Phone calls to and from Ireland

[riverdees05]

What is the best and cheapest way for phone calls to and from Ireland? We are going to spend 9 days there next month and need to be able to communicate back to the USA.

[Illyria]

I'm sure this will seem archaic to some...but I like calling cards, the kind that has toll-free access numbers from different countries, so you can use them in payphones without having to put in coins. We used them all over Europe in the past few years to avoid paying international roaming on cell phones or hunting for wi-fi hotspots to use Skype. I just bought another card from ZapTel for my upcoming TA cruise.

[riverdees05]

Did you use your calling card from the hotel or pay phones? If so were there ad on charges?

[Illyria]

Did you use your calling card from the hotel or pay phones? If so were there ad on charges?

I've used them from both. The card doesn't impose payphone surcharges - the local payphone provider may, sometimes it's pretty hard to tell. I just chalk it up to the cost of doing business. I can't remember what other cards/companies I've used in the past, they are all pretty similar, and you always want to read the description and surcharges/fees carefully.