Private buses will be arranged at the approximate times below to accommodate our guests. These times are based on the majority of arrival times currently designated for US flights (east and west coast) as well as European cities. These times will be confirmed once we receive flight information from all guests. Prior to the wedding, we will send confirmation of your scheduled bus times. And don’t worry, the bus times are flexible…nobody will be left behind!
Arriving in Ireland
Saturday @ Dublin Airport: Buses to be scheduled for departure to Ashford Castle at noon and 2pm.
Saturday @ Shannon Airport: Bus to be scheduled for departure to Ashford Castle at 1pm due to the infrequency of flights.
Saturday @ Knock Airport: Flights from Paris and London typically arrive about 2pm, thus transportation to Ashford Castle will be scheduled at approximately 3:30pm or earlier, depending on arrival of flights.
Departing Ireland
Most return flights to the US depart before noon on Tuesday, September 29th. Thus, early departures from Ashford Castle to the airport will be scheduled. You will have coffee and breakfast “To Go” if you wish. Some departures through European cities are later in the afternoon.
Tuesday to Dublin Airport: Buses to be scheduled for departure from Ashford Castle at 6am, 7am and noon. Please note that currently most carriers to the states conduct American Customs clearance in Ireland, not the US. Thus, you should arrive at the Dublin airport a bit earlier (you won’t have the clearance hassle upon landing in the US). If you want to clear customs quickly, obtain a government issued Global Entry card (GOES) at https://goes-app.cbp.dhs.gov/main/goes. The process can take months, but it is worth the effort.
Tuesday to Shannon Airport: Bus to be scheduled for departure from Ashford Castle at 7:30am as needed for most US flights that are currently scheduled to depart Shannon at 11:40am or 12:40pm. Time must also be allowed for Galway rush hour traffic. At this time, US customs pre- clearance is conducted at Shannon, the same as Dublin Airport.
Tuesday to Knock Airport: Currently, there is one practical connection to London/Gatwick (not Heathrow), departing Knock at 2:50pm. Thus, departure from the castle would be scheduled at noon, following check- out.
Rental Cars
If you plan to rent a vehicle, remember that driving is on the opposite side of the road. You might also want to reserve a vehicle with automatic transmission or you will be using a stick shift with your left hand. From Dublin airport, the driving is 2/3 of the way via the equivalent of an interstate and 1/3 on country roads. We advise a GPS system be included in the rental. Rental rates seem reasonable, if you plan to do a little touring before or after the wedding.
Travel Agents
We hope you find this information helpful. We also recommend two travel agents, Susan Janneck and Laura Schy, both of whom are extremely knowledgeable, organized, and adept at accessing competitive fares. Regardless of where you reside, you may wish to reach out to them. Susan can be reached at (310) 752-9198 or susan.j@travelstore.com, and Laura can be reached at (310) 752-9138 or laura.s@travelstore.com.
Please feel free to contact us if you have questions or require additional information.
