How do petrol stations work in Ireland?
They are called petrol stations, never gas stations, and almost all of them are self service. The order of things surprises Americans: lift the nozzle and fill first, note the pump number, then walk into the shop and pay. Bigger forecourts on main roads, the Circle K, Applegreen and Maxol sites especially, increasingly offer pay at the pump as well, and some stations ask for payment first late at night. The motorway network has proper service areas with fuel, food and toilets at intervals along the main routes. Away from those routes a petrol station is often the village shop and post office in one, keeping shop hours rather than forecourt hours, so in the west and northwest the afternoon is the time to fill up rather than counting on a pump after dark. Diesel comes from the black pump and petrol from the green one, and the label inside the fuel flap is the check that matters.
Useful pages: Driving in Ireland: the full guide · An Ireland road trip · Dublin · County Kerry · Scenic drives in Ireland · Killarney · Healthcare and emergencies · Plan your journey · Northern Ireland
Sources
- AA Ireland: fuel stations and driving in Ireland, theaa.ie
More in Driving in Ireland
- Which side of the road does Ireland drive on, and what else changes for a North American driver?
- Do I need an international driving permit to rent a car in Ireland?
- Why is Irish car rental insurance so confusing, and what do CDW and excess mean?
- What speed limits apply on motorways, national roads, regional roads and in towns?
- How do toll roads work in Ireland, especially the M50 barrier free toll?