Easter will see the highest amount of holiday travel since the Covid-19 epidemic broke out, with about two million people travelling to the roads, aircraft, and ferries.
Garda have asked people to use caution when driving and have warned that their Easter road safety campaign would be sternly enforced if they do not.
Whether you’re traveling by car, boat, airline or train this weekend, here’s everything you need to know about traveling.
Plane
Hundreds of thousands of passengers travelling from Dublin Airport, as well as maintenance on the rail network throughout the nation, are expected to cause disruption during the Easter weekend, according to the Irish Transport Authority (ITA).
Regardless of whether they are travelling short haul or long haul, Dublin Airport recommends that travellers arrive at least three and a half hours before their trip and allow an additional 30 minutes if they are parking their vehicle.
Dublin Airport’s parking lots are completely sold out on Saturday and have only “limited availability” on the other days of the bank holiday weekend, according to airport officials.
Those travelling from 8:30 a.m. onwards should avoid arriving at airport terminals before 5 a.m. in order to “help reduce strain on the security regime and enable passengers flying during the busy first morning wave” to get through security, according to the Department of Aviation.
Prior to traveling to the airport, travellers should inquire with their airline about when check-in and luggage drop-off will open, and then arrange their arrival at the airport depending on the information they get from the airline. Terminal 1 is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, whereas security in Terminal 2 is open from 4 a.m. until midnight every day.
A total of up to 250,000 passengers are scheduled to depart from San Francisco International Airport during the Easter weekend, resulting in long lines at the security screening gates. According to Graeme McQueen, Media Relations Manager for the DAA, the number of passengers flying is approaching the levels seen in 2019, which was a record year for the airport.
According to Pól O’Conghaile, our travel editor, “As a matter of thumb, Saturday, April 16 is the busiest day for flights around Easter.”
On weekends and during vacation seasons, there are particularly long lines at peak times, such as early morning (approximately 5am to 10am in Terminal 1, but up to 12 pm in Terminal 2 owing to transatlantic flights), early evening, and early dawn again the next day.
For evening flights, Terminal 1 has a second peak hour at Security between 15:00 and 20:00, which is between 15:00 and 20:00.
“If you have the option to schedule a flight outside of these periods, attempt to do so.”
Train
On Saturday, April 16, Sunday, April 17, and Monday, April 18, DART riders are warned that engineering work will be carried out between Grand Canal Dock and Greystones, resulting in the suspension of all DART services between these stations.
Rail tickets purchased via Irish Rail will be valid on Dublin Bus and Go-Ahead Ireland for travel within the impacted region and into Dublin City Centre, according to the company.
There will be no rail service available at the following DART stations: Lansdowne Road, Sandymount, Sydney Parade, Booterstown, Blackrock, Seapoint, Salthill, and Monkstown, Dn Laoghaire, Sandycove and Glasthule, Glenageary, Dalkey, Killiney, Shankill, and Bray.
Saturday-Monday, DART services between Malahide/Howth and Grand Canal Dock stations will be available exclusively on Saturday and Monday.
Bus
The journey from Dublin to Rosslare Dublin Connolly and Greystones will be served by Europort services, which will be supplemented by bus transfers, according to Irish Rail.
Additionally, there will be severe disruption on the Western Rail Corridor between Limerick and Galway during the weekend due to engineering work between Limerick and Gort, which will last all weekend.
Bus transfers will be in force, and “service modifications and changes” will be implemented, according to Irish Railway. Passengers are recommended to check the route planner before setting off on their journey..
Car
It has been emphasised by the Gardai and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) that the focus would be on speeding and vehicle safety, in addition to drunk and drug driving.
So far this year, a total of 51 people have died on Irish roadways, representing a startling 70% rise over the 30 fatalities reported for the same time last year, despite the fact that the country was under Covid-19 lockdown.
Hildegard Naughton, the junior transport minister, said that the government was now spending €1 million every day to promote safe travel.
“The rise in the number of traffic fatalities this year is really worrying. We must all work together to reverse this trend by exercising more caution on the roads – particularly over the high-risk Easter Bank Holiday period.”
Four people died and eight others were critically wounded during the Easter weekend last year, according to reports. Therefore, we have a duty as drivers to slow down, avoid driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, refrain from using our phones or driving when sleepy, and always check that everyone in our car is wearing their seatbelt.”
Safety
Water Safety Ireland has asked people to take caution while approaching rivers, lakes, and oceans – and to adhere to safety precautions when participating in water activities – as well as when swimming.
Every year, an average of 115 persons drown in Ireland, with men accounting for four out of every five fatalities.
At this time of year, ocean temperatures are still dangerously low, according to the World Oceans Institute, and marine conditions may change quickly.
Weather
Siobhan Ryan of Met Éireann has warned that the Easter weekend will be unpredictable, with the worst of the weather expected on Easter Sunday, which will see heavy rainfall in many locations, with the possibility of hail showers in others.
The finest weather will be seen on Saturday morning, with broad dry intervals, while rain will progressively engulf western parts later in the day.
Easter Monday will be significantly colder, with maximum temperatures only reaching 12 degrees Celsius with a mix of dry periods and blustery showers in the forecast.
There is a chance of strong hail showers in the northern parts of the country.
Uncertainty will persist throughout next week, however there is a potential of better weather starting on April 29, when a high pressure system is expected to bring dry, warm, and more stable weather.
