Rail pass

So, I am flying into London on Mar 30. I am planning on visiting UK and Ireland for about 6 weeks...I haven't completely worked out my itinerary...but it seems like if I should get the BritRail-Ireland Pass...but it only last for a month...what do I do for other two weeks...just buy point to point or? Do you have any recommendations?

Thanks!

Train service in Ireland is fairly limited. Bus service is cheaper and more extensive. You might want to limit your train pass to Great Britain. For more information, read this page about train service in Great Britain and this page about both train and bus service in Ireland.

The train service is not as bad as everyone makes out. It only really misses Donegal. Buses are alot cheaper, but not half as fast or comfortable. The only real problem is that all routes galway southwards stem from the Dublin - Cork route (excluding Rosslare route). This means that if you want to go from Limerick to Galway, you have to go via Portarlington, more than doubling the distance. However, train frequencies are 1 an hour to the south (Cork/Limerick) and 1 every 2 hours to Galway. The train goes most places you will want to go to. If not, it will be a bus ride from a terminal station.

For train timetables and maps, go to www.iarnrodeireann.ie or www.irishrail.ie<BR>For bus times, go to www.buseireann.ie<BR><BR>All buses and trains are run by subsidaries of CIÉ, www.cie.ie

I lived in England for a year last year and the trains were all really accessible. If you have a couple extra weeks with no pass, I would recommend getting a "Young Persons Rail Card" they cost you 20 pounds, but they save you 30% on each ticket you purchase, so in the end you can save quite a lot and quickly make up for for the cost of the card. Forms are available at pretty much every train station you go to, you just need to have a passport size photo of yourself and they will do the card up for you right there. for trains in england- www.nationalrail.co.uk
As for Ireland, the buses are incredibly cheaper than the trains, although they are quite longer. Personally I enjoyed the buses more because you get to see a lot more of the countryside. As an example I took a bus from Cork up to Dublin, and it only cost me around 10 euros. Good luck.

The bus may be about €10, but the traain is €56 or about €57 maybe now. I'd rather pay the €56 and go by train. The bus is a nightmare. Far too long.