Book your travel in advance if your travel dates are inflexible. Airlines' best rates are available in advance. Students may also receive discounted airfare from STA Travel, a discount student travel agency. If your travel dates are flexible, you may be able to snag a deal from Aer Lingus, Ireland's national airline, which offers last-minute online deals.
Travel in winter if you can handle the weather. Winter is Ireland's off-season, so airline and hotel prices drop dramatically during this time. Avoid mid-December to early January, when holiday travelers drive prices up.
Stay in hostels instead of hotels. Hostels not only provide cheap accommodations, they provide the opportunity to meet other travelers from around the world, make new friends, and get good travel tips from locals who run the hostel. Use Hostel Ireland to book your hostels online before you leave home.
Cook some of your own meals in the kitchen of your hostel to reduce food costs. Visit local grocery stores to purchase food for a picnic. Also, take advantage of lunch specials at local restaurants, which are more affordable than dinner prices.
Travel by train or bus instead of renting a car. Obtain an International Student Identity Card with a Travelsave Stamp if you are a student. This will give you a 50 percent discount on train fares and a 15 percent discount on bus fares outside of Dublin, as well as reduced prices on transit passes in Dublin.
Purchase a Heritage Card online before you leave home if you plan on visiting attractions run by the Office of Public Works, which include castles, homes, monuments and national parks. The card entitles you to unlimited admission into over 65 attractions throughout Ireland. The cost, as of January 2011, is $9 for students.
Bring your student ID when you travel. For attractions not covered under the Heritage Card, your student ID can get you discounts off admission ticket prices.
