Living in Galway

Travelling to Galway

Planning a journey withing Ireland 

On the Transport for Ireland website, you will find useful information to help you get around Ireland. They also have a TFI app with is available to download onto your phones from both the Google Play and Appstore. 

• The service helps people plan their personal journeys from door to door, anywhere in Ireland, and it covers travel by bus, rail, tram, taxis, ferries and on foot, with fully mapped-out route information, printable timetables and details of overall journey times – all in one place.

The principal airports are at Dublin (on the east coast) and Shannon (on the west coast, approximately 130km from Galway), and there is another, smaller airport called Ireland West, located at Knock, around 70km north of Galway.

Dublin to Galway

From Dublin Airport to Galway – Direct

• This is the most convenient way to reach Galway. 
• The companies Bus Éireann and Citylink both operate frequent direct bus services to Galway, departing from Terminal One of Dublin Airport. 
• The direct bus journey takes between 2.5 – 3 hours.

From Dublin Airport to Dublin City Centre

• Dublin Airport is situated around 10 km north of Dublin City.
• If you wish to visit the city before coming to Galway, you can take the Airlink Express bus which leaves from directly outside Terminal One: departures are every 15 – 20 minutes. It connects the Airport with Busáras (the central bus station). 
• Check the Dublin Bus website for timetables and further information.

From Dublin City to Galway - by Train

• There is a frequent Irish Rail Train service from Dublin (Heuston Station) to Galway each day.
• The journey takes just over two-and-a-half hours. 
• A train journey to Galway will be more expensive than travelling by bus, but there are student tickets available with the use of a valid Young Adult/Student Leap Card.

From Dublin City to Galway - by Bus

• There is a regular Bus Éireann service from the Dublin central bus station (Busáras) to Galway. 
• Some of the routes of the private bus operators like Citylink also stop in Dublin City en route from the Airport to Galway. 

Shannon Airport to Galway

• There are regular bus services between Shannon Airport and Galway, run by Bus Éireann. 
• The journey takes approximately one and a half hours.

Arrival in Galway

• You should try to arrive in Galway on a weekday and preferably not too late at night.
• Please note that University offices are not open on Saturdays or Sundays. Check departmental websites for opening hours for student consultations.

Useful Web Addresses

• Iarnród Éireann train timetables 
• Bus Éireann timetables 
• Dublin Bus timetables 
• CityLink bus timetables
• Dublin Airport  
• Shannon Airport  
• Knock (Ireland West) Airport 

University of Galway Accommodation

University of Galway has limited on-campus accommodation. We have a small number of on-campus beds dedicated to our Erasmus Students and to ensure a fair process, we will be holding a lottery for these beds.

Students must have been nominated and have applied for their Erasmus Mobility by April 30th to be entered into the initial stages of the lottery. 

We emphasize the importance of students exploring the option of private accommodation in the meantime. Please consult our Accommodation Advisory Service should you have any questions regarding securing private accommodation.

The Accommodation Advisory Service

• Unfortunatly, the Internation Office is not involved in the accommodation process. However, the University of Galway does have a dedicated Accommodation Advisory Service to help our incoming Erasmus students with securing accommodation.
• They can provide links to accommodation agencies, flat-hunting websites, local newspapers, etc, but please do heed the advice they give:
  • "We recommend that you do not pay a deposit for accommodation advertised on these websites prior to viewing it, meeting with the landlord and receiving the key to the property". 

Private Accommodation

Viewing

• It is recommended that students be in Galway so that they can go and look at available properties in-person. 
• You should not book accommodation without viewing it in person (or having a trusted person view on your behalf), and you should never make any payments to private individuals offering accommodation over the internet. 
• You should only pay a deposit when you have met the landlord, viewed the property, received the keys and discreetly checked that the keys do indeed match the lock on the door of the property. 

Inspecting

• The University of Galway Accommodation Advisory service does not inspect private accommodations.
• Individual students will need to view these properties personally before committing themselves by signing a lease. 

Never reserve a room over the phone - making a reservation in person ensures that you are happy both with the condition of the property and your future housemates. 

Available Resources

StudentPad

• It is recommended that students sign up for My StudentPad, a message board service operated by the Accommodation Advisory Service.
• My StudentPad allows you register your details, indicate your preferred type of accommodation, and get e-mail alerts if suitable accommodation becomes available. 
• It's likely that you will see more house-sharing options becoming available here as the summer progresses and more landlords make contact with the Accommodation Office to advertise rooms. 

HostingPower

• HostingPower specialises in accommodation for international students. 
• The City Centre, Newcastle and Salthill are the areas most convenient to the University, although there are bus connections to areas further away.

We advise all incoming Erasmus students to read our Advice on Rental Scams.

Finance

For the most accurate and up-to-date information on living costs in Galway, we encourage you to visit the Cost of Living webpage. This resource can help you make informed decisions about your financial arrangements.

To help ease your concerns about money management, find out about the costs associated with going to University. 

Services you may need

Getting familiar with University of  Galway

• We recommend that students download the very useful University of Galway Campus App. 
  • It gives you access to campus maps, a room location finder, e-mail, Canvas and other services, information about accommodation, the health unit, printing services, and a host of other features that will simplify your life and improve your experience as a student at University of Galway. 
• We also recommend that students familiarise themselves with the Interactive Campus Map.
  • This is a searchable map of the enitre Galway Campus, complete with indoor maps (for the most popular buildings for undergraduate students), services, facilities, and points of interest.
  • It is extrememly useful for students trying to get their bearings on campus.

Local and National Travel

If you will be using local buses, a Young Adult Leap Card is a good investment.  

• This LeapCard gives students 50% off all public transport under the TFI network, making communting around Ireland much more affordable.
• You can apply for one online.

Post Offices

• There are several post offices in Galway, including one adjacent to the university campus on Newcastle Road.
• A standard 100g  letter to Britain or mainland Europe costs €1.35.
• The General Post Office, on Eglinton Street, is normally open from 09:00 – 17:30.
• Smaller post offices may close for lunch.

Climate and Clothing

• Western Ireland’s proximity to the Gulf Stream ensures that the temperature in winter rarely falls below 0ºC.
• However, the climate is damp, so be prepared for frequent rain and wind.
• Waterproof clothing, a warm jacket or raincoat, an umbrella, and woollen sweaters are essential items for winter wear. These can all be purchased cheaply in the larger chain stores in Galway.

Telephone Services

• The main mobile phone providers in Ireland are Vodafone, Tesco Mobile and Three. 
• There will be an option of “bill-pay”, where you have an account and monthly charges, or “pay as you go”, where you buy call credit as you need it. 
• There are plenty of mobile phone shops around Galway where you can investigate the various packages.  You should shop around to find the one that best suits your own requirements and the duration of your stay here.

Police and Emergencies

A police officer in Ireland is called a Garda Siochána (Irish for "guardian of the peace"). Full details of national and local Garda stations can be found on the Garda website. In Galway, the main Garda station is located in Mill Street, telephone (091) 538000.

If you have an emergency dial 999 or 112 and ask for the service you require. The telephone number for University College Hospital is (091) 580580.

Shopping

• City-centre shops and department stores are open six days a week, most closing at 6pm; some larger shops also open until 9pm on Thursdays and Fridays, and many shops also open on Sunday afternoons.
• Supermarkets are usually open till 9 or 10pm, including on Sundays.
• If you are cooking for yourself, you will find all the basic foodstuffs are cheapest in the main supermarkets (Tesco, Dunnes Stores, Supervalu, Lidl and Aldi), and some of these also have suburban branches.
• Most supermarkets will have own-brand foodstuffs, which will be cheaper than regular brands.

Driving in Ireland

• A full driver’s licence from other EU countries is valid in Ireland.
• Traffic in Ireland travels on the left-hand side of the road.
• Cars can easily be rented provided you have a full driver's licence.

Electricity

• The standard mains voltage is 220v. Three-pin plugs are standard on most electrical equipment.

‌

Embassy Addresses

Austria
15 Ailesbury Court, 93 Ailesbury Road, Dublin 4
Tel: 353 1 269 4577; Fax: 353 1 283 0860
e-mail: dublin-ob@bmeia.gv.at