Ireland travel guide for Britons

As a UK citizen, you do not need a visa or an ETA to visit Ireland. The Common Travel Area (CTA) lets you enter with a valid passport or national ID card and stay up to 90 days. You can also live, work and study without a visa, but this page covers short visits.

The main thing to plan is the 90-day limit and having valid ID. If you are travelling with children, carry their passports too. Rules can change, so check the Irish government and UK Foreign Office advice before you go.

Under the Common Travel Area, UK citizens can enter Ireland without a visa or ETA. You need a valid passport or national ID card. There is no minimum validity period, but your document must be valid for the whole stay. The 90-day limit applies to each visit; if you stay longer, you may need to register with immigration.

Border checks: when flying from the UK, you clear immigration in Ireland. There are no routine passport checks on the land border with Northern Ireland, but you may be asked for ID anywhere. Carry your passport or ID card with you.

The British Embassy in Dublin is at 29 Merrion Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. It provides consular services for UK citizens in Ireland. For emergencies, call the embassy or the global UK helpline. If you need assistance, the embassy can help with lost passports, arrests and medical emergencies.

For the latest contact details and opening hours, check the embassy website. If you are in Northern Ireland, the UK government has no embassy there; contact the UK government's services in Belfast instead.

Ireland uses the euro, so your pounds will be converted. As a rough 2026 estimate, a budget traveller might spend £50–£70 per day on hostels, groceries and public transport. A mid-range trip with hotels and restaurant meals runs £100–£150 per day. Dublin is the most expensive city; the west is cheaper.

Flights from the UK are short and often cheap: from London to Dublin takes about 1 hour 15 minutes, and from Manchester about 1 hour. Budget airlines fly from many UK airports. Car hire is the main extra cost if you plan to explore the west; book early for summer.

The main airports are Dublin (DUB), Cork (ORK), Shannon (SNN) and Knock (NOC). From London, Dublin is about 1 hour 15 minutes; from Manchester, about 1 hour. Budget airlines (Ryanair, easyJet) and full-service carriers (Aer Lingus, British Airways) fly from most UK airports.

For the west, consider flying into Shannon or Knock to save driving time. Dublin is the best connected for public transport onward. Use the flight-time planner to compare from your home city.

Ireland uses the same plugs as the UK: Type G (three rectangular pins), 230 V 50 Hz. Your UK devices will work without an adapter. If you come from elsewhere, bring a Type G adapter.

Tipping is less expected than in the US. In restaurants with table service, 10–15% is common for good service. In pubs, you do not tip for drinks. Taxi drivers appreciate rounding up. Some restaurants add a service charge – check the bill before adding a tip.

Call 112 or 999 for police (Gardaí), ambulance, fire, coast guard or mountain rescue. Both numbers work from any phone, including mobiles. For non-emergency police, call the Garda confidential line. Save 112 in your phone before you travel.

Do Britons need a visa for Ireland? No – the Common Travel Area lets you enter without a visa or ETA. You can stay up to 90 days.

How much does a trip to Ireland cost in GBP? Budget travellers spend about £50–£70 per day; mid-range £100–£150. Flights from the UK are short and often cheap.

Where is the nearest United Kingdom embassy in Ireland? The British Embassy is in Dublin at 29 Merrion Road, Ballsbridge. It provides consular services for UK citizens.

This page is based on the Irish government's immigration rules and the UK Foreign Office travel advice. Check both before you travel, as rules can change.