My “extra baggage” lifesaver in Ireland

 

My extra baggage life saver : )

Most people travel light these days, but there are those of us who absolutely need extra baggage (e.g. travelling with kids or moving to Ireland), and therefore will need extra space when travelling within the country. Such was my case recently, having arrived at Dublin airport on a one way ticket, with countless bags (well about 12), strollers, car seats, guitar and more (you can just imagine the extra luggage fee on the airline!). I had to get to Cork and I had a couple of basic needs – I wanted very few stops or transfers (none really), and I didn’t want to be ripped off in baggage fees. I researched getting a car, but honestly, with all our stuff, plus kids etc, we were looking at needing a nine passenger van (people carrier as they’re called in Ireland – yeah, a funny name!). A van like that, before insurance was added on, was coming out to approx 225 euro. That’s for one day! Seemed pricey to me.
The train wasn’t an option. Getting to Heuston station if you’re on your own with a bag or 2, is easy. Getting there with kids and/or tons of bags is troublesome.
So….what did I do? Of course I discussed my dilemma with friends & family in Ireland before I left the US. I was expecting the pickup offers to come rolling in fast : ) Well, they didn’t. But, I did find out about Aircoach (aircoach.ie), a very affordable coach company that picks you up right at the airport and has plenty of storage space. They run an express service to Cork (with a quick stop in Dublin city to pick up more people), so it was a perfect solution.
For the sightseers among you, Aircoach offers free airport transfer into central Dublin with the purchase of a Dublin Pass, which you can purchase in advance on DublinPass.com. Keep in mind that if you do use the Dublin Pass for this purpose, it will activate your pass, and that day will count as day 1 of your pass duration.
The staff helping to load my luggage were a little surprised at how much stuff we had, but they were very accommodating. It all fit quite easily underneath the bus and there were no extra fees. They certainly lived up to the message on their online FAQ. It says that “space permitting we will be happy to transport” large items.
Buses aren’t the most glamorous way to travel, but if you have extra things you need to take with you, then they might be the right option for you too.