Ireland Fuel Prices 2026: Applegreen, Circle K, Maxol

Current fuel prices

Irish fuel prices sit slightly above the EU average, with diesel notably more expensive than petrol due to Irelands diesel tax structure - opposite to most continental EU countries. The Dublin-Cork corridor on the M7/M8 carries standard prices; rural West and South-West Ireland can run 2-5 cents higher due to logistics. Brand network: Circle K (largest after acquiring Topaz), Applegreen (Irish, ~250 stations, also dominant on motorway service areas), Maxol (Irish family-owned), Top Oil, Inver. Hypermarket-attached Tesco, SuperValu, Dunnes Stores stations consistently undercut brand prices by 5-10 cents per litre.

Ireland does not mandate a public live-price portal, but FuelPriceIreland.com and the AA Ireland weekly bulletin serve as the consumer comparison tools. Circle K and Applegreen apps offer member discounts.

Ireland vs neighbouring countries

Ireland compared to neighbouring countries (current national averages):

Refuelling strategy for visitors

The single best move in Ireland is to refuel at a Tesco, SuperValu or Dunnes Stores hypermarket-attached station instead of brand Circle K or Applegreen. Motorway service areas on the M50, M1, M7 and M8 carry markups; nearby town stations are typically cheaper. The diesel-petrol gap (diesel more expensive than petrol) is unusual in EU context - diesel drivers see less benefit from refuelling tactics than petrol drivers. The Cherbourg ferry to France is the only EU mainland connection; refuel in France before the long return drive.

Costs for common routes

For a passenger car at 6 l/100 km. Multiply the litres by the diesel price in the table at the top of this page, which refreshes automatically:

Payment methods

Visa, Mastercard, Maestro and American Express are accepted at every brand station. Contactless payment without PIN is standard (up to €50). Apple Pay and Google Pay accepted. Fuel cards: DKV, UTA, Routex, Shell Card and major brand cards all accepted at brand stations.

LPG and AdBlue

LPG / Autogas

Ireland has a very limited LPG network, almost exclusively in Dublin, Cork and Galway metro areas. Autogas is essentially impractical for tourist travel; plan diesel or petrol instead.

AdBlue

Available at virtually every modern diesel station. Bulk pumps for trucks common at motorway service areas. A modern Euro 6 car uses AdBlue at roughly 3-5 percent of its diesel consumption, so a tank of 8-33 litres lasts about 5,000-15,000 km (ADAC). A larger container, or a workshop refilling from bulk, costs less per litre than a small bottle. AdBlue prices are neither regulated nor published anywhere in Europe, so check the price before you buy.

Practical tips

• Find cheapest with the right tool: FuelPriceIreland.com.
• Avoid motorway service areas: 5-15 cent surcharge versus town stations.
• Carry a backup card: rare pre-authorisation failures at unmanned stations.
• Border tactics matter: see border section in the strategy.
• Use brand apps: member pricing typically 2-5 cents per litre below pump.

Resources

• EU Weekly Oil Bulletin: energy.ec.europa.eu/data-and-analysis/weekly-oil-bulletin_en
• FuelPriceIreland.com: consumer comparison
• Major brand apps for member pricing