WATERFORD - GETTING AROUND

On foot

Much of The Viking Triangle and areas surrounding it are pedestrianized, and its compact size (just one square mile) makes it easy for tourists to walk to nearly every important attraction. For those who get winded easily, the city is built on a series of steep hills, so the local council has placed a number of benches on thoroughfares which run up these hills. Take a load off whenever you like!

Further away from the city, places become more spread out and walking becomes more of a form of leisure than getting around. Keep that in mind and mix up your walking with a few bus rides.

By bus

Two national bus companies, Bus Eireann and JJ Kavanagh and Sons (www.jjkavanagh.ie), operate limited bus services. Two JJ Kavanagh and Sons bus routes, 607 and 617, run every half-hour from approximately 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in a loop from Ballygunner to the Bridge Hotel (areas further out receive bus service as well, but less frequently). Bus Eireann routes 601, 603, 604 and 605 stop at many of the sights in and around The Viking Triangle; if you want to venture into the suburbs, you can explore Slievekeale by taking route 603; Ballytruckle is accessible from route 602 (take the Patrick Street stop). All routes are active by 8 a.m. each morning, with buses leaving at least every 40 minutes on every line until 5 p.m. (limited service occurs on most lines until 9:30 p.m.).

Bus Eireann offers a Leap Card for the City of Waterford. For €20, Leap Cardholders can ride on any of Bus Eireann`s local bus routes for a period of seven days. You can purchase a Leap Card online at www.leapcard.ie or you can find a list of participating retailers who stock the card at www.payzone.ie. JJ Kavanagh ticketholders do not have access to Leap Card savings, but if they save their tickets, they can receive discounts at a number of businesses and attractions. For a full list, visit www.jjkavanagh.ie/day-trips-kilkeny-ireland/day-trips-waterford-city-ireland.

NOTE: Waterford`s bus services, provided by Bus Eireann and JJ Kavanagh and Sons, do not operate on Sundays. Plan accordingly!

By taxi

Taxis are plentiful in Waterford and it is easy to hail them from the street. It is also fairly easy to spot taxi ranks, which are located throughout the city. Taxis can be busy so if you need to be at a destination at a certain time, please call your taxi in advance. The meter starts around €4; add €1 to €1.50 for each mile traveled. Prices are higher at night, on Sundays and during public holidays and observances. Major companies in the city include Waterford Taxis (www.waterfordtaxis.ie) and Premier Taxis (www.premiertaxis.ie).

By car

Hertz, Enterprise and Europcar all have car rental services available in Waterford City, although all three are a good few miles away from the city center. Minicars can be rented from approximately €20 per day, while fuller-size cars are priced at €50 per day and up. Considering Waterford`s compact size, decent bus system and taxi fleet, we recommend that you keep car use to a minimum, unless you are interested in visiting Mount Congreve or taking day trips out into County Waterford to explore the countryside.

By bicycle

Waterford is a great city to explore on bicycle. In fact, the Waterford Greenway (www.visitwaterfordgreenway.com), stretching 28.5 miles from Waterford to the town of Dungarvan, was opened in March 2017 to much enthusiasm and excitement from residents. It is believed to be the largest greenway project currently operating on the island of Ireland. To rent a bicycle from Waterford, call ahead to Greenway Waterford Bike Hire (086 1292724) or The Greenway Man at Durrow (086 8351233).