Athlone to Limerick - what's the best route?

Trojan

Hey folks,

What's the best route to drive from Athlone to Limerick? I see quite a few options on the maps.

Cheers,
Alastair.

phog

Trojan wrote: »

Hey folks,

What's the best route to drive from Athlone to Limerick? I see quite a few options on the maps.

Cheers,
Alastair.

I always went via Nenagh, Borrsiokane (straight thru' at end of village to avoid Birr) to Cloghan and onto Athone.

With M7 last time I went to Roscrea, exited motorway, then onto Birr, Cloghan and then Athlone.

It may depend on what sid eof Limerick you're leaving a you now have a motorway to Gort and can then join the M6 to Athlone but I never liked that road.

Note - the N6 is being upgraded to a motorway on the Athlone bypass and this is causing mayhem at peak times.

EoghanConway

Via Borrisokane is probably "best". No great solution really.

Conor Bourke

Agreed that Nenagh-Borrisokane-Ferbane is the most "straightforward" way, but I drove it at the beginning of February and there was literally chunks of road missing, some of the worst potholes and destruction of surfacing that I've ever seen, and that's saying something as I drive a LOT with work. Have managed to avoid that road since, so don't know if it's been remedied yet, so bear it in mind.

highlydebased

The roads up through the midlands are in an awful state. Drove it recently enough and it was quite displeasing.

If I were to do it again I'd go via the M6, Loughrea and Gort to join the M18 back down...would be a far more comfortable journey IMO. (This is the first option Google maps gives) That said, the N66 is not great either but I'd still choose it over the others

timesnewroman

I drove from Limerick to Athlone recently and it took 1hr 40mins. I choose to take the N18 to Galway (its nearly all dual carriageway these days) and then take the M6 (tolled) from Galway to Athlone.

I toyed with the idea of going via Borrisokane but the lure of beautiful motorway won out.

What part of Limerick do you intend visiting?

phog

If this is any good in helping you, it's about a 40min spin from the motorway at Roscrea to the Dock Rd in Limerick. Not sure how long it takes from Athlone to Roscrea via Birr.

dee_f

I did athlone to limerick at the weekend - they have resurfaced the road - fastest route I know (1 hr and 20 mins) is Limerick nenagh borrisokane cloghan and on to athlone - when in borrisokane go stright thru the town for 1 mile approx till you see the turn of on the right for athlone and its straight on to athlone

Trojan

Thanks for all the suggestions. Maybe the longer route is easier driving and I don't fancy bad road surfaces, have enough of that around here in Mayo to keep me going for a couple of decades.

Giving it some thought

seachto7

Just a quick one (for future reference). When you get into Borrisokane, is it better to go straight through, or take the right in the square.

I've ended up taking the right in the square on the way up, and ended up coming straight through on the way back...

The borrisokane route isn't too bad if you're not in a major rush...

phog

seachto7 wrote: »

Just a quick one (for future reference). When you get into Borrisokane, is it better to go straight through, or take the right in the square.

I've ended up taking the right in the square on the way up, and ended up coming straight through on the way back...

The borrisokane route isn't too bad if you're not in a major rush...

Straight through for me and then a right about a mile or so outside the village.

styer

Been driving up home to Athlone from Limerick over the last 10 years, the quickest route is the Nenagh, Borrisokane, Cloghan route, If you decide to go to Birr from Borrisokane the road is slightly less windy, but takes longer.

However since the bad snow/froast etc the road through offaly is pretty bad, about two inches of tarmac is pealing off the road in places making it pretty bad for driving on.

If you go the original way suggested, should take just over 1.5 hours to get from UL to edge of Athlone, thats driving at a slow enough pace if you don't know the road...

Edit! Sorry only say this was an old thread!!!

kenoconnell

Straight through Borris or by boat.... great spin on a sunny day!!!! takes little more that hour fifteen tho!!!:D