours can you advise which hotels we will be staying in, in Killarney?
A. Hotels we use include: The International Hotel, Scotts Hotel, Killarney Plaza Hotel, Towers Hotel, Avenue Hotel, Fairview Hotel and The Great Southern. These hotels are either in the centre or very close to the centre of Killarney. Individual hotels are subject to availability and cannot be requested specifically.

 

Q. Do you use first class on the train?

A. We do not use first class on the train as first class accommodation is extremely limited and available only on certain trains on three routes in Ireland. For operational reasons all Railtours Ireland customers sit together in a specially reserved car or portion of a car with their Host. We do offer a first class upgrade option on Virgin Trains on our London - Dublin packages (LE09) which can be requested at the time of booking.

 

Q. I want to go on one of your extended tours – what about luggage?

A. There are luggage facilities on board trains & coaches and we try to keep luggage transfers between trains and coaches to a minimum. It is recommended that large excess amounts of luggage be stored, perhaps, at your Dublin hotel for the duration of your railtour.

 

Q. How do I get to Ireland?

A. Getting to Ireland is easy, while we do not offer flights we recommend http://www.aerlingus.com for the widest selection of routes and best value from North America, UK, Europe and Australia. Remember if you are returning to the USA from Ireland, you can take advantage of pre-clearance, which is unique to Ireland, and arrive home as a domestic passenger avoiding the queue's at immigration.

You can also take the ferry from The United Kingdom to Ireland - check out these great tour options from London here http://railtoursireland.com/tours-of-ireland-from/london

 

Q. What sort of people travel on your tours?
A. Railtours Ireland is what’s known in the travel/tourism trade as an FIT tour product. This means that it attracts “Free Independent Travellers” of all ages and nationalities. What they have in common is a desire to have a unique touring experience in Ireland. Our tours also provide a credible means to explore Ireland without having to drive!

 

Q. What language are your tours conducted in?

A. Our tours are conducted in English only; however, we can provide detailed itineraries in all major European Languages if we are informed in advance of your requirement. Also, at key visitor attractions in Ireland, multiple language literature is normally available.

 

Q: Are our tours wheelchair friendly?

Railtours Ireland First Class ltd very successfully offers hosted railtours for the independent traveller. Our tours are a combination of train and luxury coach and include a moderate level of physical activity, such as short walks to meeting points etc. Unfortunately even the most modern luxury coaches (buses) are not wheelchair friendly, thus our tours are not suitable for those with mobility issues, and regretfully walkers, wheelchairs, and mobility scooters cannot be accommodated on our tours.

 

Q. What type of Room is a Twin, Double and Triple?

A. Twin Room has Two Beds, Double Room has One Double Bed & Triple Room sleeps three people (usually a double and a single bed).

 

Q. What hotels do you use in Dublin?
A. Hotels we use in Dublin are: the Ashling Hotel, The Mayson Hotel, The Address Hotel, Cassidy's Hotel, Wynns Hotel, Spencer Hotel – All are three and four star properties.
Dublin has very busy periods all year round so, from time to time, we have other partner hotels that we also use.

 

Q. What hotels do you use in Galway?
A. We like to use hotels in Galway's vibrant city centre, including: The Galmont Hotel, Harbour Hotel, Hyde Hotel, Imperial Hotel, amongst many. All are three and four star properties. Galway can be a very busy place especially during the summer with all its festivals and on occasion we use other hotels just outside the city centre.

 

Q: Tours visiting Northern Ireland - Any special requirements for tours visiting Belfast, Giants Causeway & Game of Thrones?

A: On any tour to Belfast or the Giant’s Causeway and Game of Thrones you will be leaving the Republic of Ireland and entering the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. Please ensure that your visa requirements are in order, and it is essential that you carry your passport.

 

Q: How do I avail of a Student Discount on a tour?

A: To avail of Student Discount on any of our tours you must hold a current ISIC Card (International Student identity Card). The ISIC Card numbers must be entered at time of booking in the space provided on the booking form and also be available for inspection at commencement of the tour.

 Without an ISIC number we are unable to offer student discounts.

 

Q: How do I avail of the Free Hop On / Off tickets?

A: Generally these tickets are in your travel pack when you check in for your tour, however if you wish to use these before your tour departs you can collect them from our city centre office on Amiens street, Dublin 1. We are located directly opposite Dublin Connolly train station.

We can also email these tickets to you upon request. If you wish for your tickets to be sent via email, please send us a request at info@railtoursireland.com.

Please note that the voucher we issue must be printed. The Hop-on-Hop-off tour company cannot accept electronic tickets.

 

Q: Do I need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to travel to Northern Ireland?

A: Yes, the UK government will soon be rolling out the next phase of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme, which will be a requirement for all visitors traveling to Northern Ireland from early 2025. Visitors who do not require a visa will need to apply for an ETA online before traveling to Northern Ireland. For more information and guidance on how to apply, click here.