CORK CITY - GETTING AROUND

Walking

The best way to explore Cork is on foot, but don't try to do it all in a day. The South Bank and the flat, or central part, of the city can easily take a day to explore; save the Cork Hills and the North Bank for another day (time permitting). You can follow the signs for the Tourist Trail to guide you to the major sights. Brochures, maps, and other information, can be found at the Cork Tourist Office, Tourist House, 42 Grand Parade, Cork (tel. 021/425-5100). Hours are Monday to Saturday, 9:15am to 5:30pm year round.

By Bus

Bus Éireann operates bus service from Parnell Place Bus Station (tel. 021/450-8188) to all parts of the city, its suburbs and nearby towns. A local journey within Cork costs around €1.10, a round-trip ticket to Blarney costs €5.60, and to Kinsale €11. City buses run frequently from 7am to 11pm Monday to Saturday, with shorter hours on Sunday. As a general rule, the smaller and more remote the town, the less frequent its bus service.

By Bicycle

Walking is usually the best way to get around Cork, but you can rent a bike at Cyclescene, 396 Blarney St. (tel. 021/430-1183); open Monday to Saturday, 8:30am to 5:45pm. It costs €15 to €20 per day or €80 per week, plus a refundable deposit of €100.

By Taxi

Taxis are readily available throughout Cork with the main taxi ranks located along St. Patrick Street, the South Mall, and outside major hotels. To call for a taxi, try ABC Taxis (tel. 021/496-1961), Cork Taxi Co-Op (tel. 021/427-2222), or Satellite Taxis (tel. 1890/202020). In Kinsale, try Kinsale Cabs (tel. 021/477-2642), or Cab 3000 (tel. 021/477-3000). In Cobh, try Island Taxis (tel. 021/481-1111). In general, taxis are not cheap in Ireland and can quickly become an expensive luxury so try to find out the price of a journey beforehand.

Note: Not all cabs are equipped to accept credit cards so make sure you ask BEFORE you get in.

By Car

A car is the ideal way to explore County Cork, abundant as it is with scenic beauty and remote villages. Driving in Ireland might seem a daunting prospect at first, but provided you take appropriate care your trips will be safe and result in enormous pleasure. If you plan to do a lot of exploring, keep in mind that narrow winding roads (as well as flocks of sheep) can often mean that journey times are longer than might be expected from distances calculated from a map. Plan your itinerary in advance to avoid spending excessive amounts of time behind the wheel.

Unless your hotel has a parking lot, it can be a hassle to find street parking. It costs around €2 per hour if you have to park in public areas, whether you park on the street or in one of the city's two multistory parking lots, at Lavitt's Quay and Merchant's Quay. We recommend you leave your car in one of these lots unless you're heading out to Blarney Castle, the Beara Peninsula or Bantry Bay and Glengariff.