Talking with @iclc-giuseppe (conference chair), we thought we’d look for interest in building travel into the ICLC conference plans. This is initially spurred by environmental concerns around cutting down on the more polluting modes of transport (like flying) where they aren’t needed, but just as compelling motivations are touring with performances and other events on the way to/from the conference, saving cash by booking together etc.
One idea - overnight ferries from the Netherlands to Hull are quite cheap if people don’t mind sharing cabins, and I’d be happy to join travelers from there via train and boat to Ireland, perhaps stopping off to have an event in e.g. Sheffield or Manchester.
Another might be doing something in Paris and/or London and then taking the train and boat together from there.
To facilitate research on how to travel from UK (or elsewhere in Europe) to Limerick (Ireland) by train you may want to check this website: https://www.thetrainline.com/
I use the ferry or
train to go between the NL and London. Both pretty reasonable
connections if you book far enough in advance. The ferry takes
significantly longer (goes between the Hoek van Holland (corner
of Holland) to Harwich, after which you take a train, but it
definitely has a certain charm!
It seems the ‘rail and sail’ tickets to dublin aren’t available yet for February.
Looking at possibilities from Sheffield though, this looks doable (based on looking at same day of week on other dates)
08:42 -> 17:25 Rail and sail to Dublin Ferryport from trainline.com, £39.50
then bus to Dublin
19:00 -> 21:07 -Train to Dublin -> Limerick from irishrail.ie, €14
The route back on the Saturday is trickier to do in a day, the boat leaves Dublin Ferryport at 08:05, too early to get there on time from Limerick, I’d say. The weekend effect means to get to Sheffield would involve a lot of changes.
It’s easier to get to London, but still involves making a 08:05 sailing.
There is a Friday night sailing at 02:15 (technically, Saturday morning), which gets in 05:45. Not much time for sleep…
I think I’ll do Sheffield -> Limerick in one day on 4th Feb, via Holyhead -> Dublin ferriy
Then do Limerick > Dublin on 8th Feb, hopefully do some kind of event there that evening and then back to towards Sheffield on the 08:05 ferry from Dublin Port
I see what you mean… looks pretty good at £65/way, I have to say. A lot of traveling time, but we could bring a decent Irish whiskey to make it feel shorter
I meant Limerick > Dublin on 8th Feb (also edited my post above)
Sheffield > Limerick - 4th Feb
Limerick > Dublin - 8th Feb
Dublin > Sheffield - 9th Feb
BTW I got a provisional booking for a room at “Green Isle Best Western” in Dublin for night of the 8th (via booking.com):
both provisional so up for sharing airbnb or whatever if that’s cheaper
(same for Limerick, I provisionally booked Absolute hotel 4-8th)
No I can’t see any rail + sail tickets for 2020 yet.
I imagine political events might need to take their course before they can decide what to charge us.
On TheTrainLine seeing £50 or less each way for London Euston<->Dublin at the moment (-> 4th, <- 8th). Overnight stay in Dublin on the way back looks the most sensible to avoid gulag-duration travel itineraries.
We seem to be converging on: travel out on the 4th, travel back to Dublin on the 8th, home on the 9th…? (I’m still awaiting confirmation of funding so that I can make the booking.)
