Driving Tralee to Castlebar

Speedy2009

Which way is best to go - through limerick or by the Talbert ferry?
What sort of delay should I expect in Limerick? and are the roads alright going to/from the ferry?

Tech3

Speedy2009 wrote: »

Which way is best to go - through limerick or by the Talbert ferry?
What sort of delay should I expect in Limerick? and are the roads alright going to/from the ferry?

I drive the road constantly but have never used the ferry as it's usually from Limerick I drive the road but sometimes from north kerry.

Without taking the ferry the best route is:

N21 to Limerick
N18 to Claregalway
N17 to Claremorris
N60 Castlebar

Traffic is bad at peak times in Limerick as the N18 dual carriageway is reduced to one lane for the tie in of the Limerick tunnel which is under construction. Off peak it takes 15-20 mins to get from raheen to coonagh.

I've heard the road from Tarbert to the ferry is ridiculously bad. Whatever you do, dont take the N84 from Galway city to Castlebar as the road is of a very poor standard. The ferry looks a good option but not sure how good the N68 is like probably substandard like every other national secondary road in this country.

ainiseoir

Speedy2009 wrote: »

Which way is best to go - through limerick or by the Talbert ferry?
What sort of delay should I expect in Limerick? and are the roads alright going to/from the ferry?

1.Limerick.
2. Only bad at rush-hour.
3.Roads around ferry awful, best to go to Kilrush and take main road to Ennis.
Are you doing a tour?
4. Ennis by:pac:passed dualway from Limerick to halfway to Galway.
Give Galway a miss, disaster area.
Oranmore,bypass, Claregalway, scary T-junction, Tuam Claremorris and on to C'bar.
5. All of it to look forward to again on the way back
6. Suggest you take the Coast Road to Limerick both directions.

Tech3

ainiseoir wrote: »

1.Limerick.
2. Only bad at rush-hour.
3.Roads around ferry awful, best to go to Kilrush and take main road to Ennis.
Are you doing a tour?
4. Ennis by:pac:passed dualway from Limerick to halfway to Galway.
Give Galway a miss, disaster area.
Oranmore,bypass, Claregalway, scary T-junction, Tuam Claremorris and on to C'bar.
5. All of it to look forward to again on the way back
6. Suggest you take the Coast Road to Limerick both directions.

The T junction at Claregalway is not as scary as it once used to be. There is traffic lights there now whereas before it was a Stop sign trying to get out onto a major busy N17 road.

Some of the N18 is M18 after shannon J9. The motorway runs for about ~20km. Also 10km of motorway M20 from patrickswell to Limerick.

Malice

I drive regularly from Tralee to Galway and I've found that going to Limerick from the Listowel road is a lot quicker as you avoid bottlenecks in Castleisland, Newcastlewest and Abbeyfeale.

Getting through Limerick isn't too bad unless there's a rugby match or something on.

ainiseoir

tech2 wrote: »

The T junction at Claregalway is not as scary as it once used to be. There is traffic lights there now whereas before it was a Stop sign trying to get out onto a major busy N17 road.

Some of the N18 is M18 after shannon J9. The motorway runs for about ~20km. Also 10km of motorway M20 from patrickswell to Limerick.

Traffic lights at Claregalway, a roundabout at the Mallow Road junction outside Killarney, Waterford city bypassed.
Why did I have to wait until i was old and quare before all these wonders happened?

Tech3

ainiseoir wrote: »

Traffic lights at Claregalway, a roundabout at the Mallow Road junction outside Killarney, Waterford city bypassed.

You'll be glad to know construction is proposed to start on the Gort to Tuam M17/M18 motorway next year bypassing all those bottlenecks on the current road. Also tuam will be bypass with 2+2 standard. Heres hoping anyway.

Gort to Crusheen M18 is due to open in Summer 2010. Happy days! :cool:

Why did I have to wait until i was old and quare before all these wonders happened?

The country became rich too late?.................... and then became poor again overnight.