Portlaoise driving test routes and test centre
16 routes around the Portlaoise test centre in Co. Laois, 6 of them recorded on real driving tests. Drive them with spoken turn-by-turn guidance, and hear the tricky spots before you reach them.
- 16routes
- 11.8 kmaverage length
- 55roundabouts
- 100top limit, km/h
Free to download. A Centre Pass unlocks every Portlaoise route from €9.99: a one-time payment that runs from the day you buy it, so buy it close to your test. Independent app, not run or approved by the RSA.
Roads the Portlaoise routes use
How many of the 16 routes use each road. The roads near the top are the ones to know well.
- Abbeyleix Road 13 of 16
- N80 12 of 16
- Coote Street 9 of 16
- Dublin Road 9 of 16
- James Fintan Lalor Avenue 9 of 16
- N77 9 of 16
- Father Brown Avenue 7 of 16
- Mountmellick Road 7 of 16
- Mountrath Road 6 of 16
- Old AbbeyLeix Road 6 of 16
- R426 6 of 16
- Church Street 5 of 16
- Millview 5 of 16
- Portlaoise Southern Circular Road 5 of 16
What's on the routes
Distinct places across all 16 routes, and what the tester watches for at each.
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Pedestrian crossing 58Scan the footpaths early and be ready to stop.
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Roundabout 45Lane choice by exit, a signal on approach where needed, and a left signal after the exit before yours.
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Speed limit change 31Testers mark speeding and driving too slowly for the road.
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STOP sign 24A full stop at the line every time, even when the road is clear.
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Traffic lights 10Filter arrows and yellow boxes: never enter a box you cannot clear.
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Mini-roundabout 10Treat it like a full roundabout: observation, yield to the right, signal.
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Yield sign 3Slow, look, and go only when it is safe: no rolling guess.
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Level crossing 1Never stop on the tracks; wait behind the line when lights flash.
Speed limits on the Portlaoise routes
30, 50, 60, 80, 100 km/h. Know the default for each road type in speed limits, and every sign in Irish road signs.
What to practise for a test at Portlaoise
Worked out from the Portlaoise routes themselves.
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Roundabouts, lane by lane
The Portlaoise routes pass 55 different roundabouts. Know which lane each exit needs before you get there; signs and road markings beat the shape of the roundabout.
Read the guide -
Faster roads up to 100 km/h
Some Portlaoise routes reach 80 and 100 km/h roads. Build up to a safe speed that suits the road: hesitancy and holding back are marked too.
Read the guide -
Speed limits that change often
There are 31 places where the limit changes. Watch for the signs, and settle at the new limit promptly.
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STOP signs: a full stop every time
24 STOP signs across the routes. Rolling through one is a common fault; stop at the line, then creep and look.
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A level crossing
At least one route crosses a railway. Know what to do when the lights flash.
Where the manoeuvres happen
Turas marks the likely spot for each manoeuvre on every route: quiet side roads, straight stretches and hills. Across the Portlaoise routes:
- Turnabout 14 likely spots
- Reverse around a corner 7 likely spots
- Hill start 7 likely spots
How Turas works at Portlaoise
- Pick Portlaoise. Every route shows its length, where it came from, and the likely manoeuvre spots.
- Press Go. The voice calls each turn in time, like a sat nav, and lowers your music while it speaks.
- Hear the hard parts first. Roundabout lanes, STOP signs, speed changes and yellow boxes are called out before you reach them.
- Miss a turn? It brings you back onto the route. Routes are saved for offline use.
Works with CarPlay. Mount your phone; never hold it while driving.
Why not a free route list or a video?
- A list or a video shows one drive once. Turas talks you through every turn while you drive it yourself.
- It tells you the lane for each roundabout exit before you reach it.
- It marks the likely spot for each manoeuvre, and brings you back if you miss a turn.
- Routes are saved on your phone, so the voice keeps working without signal.
How the routes are made
6 of the 16 Portlaoise routes were recorded on real driving tests; the rest are practice routes on the same roads. Each is matched to the OpenStreetMap road network, and learners' shared drives are checked every week for changes. Last updated 30 October 2026. The tester still chooses the route on the day. How test routes work.
The Portlaoise test centre
- Portlaoise - Maldron Hotel The Maldron Hotel Portaoise, Abbeyleix Road, Meelick, Portlaoise, R32 HKN3
- Portlaoise Government Offices Abbeyleix Road, Abbeyleix Portlaoise, R32 RPA6
Pass rate: 52.2% in 2022 (national 53.2%). That is the RSA's latest table by centre, so treat it as a rough guide. Most fails come from things you can practise: observation, progress and lane choice. All centres.
Waiting time: about 17 weeks until you are invited to book a test, at the end of September 2026 (national average 11.9 weeks). All centres.
Addresses from the RSA's list of test centres; waiting time from RSA figures published by the CSO. Your appointment letter has the final word.
Test not booked yet?
With about 17 weeks to wait at Portlaoise, apply on MyRoadSafety as soon as your EDT lessons are uploaded, and use the wait: learn the road signs and Rules of the Road questions the tester asks first, and drive with your accompanying driver.
Portlaoise driving test: questions
How many driving test routes are there in Portlaoise?
How long is the Portlaoise driving test route?
Do Portlaoise routes use fast roads?
Is the test route the same every time?
Where is the Portlaoise driving test centre?
Can I practise the routes on my own?
How long is the wait for a driving test in Portlaoise?
What is the pass rate at Portlaoise?
Are the Portlaoise routes free?
Know the Portlaoise routes before test day
Turas: Driving Test Routes for iPhone. Spoken turn-by-turn guidance on the routes around your centre, with the tricky spots called out before you reach them.