Location

NUI Galway is located in Galway city on the West Coast of Ireland. View on map.

‌Travelling to Ireland

There are daily direct flights to Ireland from a wide range of cities in the UK, Europe and the US, along with flights from the Emirates.  Airports include:

• Shannon Airport c. 1 hour 5 mins by car/bus – View airline/destination information for Shannon‌
• Dublin Airport c. 2 hours 20 mins by car/bus – View airline/destination information for Dublin
• Knock Airport  c. 1 hour 10 mins by car/bus – View airline/destination information for Knock‌

Ireland is also accessible via ferry.

Getting to Galway

Galway city is served by an extensive public transport network linking Dublin, Shannon and Knock airports. This includes:

• Irish Rail, offering 9 daily train transfers from Dublin City with travel time from 2 hours 10 minutes

• Regular bus services operated by Bus Éireann, Go Bus and Citylink, with fully air-conditioned coaches equipped with free Wi-Fi. The motorway from Dublin Airport to Galway City allows for travel time from 2 hours 20 minutes, with direct bus services operating every half hour (Dublin Airport Terminal to Galway City Centre).  Knock and Shannon Airports are currently serviced by Bus Éireann, expanding services to accommodate the growing number of passengers to each airport.

For detailed information on travelling from Dublin, Shannon or Knock Airport by train, bus or taxi, or for information on car hire, please refer to our Getting to Galway Guide.

Should you wish to travel to Galway by car, please refer to the AA Road Maps & Route Planner

Campus Map & Parking

• View Google Map of Campus
• View PDF Campus Map
• View Detailed PDF Campus Map
• View NUI Galway Entrances and Parking Guide

Climate

Ireland has a mild climate with the warmest months being July and August. For more information and the current temperature click here.

Currency

The currency of Ireland is the Euro, which is made up of 100 cents. For daily exchange rates click here.

Language

There are two official languages in Ireland: Irish, which is the national language, and English which is the language of the majority of the population.

No Smoking

Smoking is now forbidden in enclosed places of work. This includes office blocks, various buildings, public houses/bars, restaurants. For more information, click here.

Time Zone

Ireland is on GMT.

Tipping

Most hotels and restaurants include a service charge of 10-15% to your bill. A small tip is appreciated for good service. Tipping is not usual in pubs. Taxis are tipped 10%.

VAT Refunds

Value Added Tax (VAT) is usually included in the price of goods and services in Ireland. Visitors to Ireland from outside the EU can obtain a refund of VAT. Click here for more.

Visas

For the latest information on visa requirements click here.

Voltage

Mains electricity is supplied at 220 Volts. For more, click here.

Green Campus

The University is registered with An Taisce’s Green-Campus Programme and has a Green-Campus Committee working on the themes of transport, waste, energy, water and biodiversity. Recent successes include winning the first Intervarsity Bioblitz, opening a secure bike park, implementing a bin-the-bin initiative, achieving ISO50001 and including rain water harvesting systems in new buildings. Further information is available here.