Physical Leap cards, licensed taxi apps and direct intercity bookings
The Republic of Ireland uses euros, but Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, uses sterling and may require a UK visa or Electronic Travel Authorisation even when you cross by land.
Cards and contactless payment are widely accepted, yet a physical card, PIN and modest euro cash remain sensible backups. Core Dublin public transport still relies on a physical Leap Card or operator-specific tickets because general bank-card tapping is planned for 2028. Taxi apps dispatch licensed taxis rather than ordinary private cars. Compare the displayed fare and separate app fees, and remember that every taxi must accept cash and card.
If driving, keep left, confirm how the rental company handles tolls and pay any self-managed M50 toll through eFlow by 8pm the following day. Save tickets and accommodation details offline, check Met Éireann warnings before exposed trips, and call 112 or 999 in an emergency.
Broad Irish app coverage for booking licensed taxis in Dublin and major regional cities and towns.
Licensed-taxi booking alternative with service in Dublin and numerous towns and counties across Ireland.
Irish Uber service that books licensed taxis and offers a fixed-price taxi option on eligible trips.
Official NTA tool for verifying Irish taxi, vehicle and driver licence details and reporting a mismatch.
Irish restaurant and takeaway marketplace with address-based coverage in cities, towns and regional areas.
Restaurant, takeaway and grocery delivery platform with its strongest usefulness in Irish urban areas.
Widely available Irish food-delivery option whose restaurants and couriers vary with the precise address.
General Irish mapping, Eircode search, driving directions and public-transport planning with offline road maps.
Official national journey planner and live departures for TFI bus, tram and rail services.
Official NFC app for checking and topping up a physical TFI Leap Card and viewing its recent use and fare caps.
Mobile tickets for participating Bus Éireann, TFI Local Link and selected commercial bus operators.
Optional text, camera and conversation help for visitors who need support communicating in English.
Official rail planning, live departures and booking access for Irish InterCity and other rail services.
Direct coach booking, stored tickets and vehicle tracking for Citylink's Irish routes, including Galway links.
Restaurant discovery and reservation management with useful coverage in Dublin and other Irish destinations.
Official Irish forecasts, rain radar and selectable county weather-warning notifications.
Reliable mobile internet at better prices than most travel eSIMs, with polished iOS and Android apps and support for making and receiving phone calls.
One of the biggest travel eSIM brands, with a very large destination catalog.
Known for unlimited-data plans in many destinations, at a higher price per gigabyte.
EU roaming does not always include the UK or Northern Ireland; check the plan before crossing the border.
Best choice for broad coverage, including rural areas.
A solid alternative; compare current prepaid offers before buying.
Strong in major cities, with weaker rural coverage.
A solid alternative; compare current prepaid offers before buying.
A solid alternative; compare current prepaid offers before buying.
A solid alternative; compare current prepaid offers before buying.
The essential apps for Ireland are Freenow, Just Eat Ireland, Google Maps, TFI Live, Leap Top Up.
We've curated 16 apps across 11 categories for traveling in Ireland, including 7 essential apps.
Freenow is the top-rated ride hailing app in Ireland. Broad Irish app coverage for booking licensed taxis in Dublin and major regional cities and towns.
Local taxi apps, lek cash and offline maps matter more than global brands
Public transport first, with city and Alpine tools that prevent expensive mistakes
Carry BAM, use local transport apps, and stay on established routes
National rail, regional transit and simple card backups for Belgium
Licensed taxi apps, city-specific transit tools and euro cash backups
Use SBB first, keep a card and francs handy, and prepare offline maps for the mountains
