Knock airport guide

Ireland West Airport Knock is a major gateway for travel to north-west Ireland. In the past few years, the airport has seen rapid growth and is becoming an increasingly important pick up and return point for hire cars in Ireland.

Where Are We at Knock Airport

If you are flying into Knock Airport and plan on picking up a hire car at the terminal, it’s wise to start the booking process as early as possible. Setting up Knock Airport car rental early affords discounts and greater selection, ensuring you secure your preferred vehicle type.

Knock’s West Ireland Airport is small, and finding the car hire desks is easy once you arrive. After collecting your bags, proceed to the Arrivals Hall. A row of car hire desks is found here, with Europcar among them. If you pre-booked your rental, simply present the confirmation details to the associate at this time. From here, you are just a few minutes from being behind the wheel of your hire car.

The CARHIRE.ie associate will direct you to the Knock Airport car hire collection point. It is located a car park near the terminal and can be reached in just a few minutes. Before you board, the on-site associate will walk you through a quick inspection to make sure that everything is in working order. The entire fleet of CARHIRE.ie has an average age of about six months, so your vehicle should be in good shape.

From here, you are on your way to exploring western Ireland by car. The R378 motorway runs east to the N17. This road connects south all the way to Galway, which is about 90 kilometres away. Driving north on the N17 connects to the N5, which heads east to Ballaghadereen and west to Swinford and Castlebar.

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What facilities are available at Knock Airport

Ireland West Airport Knock may be small, but it has a full range of modern facilities on hand. More than 650,000 passengers pass through the terminal each year, and this figure continues to rise. Due to traveller interest in the region and this particular terminal, the Irish government has supplied millions of Euro in capital grant money.

The customer information desk is found on the ground floor of the airport near the check-in counters. Financial facilities conveniently situated in the arrivals area. A bureau de change is on site to handle exchange between the Euro and other prominent world currencies. There is also an ATM next to the exchange desk, and public telephones are conveniently located throughout the terminal building. Across the building in the departures area is a tax refund box. For information on reclaiming value added tax before leaving Ireland, visit the Irish Tax and Customs website.

Wireless broadband (Wi-Fi) broadcasts throughout the terminal and is available to all. For information on how to connect to the network, stop by the customer information desk. Employees at retailers and restaurants throughout the airport should also be able to help you get online with your notebook computer or handheld device.

Those who don’t have a computer with them but would still like to check their e-mail can do so at any of the coin-operated Internet kiosks in the terminal. Two are found in the departures area, with another two in Sláinte Restaurant on the first floor.

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General information about Knock Airport

Knock Airport opened in the 1980s as part of a project designed to bring new jobs to this traditionally impoverished part of Ireland. In those days, the only flights flew on a charter basis to Rome. Today, Knock Airport offers a much more thorough network of regularly scheduled flights.

Throughout the years, this airport has changed names several times. It opened as Horan International, later became Connacht Regional, then went on to be known as Knock International and finally Ireland West Airport Knock.

Today, Aer Lingus, Flybe, Lufthansa and Ryanair offer regularly scheduled service to several European destinations. A greater network of seasonal and charter services is also on offer. Flights connect to several cities in Ireland and the UK, as well as Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Paris, Tenerife, Barcelona, Faro, Milan and the Canaries.

Knock Airport is a regular recipient of awards for its role as a regional airport. The terminal’s efficiency and safety record can be partially attributed to the infusion of capital grants that Knock Airport has received from the government in recent years.

Travellers may be surprised that such a small regional airport offers so many international connections. The local (but world-famous) Knock Shrine is the culprit. The holy relic draws devotees from around the world and has previously been visited by Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa.

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Where is Ireland West Airport Knock situated

Ireland West Airport, Knock serves County Mayo and greater western Ireland. It is named for the world-famous Knock Shrine, but actually lies closest to the town of Charlestown. Passengers hoping to visit the rugged coastline or stop by Knock Shrine will be best served by a rental car from Knock Airport.

Beyond the shrine, there are several other towns, outposts and attractions worth visiting in the region. This is especially true for anyone with access to a private car. Getting around western Ireland is difficult for those who plan on booking a commercial true – especially for anyone who are planning more than a basic pilgrimage to the shrine.

The main road running to and from Knock Airport is the N17. The N17 runs north to south and links to the N5, which is about 6 kilometres north of the terminal. The N5 is an east-west artery.

After Charlestown, Claremorris is the closest major town. Claremorris is about 30 kilometres south of the airport, at the junction of the N17 and N60. For those who are switching over to transport by rail, this is where you’ll find the nearest Irish Rail station. At 90 kilometres to the south, Galway is also within a short drive of Knock Airport.

Irish roads are in good repair, and there is really no alternative to getting out and exploring this region by Knock Airport hire car. The alternative is to only see those attractions that are featured on commercial tour itineraries, rely heavily on buses or shell out sums in taxi fare throughout your visit.

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Public Transportation

Upon arriving at West Ireland Airport Knock, one of the first items that passengers need to take care of is lining up transportation. It’s most convenient to travel by car through this part of Ireland, which is why many visitors opt for Knock Airport car rental. Booking car hire in advance ensures better vehicle selections and quick processing time. Buses, taxis and trains also offer transport services.

Travel by Taxi

Taxi service at Knock Airport is operated by Airport Cabs, which is overseen by airport authorities. Fares are established in advance and explained in greater detail on the airport’s cab prices guidelines. Even those these prices are published, it’s still best to confirm the fare with the driver before you commit. Taxis can be convenient for single journeys, but car hire Knock is much more practical and affordable.

Travel by Train

There is no rail service directly to the airport. However, trains do run to Claremorris, about 30 miles south-west of the terminal. There is also a railway station at Ballyhaunis, which lies a little over 20 kilometres directly south of the terminal along the N83. Trains running through this region connect Dublin to the following cities: Galway, Westport, Ballina and Sligo.

Travel by bus

Buses provide the most affordable mode of public transport in the region. Bus Éireann operates service to the airport from Mayo (1 hour, 15 minutes), Donegal (2 hours, 30 minutes), Sligo (1 hour) and Galway (2 hours). Passengers can go to Charlestown to access a more comprehensive network, with buses running as far out as Belfast and Dublin

Travel by car

Knock Airport is accessible via the N17 motorway, which runs north to south and passes the airport to the east. Whether driving your own vehicle or a hire car from Knock Airport, exploring the region by hire car affords travellers the most freedom.

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Where do you return your car rental to

Returning your hired car at Knock Airport is especially easy, due in part to the relatively small size of the terminal. Drivers are unlikely to experience any hang-ups or slow-downs, at least not in terms of returning the rental and getting on their way.

Driving back to Ireland West Airport involves finding your way to the N17. Claremorris is a popular nexus south-west of the airport, with access to several other regional motorways. It takes about 30 minutes to drive from Claremorris to the terminal. Bear in mind that most travellers flying into Knock Airport are planning on spending some time out in the countryside. Wherever you stay, be sure to enquire with your local hosts regarding travel times to the airport.

CARHIRE.ie vehicles can be returned to the same place they were collected. Regular hours of operation vary from day to day and are largely dependent on the regular arrivals and departures that are scheduled on that particular day. Generally speaking, when a flight is scheduled to depart, an associate will be on site to handle returns. If you need to return you vehicle outside of regular hours, simply park at the returns point and drop the keys at the Europcar desk in the Arrivals Hall.

Otherwise, our customer service team at our car depot will help you finalise your Knock Airport car hire experience. The process usually takes just a few minutes, but officials recommend allotting 30 minutes just to be safe. Once the car is back in Europcar’s hands, you’re ready to check in at the Departures Hall – and all of this without hassling with taxis or airport shuttles.

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Knock Airport Security Considerations - Things you should know

Standard security measures are enforced at Knock Airport. Safety protocol can slow down check-in times, especially during peak operational hours or when some passengers in the queue are not prepared to be screened. By making yourself aware of security procedures and taking a few preliminary steps, you can greatly reduce your check-in time.

If you are walking into Knock Airport and have not checked in yet, then airport officials advise allowing two hours to complete the process. Allot another 30 minutes if you need to drop off a Knock Airport hire car first. You probably won’t need this much time, but it’s best to play it safe. Finally, you can trim your expected time outlay by 30 minutes if you check in online before arriving at the airport.

As you prepare to pass through the security gates, you can speed the process by removing your shoes, jackets and belts before presenting yourself for screening. Notebook computers need to be removed from their cases before passing through the x-ray machine.

Passengers are allowed to carry one piece of hand luggage with them into the cabin. This is in addition to one personal item, such as a laptop, a briefcase or a purse. Any sharp or dangerous objects kept in the hand luggage will be confiscated by security officials, so make sure you have relegated these items to your checked luggage before check-in.

The list of prohibited items is straightforward and predictable, and it’s explained in more detail on the Knock Airport website. The restrictions that are most likely to catch passengers off guard relate to liquids and gels. EU regulations require that all liquids and gels carried into the cabin be kept in 100 millilitre bottles, the set of which must fit into a re-sealable plastic bag that can be stored in the passenger’s hand luggage.

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Places to Eat and Shop at Knock Airport

In order to ensure that they complete check-in and security protocol in time to make their flight, most passengers show up at Knock Airport terminal with plenty of time to spare. Those who end up with time to spare can pay a visit to an airport restaurant or spend time shopping for gifts or traveller sundries.

The finest eatery in Ireland West Airport Knock is Sláinte Restaurant and Bar. It is located on the first floor of the terminal and offers views of the runway and terminal surroundings. Sláinte Restaurant’s menu features hot and cold dishes and a full selection of beer, wine and spirits. Children enjoy the play area, ice cream parlour and candy floss booth.

One floor down is Danann’s Café and Bar, which has more of a pub atmosphere. This is a good place to post up with a book and a cappuccino while waiting for a flight to arrive. Danann’s Café is particularly well-known for its panini and soup combos.

Both of the above restaurants are on the landside of security and open to anyone. Ireland West Café Bar is airside, and it’s only open to ticketed passengers. This is the newest addition to Knock Airport’s dining scene, and it serves hot and cold food and snacks.

Several retailers operate in the terminal. XL Newsagents is in the main concourse, and it stocks reading materials, gifts, soft drinks, snacks and cigarettes. Higher-value merchandise is for sale in the Airport Travel Value Shop. Designer-brand apparel, Eason’s books, toys, gifts, electronics, Irish whiskeys and jewellery are all on sale here.

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