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+1-8007618913
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+1-2897685366
From United Kingdom
+44-2035140670
From Japan
+81 3-4578-4029
From Argentina
+54-2657459025
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+56-226665927
From Colombia
+57-6017940262
From Malaysia
+60-392125422
From Mexico
+52-7449800692
From New Zealand
+64-99508740
From Peru
+51-17009061
From Switzerland
+41-445514539
From Thailand
+66-25088458
From Singapore
+65-31585008
From Australia
+61-1800-507-258
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+90-850-390-7486
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+39-800729010
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+351-304500663
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+33-970019487
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The Complete Ireland Driving and Rental Guide

Located in the North Atlantic, the Republic of Ireland features beautiful landscapes, including hills and cliffs which makes it a popular filming spot for movie shows. Here are some instructions for you to facilitate your driving there.

  • Speed Limit and Traffic Signs
  • Seatbelt and Child Safety
  • Parking, Fuel and Toll
  • Traffic Violation
  • Driving Licence and Age Requirements

Speed Limit and Traffic Signs

Driving in Ireland is on the left-hand side. Before you drive on Irish roads, we recommend you to choose a compact car since roads in Ireland - especially those in countryside - tend to be narrow. Do not forget that honking around residential areas from 23:30 to 7:30 is prohibited.

Speed Limit

Some general speed limits should be kept in mind while driving. There are speed limits of 31 mph (50 km/h) in built-up areas, 50 mph (80 km/h) for non-national roads, 61 mph (100 km/h) for national roads and 75 mph (120 km/h) in motorways unless signs say otherwise. 

Traffic Signs

Traffic signs in Ireland can be mainly classified into 3 types: regulatory signs, warning signs and information signs. 


Irish regulatory signs are mostly circular and feature red, with some exceptions. 

Ireland_Traffic_Sign_StopStopIreland_Traffic_Sign_YieldYieldIreland_Traffic_Sign_Yield_in_IrishYield (In Irish)Ireland_Traffic_Sign_Max_Speed_Limit_80_km_hMax Speed Limit (80 km/h)

Ireland_Traffic_Sign_No_OvertakingNo Overtaking

Ireland_Traffic_Sign_Pedestrianized_StreetPedestrianized Street

Warning signs are diamond shaped with a yellow background.

Ireland_Traffic_Sign_Slippery_Road_AheadSlippery Road Ahead

Ireland_Traffic_Sign_Series_of_Bumps_or_Hollows_AheadSeries of Bumps or Hollows Ahead

Ireland_Traffic_Sign_Level_Crossing_with_Lights_and_BarriersLevel Crossing with Lights and BarriersIreland_Traffic_Sign_Pedestrian_Crossing_AheadPedestrian Crossing Ahead

Ireland_Traffic_Sign_Deer_or_Wild_AnimalsDeer or Wild Animals

Irish regulatory signs are mostly rectangular with different background colours.

Ireland_Traffic_Sign_Airport_SignAirport Sign

Ireland_Traffic_Sign_Advance_Sign_for_Facilities_in_Lay_bayAdvance Sign for Facilities in Lay-bay

To read more about Irish traffic signs, you can refer to Ireland Traffic Signs Manual 2010.

*Please be aware that rules are subject to change. QEEQ.COM will try the best to maintain the accuracy of this information.

Seatbelt and Child Safety

Seatbelt Laws

All passengers are required to have their seatbelt fastened at all times when the vehicle is moving. Drivers are obliged to make sure passengers under 17 are suitably restrained. Failing to do so can result in a fine of €60 which must be paid within 28 days.

Booster Seat Laws

All children under 17 must be in an appropriate restraint system when they are in a vehicle. Kids under 150cm (4ft and11in) in height or 36kg (79lbs) in weight must sit in correct child restraints that are appropriate to the weight of the child and must be in accordance with EU or UN standards. Rear facing child restraints must not be used in seats protected by an active frontal air-bag.

*Please be aware that rules are subject to change. QEEQ.COM will try the best to maintain the accuracy of this information.

Parking, Fuel and Toll

Parking

· Forbidden Parking


You must not park on the following spots:


- Opposite to another vehicle on a narrow road


- At the entrance or exit of a fire station, police station, ambulance station or hospital


- Where you would block other road users' views of a traffic signal or the road ahead


- 15 metres before or 5 metres after pedestrian crossings or traffic lights


- Where parking is forbidden by traffic signs or road markings, as detailed below


- When there is a single yellow line as a road mark with an upright information plate nearby, you must not park during the times shown

Ireland Single Yellow Line(Image from bcmtouring.com)


- When there are double yellow lines, you are not allowed to park at any time

Ireland Double Yellow Line(Image from bcmtouring.com)


- Parking spots with a disabled person symbol are only available for people suffering from a disability

Ireland Parking Spot for the Disabled(Image from bcmtouring.com)


· Parking Sign


Permitted and prohibited parking signs in Ireland may specify multiple times, places, durations, restrictions and vehicle categories in a condensed form on a single sign.

Ireland_Traffic_Sign_Parking_PermittedParking PermittedIreland_Traffic_Sign_Parking_ProhibitedParking Prohibited

You may also find this sign with two-way diagonals indicating a specific area must be kept clear during the specified times of the day.

 Ireland_Traffic_Sign_ClearwayClearway

· Paid Parking

Disc parking and Pay-and-Display parking system are both valid in Ireland. You are most likely to find a solar powered meter for Pay-and-Display, which prices usually range from 80 cent to €2.9 per hour.

Fuel Prices

The average value for Ireland gasoline price during November to December, 2017 is 1.4 Euro, while diesel is 1 cent lower.

Toll

Both Irish residents and foreign tourists using a toll road should pay for the fee. There are eleven toll roads in Ireland.

Ireland E Toll Road Map(Image from eflow.ie)


You will need to stop at the toll plaza to pay the tolls either by cash or by card, and 10 of the toll roads in Ireland are equipped with barrier toll plazas except for the M50. To use the M50, you need to pay before 8pm the following day. Failure to do so will result in a fine of €3.00


If you plan to rent a car and use the toll roads in Ireland, it is advisable for you to rent an electronic tag from the car hire company, enabling an automatic payment of the toll fee directly from your credit card. Please note that electronic tags are subject to availability at the rental desk. If you have any question related to your toll fee billing, feel free to contact QEEQ' 24/7 customer service team for assistance. 

*Please be aware that rules are subject to change. QEEQ.COM will try the best to maintain the accuracy of this information.

Traffic Violation

DUI Laws

In Ireland, drink driving is a serious offence. The legal limit varies and depends on drivers’ qualifications. Full licenced drivers are not allowed to consume more than the legal alcohol limit which is 50 micrograms per millilitres of blood while professional and learner drivers are limited at 20mg/100ml. Being deemed as drunk driving will result in a two-year ban and a €1,500 fine.

Traffic Fines

If you are caught speeding on the road, you need to pay €80 as a fine and give out 3 penalty points in 28 days. If you miss the deadline, you need to pay €120 in another 28 days. If you still have not proceeded to the payment after 56 days, a court case will be filled against you. 


Parking offence will result in a fine from €40 to €80 depending on the situation. 


Car hire companies will pass on the driver’s information to the authorities in case of traffic infringement, while the post or email notification enlisting breach details will only be issued by the traffic authority. 


Note that the fine usually comes with a service/administration fee as well. It is advisable for you to contact QEEQ' 24/7 customer service team if you have any question on this matter. 

*Please be aware that rules are subject to change. QEEQ.COM will try the best to maintain the accuracy of this information.

Driving Licence and Age Requirements

To drive in Ireland, the driver must present a valid national driving licence that has been held for at least 2 years. The minimum age to drive in Ireland is 21 years old (age may vary by car category).


To hire a car in Ireland, you must be at least 21 years old (age may vary by car category). Each car hire company has its own age requirements and a deviation from the minimum age is possible depending on the vehicle.

*Please be aware that rules are subject to change. QEEQ.COM will try the best to maintain the accuracy of this information.

Guest reviews

1 /
Phil

March 29, 2024

Destination: Knock

10Straightforward. Best price available.

Really easy and friendly. Didn't pressurise me about extra insurance.

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March 20, 2024

Destination: Dublin

3.6Shitty shitty bang bang

It was a bunch of crap. I pre paid for a small car and they said they didn’t t have one because of st Patrick’s day. They then make me pay $80 over what I already paid for the car they switched me into. Normally when this happens I do not pay an up charge for the vehicle they want switch me into. I had no choice as this rental location required off site pick up from the airport and there were no other rental car companies near by. Felt totally taken advantage of. I don’t think they even applied my area payment to the rental. When I tried to dispute the charges I was made to feel as though take it or leave it. This was a terrible experience.

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February 28, 2024

Destination: Dublin

7.7Good

1. The car provided was smaller than originally booked. 2. There was a small problem with the rental car, so we drove back the next morning to change the car, and the car we changed was more in line with the original reservation, but it was an older car. 3.Returning the car is very fast.

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J.Mc

February 28, 2024

Destination: Knock

9.3Easy Rental

Staff were friendly, efficient and made it all very easy.

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PMCDW

January 21, 2024

Destination: Dublin

6Average

A long wait for shuttle bus on pick up. Staff at counter a little slow

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G.Rhodes

January 20, 2024

Destination: Cork

9.3I've used qeeq twice in the last twelve months, one in japan and one in Ireland, spot on with both.

We booked a fiesta and was upgraded to a larger vehicle. This was a welcome upgrade.

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January 5, 2024

Destination: Dublin

6Hard sell

Hard-sell on everything there is to hard sell on, threats of consequences if we didn't take their total cover insurance ("we always find something wrong when you return it otherwise"). It isn't my first time using them, and have mixed experiences so far, but this time took the biscuit. Oh, and the guy "helping" us claimed to be the manager - I hope not for the other employees.

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January 3, 2024

Destination: Dublin

8Very Basic

Car advertised was toyota corolla or similar. The car I was given was a Opel Crossland. Fuel was not filled to the max. Windscreen wipers needed replacing. Tyre Pressure warning light came on after 1 day driving. No reverse camera. Unable to use a debit card to to secure insurance excess, had to pay for full insurance for complete duration. Only 1 staff member at desk on arrival, took a very long time to process pick-up.

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M.Dalton

January 2, 2024

Destination: Shannon

10Excellent.

Probably the best car rental desk in Shannon airport. Seemless pick up and the car was great. I was very happy

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M.Selim

December 27, 2023

Destination: Dublin

6.3Average

We arrived to collect the car at 10 minutes to midnight due to delays. We were charged €30 for “collection after midnight “ despite being in the vicinity for collection and in the que before the chargeable times

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A.H

December 7, 2023

Destination: Dublin

3.3HORRIBLE Y DECEPCIONANTE

Reservamos un coche y nos dieron uno de gama claramente inferior que ni siquiera podía modificar la altura del asiento y eso es una putada para una persona de 2m. Luego el coche estaba destrozado por fuera llegándole a faltar un tapacubos. A la hora de proceder con la reserva resulta que como la tarjeta de crédito no esta a nombre de quien conduce no vale, lo cual no pone en las condiciones y te hacen pagar un seguro para utilizar la de debito o incluir a otra persona si tiene de crédito. Es decir, me acabo saliendo caro me siento estafado y no dudaría en impedir si alguien va a reservar. Además la atención de la persona que nos atendió fue horrible

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B.Gaynor

November 14, 2023

Destination: Dublin

7.7Good car hire experience in Ireland.

I was happy with this vehicle hire - it all went well.

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mark

September 21, 2023

Destination: Cork

10great modern car, quick pickup and drop off, couldn't have been better

great modern car, quick pickup and drop off, couldn't have been better

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J.Gilchrist

September 14, 2023

Destination: Dublin

10Good experience, good price, good service

Great customer service, I would use them again

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August 15, 2023

Destination: Dublin

8.3Decent rental for a great price

Super easy process, nice people. Rental car return is confusing at Dublin airport, but that’s an airport issue and not a Europcar issue.

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K.Pattrick

August 10, 2023

Destination: Dublin

9.7Was a great booking, would not recommend to get the extended insurence from enuropcar

To not get the Europcars extended insurence as I feel it was way pricey then it should have been

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L.Hendy

January 8, 2023

Destination: Dublin

9.7No problems

No problems

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December 21, 2022

Destination: Dublin

10Easy and good value

Counter staff helpful but took a while for form filling

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K.Wrench

November 8, 2022

Destination: Dublin

6.7Poor

First car was in poor condition externally. Within 5 mins a warning light came on and I had to return it. Replacement car also had a tyre warning light come on within 30 mins of driving. Pick up from airport took over 30 mins Drop off - I had to wait in the dark for someone to move 3 cars after they checked mine before being taken to the airport. 2 days after drop off of the car where no issues were raised I couldn’t use my credit card - 2100 euro still held against it. Emailed easirent - no reply

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NGRW

November 7, 2022

Destination: Dublin

10Excellent

Car smelt overpowering from sanitiser. Was not informed of need to get code from DVLA using my National Insurance Number> Time consuming

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Brenda Doyle

November 4, 2022

Destination: Dublin

8.7Very good

I didn’t like the fact that there was no one to check the car when I dropped it off .

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D.Lewis

October 21, 2022

Destination: Dublin

7.3Overall satisfactory given the price and condition of the vehicle.

The car only had a quarter tank of fuel despite there being a full tank policy and Budget retained a fuel deposit. However, upon notifying Budget, they assured me that there would be no charges to my account.

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J.J.

October 21, 2022

Destination: Dublin

9.3Excellent

The woman who helped us at the counter was extremely helpful and nice. Upon returning, the man who helped me was great. He mentioned he had only been on the job a month, but I couldn’t notice. Car was great for what we needed.

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October 20, 2022

Destination: Dublin

7.3Good

Cheap and clean but the car was damaged with one mirror held on by tape. The pickup took ages at the airport and the chosen car was not available. They upgraded us for free but it took ages to check in and get a car to us even though it was only us and one other booking

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Shah Hussain

October 10, 2022

Destination: Shannon

10Highly recommended

I have been using this service from 2017, I never had a single issue. Very happy with the service

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w.currams

September 27, 2022

Destination: Dublin

9Great staff, great car … way to expensive

Staff were great. Cost will prohibit me in the future , I rent cars at a fraction of the cost normally.

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Dave Frankland

September 23, 2022

Destination: Knock

8.3Excellent process, just let down by a poor car.

The car was a dacia sandero, noisy, tinny, no aircon, poor ergonomics, doors too springy, top of the doors too sharp, so much so one sprung back and made a bad cut in my cheekbone, which wasn't good; considering i'm a haemophiliac.

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Kurtis

September 23, 2022

Destination: Dublin

7.7Great car, OK service

Car was great. Staff tried to upsell. Return location was not as described, delaying arrival at airport.

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M.Dalton

September 21, 2022

Destination: Shannon

8.7Good but not premium at all.

car was very nice. For a premium brand you'd expect a little more in terms of car. The alloys were very scratched. The CV joint on frontleft was clicking and the tyres were right on the limiter to change. Which you could really feel when it was raining. Aquaplaning. I recommend checking the car fully prior to taking it out of the area too far. Pick up staff was excellent. No issues. Smooth and tranparant

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R.Vlach

September 14, 2022

Destination: Dublin

9.7 Easy to use and the prices.

The car was what we needed for boot space and roomy inside for the four of us. The GPS worked in the car even-though we did not pay extra for it.

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August 31, 2022

Destination: Dublin

10Fantastic experience!

The vehicle was great and fit 6 comfortably. The trips with our luggage was cramped. Most importantly, Europcar staff were helpful, courteous, and gave us no troubles. We brought our insurance documents, which was accepted without question. They were efficient and friendly; I would definitely use this car hire again!

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Matt

August 25, 2022

Destination: Cork

10Excellent.

Fantastic service at cork airport. Very fancy upgrade for free. No hard selling insurance... Just a friendly soft encouragement! Couldn't be better.

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N.Mann

August 16, 2022

Destination: Dublin

9.3A great and easy experience

A big thanks to the delightful Vanessa who was extremely helpful on picking up and drop off.

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A.Hurford

July 19, 2022

Destination: Dublin

2EUROPCAR is awful.

No one inspected vehicle at pick up or drop off. We were told to send in a video of the car. We did that. We were charged $500 with no email explaining why. We didn’t do any damage to car at all. This rental was supposed to cost $812 instead it cost us $1700.00 very upset with this company

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Brenda Rudko

July 16, 2022

Destination: Dublin

9.3Excellent

We were required to pay a collision "surcharge" even though we had outside insurance. Additions e.g. GPS, additional driver etc really added up.

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J.Reid

June 10, 2022

Destination: Dublin

8.3Very good but stressful on return.

Drop off was misleading and totally confusing. Was supposed to open at 05:00 and I was there at 05:30. Gates were marked in red tape to say closed and open at 7 written over the 5. Return to car centre. Also why an extra charge to travel in Northern Ireland.

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J.Little

June 8, 2022

Destination: Dublin

5Never book with you again, will only deal with rental car company.

We sat at the pick up Hertz for over two hours when the vehicle promised was substituted for two other inferior models.

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S.Garrett

May 30, 2022

Destination: Dublin

10Highly Recommend

Europcar was superb! High quality car, excellent customer service!

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S.M

May 28, 2022

Destination: Dublin

10Great trip to Ireland, rental car pricing in Ireland is astonishingly expensive

The car was in good shape and vfairly new the custoemr service at Europcar soecificall Caroline was exceptional.

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Eddie

May 19, 2022

Destination: Dublin

9Everything turned out well. Would book again.

The staff didn't give us the GPS we ordered. I thought it was built into the car. We were away from airport by the time we figured out we didn't have the hand held device. Good thing our phone had navigation. I called and asked for a credit. When I returned the car, I made sure I got my credit.

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D.Mines

May 16, 2022

Destination: Cork

8.7Easy straight forward booking, quick easy pick up and drop off. Decent car for what I needed.

Car first offered was not compatible to my Sat nav connection. Had to arrange an older car which had the required connection plug. Staff did all they could to sort this out for me. As a vital piece of equipment, this should be made clearer to people at the time of booking.

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C.Rafter

December 7, 2021

Destination: Dublin

9Excellent

When I arrived in Dublin they hit me with the insurance charge. Asked if I had a letter from my credit card company about insurance. Of course I do not. Another customer was being asked the same question. That is a scam!

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Arnie Zareei Bogoya

December 7, 2021

Destination: Knock

8Very good

They made us hire a new insurance, so we needed to pay 100€ more… not going to coming back.

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a.walsh

November 26, 2021

Destination: Dublin

6.7Average

There was an overemphasis on selling insurance and the scoda car was not the equilivant to an Audi A4

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Mark Dalton

November 18, 2021

Destination: Shannon

10Excellent.

V v professional.

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G.Coward-Williams

November 12, 2021

Destination: Knock

10Good, but far, far too expensive

Overall it was good, but it was twice the price it should have been

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M.Thompson

October 28, 2021

Destination: Dublin

9.7Smooth and easy experience

The car was great. The only down side was that the audio system did not connect well to the phone via USB.

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M.Dalton

October 6, 2021

Destination: Shannon

10Awesome

Always book with Hertz. Other might be cheaper but the cars will be damaged and scratched and you will be worried that you will have to pay extra at the end. No issues when you're with a reputable company like Hertz

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F.Franceschin

October 5, 2021

Destination: Dublin

5.7Average

Too much time spent at pick up point no answer on the phone and 40 mins to wait the car

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M.Murray

September 30, 2021

Destination: Dublin

7Good car.

Pick up location not clear - long wait for pick up. The rental person I spoke to was excellent - very nice, there was an older gentleman who was speaking to another client - mainly confusing them

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Best car rental deals in Ireland

Best rates found by QEEQ users in the last 30 days.

Frequently asked questions

Q1.What is an insurance excess?

The excess is the amount you'll only be liable for in case of damage(under Collision Damage Waiver) or theft(under Theft Protection) of the vehicle.
Information about the excess will be clearly stated in the price inclusion when you reserve a car on QEEQ.

Q2. How can I add an addtional driver?

You are advised to make a request upon your arrival at the rental counter. Additional charge per day will incur unless '1 Additional Driver Included' is stipulated on the rental.
Please note that the same licence and age requirement applys to the additonal driver. The addtional driver is supposed to present the required licence document along with the main driver at pickup.

Q3.What if I want to pick up or drop off my rental car out of office hours?

QEEQ will show you the car offers available at your chosen time on the search results.
However, pick-up or drop-off out of general opening hours may subject to an extra fee unless self-service pick-up or drop-off is available.
After you reserve a car on QEEQ, we will inform you of specific policy of the car hire company by email.

Q4. Can I take the hired car to another country or cross border?

If you want to pick up your car in one country and drop it in another, your search results will show you cars you can do that with.
If you're planning to cross any borders during your trip, bear in mind:
1. You may have to pay more.
There are often extra fees, taxes or additional cover you'll pay at the car hire counter.
2.It may not be allowed.
Depending on where you're hiring, you may not be able to take your car to another country.
Please email us if you want to take your hire car into a different country during your trip, and we'll talk you through your options.

Q5. Can I pick up my car at one location and return it at different location?

Yes. You can pick up the vehicle in one place and drop it off in another. An ‘one-way fee’ will incur. Whether it is inclued in the rental price or what additional cost may arise will be clearly stated at the time of booking on QEEQ.
Please inform the car hire company of your drop-off location when you pick up the vehicle or contact them directly during your trip. You will find a phone number on the rental agreement you signed at pickup.

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