Getting to the City
Dublin airport (DUB) is located close to the M50 and M1 motorways in Collinstown, Fingal at a distance of 10 kilometres north of Dublin city centre. This busy airport is directly connected with almost every city of Europe and UK. North America and Dubai don’t have any direct flights.
This international airport has two terminals. There are not many transport options here like at other European capital cities but enough to reach Dublin city centre quickly and comfortably. Train and Subway connections between airport and city centre are presently under planning stage.
You can choose from a wide range of private transport and transfer services (including airport transfers) and book online from this Viator site.
Note- Currency of Ireland is Euros. All fares and rates given below are in Euros.
Buses and Coaches
There are more than 1000 buses that ply between airport to city centre as well as other parts of Ireland. Several companies operate such services from the airport.
Airlink Express is the airport service of Dublin Bus and it connects airport with the city centre. They operate in two routes to Dublin city centre- route 747 and 757. It takes around 30 to 35 minutes to reach the city centre. First bus departs from the airport at 4:45am (on Sundays at 6:30am) and the last bus leaves at 12:30am. Route 747 has a service frequency of 10 minutes while bus 757 runs every 30 minutes.
Single journey ticket costs 6 Euros for adults and 3 Euros for a child. If you are travelling with family then you can purchase a single journey family ticket for 17 Euros. 2 adults and 2 children (age between 5 to 15 years) are allowed with a single family ticket. You can purchase tickets online, from the Bus and Travel Information Desk at the airport terminal 1, from the vending machines or from the drivers directly.
A single return journey ticket cost 11 Euros which remains valid for 90 days from the date of the first journey. Airlink Express accepts Leap Visitor Card. Book your ticket online from www.dublinbus.ie.
There is another coach service that connects airport to city centre… the aircoach service. This service also costs 6 Euros for a single journey. Aircoach service is available from 3:25am to 11:55pm every 15 minutes and from 11:55pm to 3:25am every 30 minutes. It takes 30 minutes to reach Trinity College, Grafton Street (City Centre). You can book tickets online at www.aircoach.ie.
Taxi
You will find taxi ranks outside arrival area of terminal 1 and 2. Fare information is available in all licensed taxis. Taxi takes 15 to 30 minutes to reach the city centre depending upon the time of the day. It costs around 30 Euros. You can dial 086 723 7373 to call a cab (Dublin Taxi). Here are few other taxi services which you can avail within the city:
- VIP Taxis: 478 3333
- Blue Cabs: 802 2222
- Express Taxis: 855 3333
- Cab 2000: 890 0900
- NRC Taxis: 677 2222
Car Rentals are also available at the airport (details are provided below).
Getting To the City from Dublin Port
Dublin port is located towards east of the city centre at a distance of approximately 3 kilometres. The port is very well connected with Holyhead, Liverpool and Isle of Man along with other nearby ports. Dublin can be reached by disembarking at the Dun Laoghaire Port. From here to city centre takes only half an hour.
Bus route number 53 goes to city centre. There is also Express Bus Transfer service from port terminal 1. The fare is around 3Euros for an adult by express bus. Dublin port is also well connected to the city centre by Luas tram. Both express bus and tram services are available for 7 days a week. You can also hire a taxi to get to the city centre.
Public Transport
Unlike other European capital cities, Dublin is a small and compact city. For a tourist, walking is the best choice with so many dedicated roads to walk around the city centre. Public transports of Dublin is organised under Transport for Ireland or TfI. That includes Dublin Bus, Luas Tram, Dublin Area Rapid Train or DART, Commuter’s Rail or Irish Rail and city’s licensed Taxi service.
Dublin Bus
Dublin Bus service has an extensive network of 136 routes across the city and suburbs that includes 18 night services. Night buses are known as Nightlink, bus route from airport is called Airlink and express services are known as Xpresso. Normal bus service operates from 5:00am until midnight and the night service operates from midnight until 4:00am.
The minimum single adult fare is 2.10 Euros (for stages 1 to 3) whereas child fare (5 years to 15 years) is 1 Euro for all stages during school hours and 1.20 Euros minimum during non-school hours. Xpresso buses have higher charges with limited stoppages and it costs minimum 3.65 Euros for an adult and 1.55 Euros for a child. Single ticket in Nightlink costs 6.60 Euros.
Remember the following when travelling by bus in Dublin…
- While purchasing tickets from bus drivers, tender exact fare in coins. Bus drivers neither accept bank notes nor do they give back any changes.
- To board a bus raise your hand at a bus stop as you see a bus, otherwise it might not stop at the bus stop.
- Press the red button when the bus is approaching your destination to let the driver know.
- Get a map from the Dublin Bus Head Office on O’Connell Street.
- Don’t miss the fun ride by a double decker bus.
- To reach to the remote countryside around Dublin take Eireann Buses.
There is a unique service offered by Dublin Bus known as Ghost Bus Tour. It has a stop at St. Kevin’s Church and St. Audoen’s Church. There is a local rumor that ghosts have been seen in these areas. This special evening service costs 28 Euros per person. Kids below 14 years are not allowed in this exciting tour.
Dublin Bus tickets can be purchased online, at the bus terminal ticketing offices, at the vending machines and from the bus drivers. There is a card validation machine inside every bus.
Luas Trams
Luas is an Irish term that means ‘speed’. Luas Tram is often mentioned as light rail as well. There are two lines and both of them pass through city centre. The green line connects north Dublin with south Dublin while red line connects Saggart with the southwestern point Tallaght. Two lines meet at the city centre in three different stops.
Red Line operates from 5:30am until midnight on Monday to Friday, from 6:30am on Saturday and from 7:00am to 11:00pm on Sunday. Green line starts at the same time as red line but the last tram departs at 12:16am from Monday to Saturday and 11:16pm on Sunday. Average frequency of green line is 9 minutes during peak hours and 16 minutes during off-peak. Average frequency of red line is 11 minutes during peak and 13 to 14 minutes during off-peak. You have to wait for around 20 minutes on Saturdays and Sundays.
You will find electronic display boards at the stops that will show you the time of the next tram. There are electronic display-boards inside the tram that will let you know about the upcoming stop. Audio announcements are also made inside the tram. There are vending machines at every stop to purchase tickets and if you are carrying a Leap Card you can top up your card at those machines. Validate your card at the platforms before and after your ride.
Single ticket price is as follows…
- Zone 1: Adult 2.10 Euros Child 1.00 Euro
- Zone 2: Adult 2.50 Euros Child 1.00 Euro
- Zone 3: Adult 3.00 Euros Child 1.00 Euro
- Zone 4: Adult 3.00 Euros Child 1.20 Euros
- Zone 5-8: Adult 3.30 Euros Child 1.20 Euros
Single ticket is valid for one and half hour from the time of purchase. You do not require any photo ID card to buy a single ticket. 5 to 15 years age group is considered a child and while travelling you might need to show your child’s age proof.
Go-Ahead Ireland
Go-Ahead Ireland is a new bus service in Ireland that has started its operation from autumn of 2018. Presently there is only one route (route 175) that connects UCD with Citywest with over 60 stoppages in between. Presently a fleet of 9 buses ply on this route.
Single cash tickets for adults are as follows… 2.10 Euros for stages 1 to 3, 2.85 Euros for 4 to 13, and 3.30 Euros for beyond stage 13. Child fare is 1 Euro for all stages during school hours, 1.20 Euros during non-school hours for stages 1 to 7 and 1.35 Euros beyond stage 7. They accept Leap Card. You will find validating machine at the right after you enter the bus.
The service operates from 6:20am on Monday to Friday with a frequency of 25 to 30 minutes. The last bus departs at 10:13pm. First bus departs at 7:13am on Saturdays and at 8:13am on Sundays. Timing of the last bus is same throughout the week.
DART (Dublin Area Rapid Train)
The EMU train service in Dublin is known as DART or Dublin Area Rapid Train. It connects the coastal region of Irish Sea with the city. The coastal suburbs of Dublin like Malahide (north), Howth, Greystones (south) and County Wicklow are connected with the Dublin city centre by DART. Any places beyond this zone can be reached by Suburban Rail Network (runs under historical Irish Rail).
You can also reach out to many places in and around Dublin by DART. You get a DART train every 15 minutes. DART operates from early morning until midnight. You can take your bicycles on the train. It allows access to wheelchairs and Prams.
The single ticket for an adult costs minimum of 2.30 Euros whereas a day ticket costs 12 Euros (valid for travel by trains only). Leap Card is accepted.
Commuter Rail
Dublin’s Commuter Rail is basically a suburban railway system. It operates on two lines. It connects city centre (Dublin Connolly) with Kilcock by the first line, Heuston with Sallins by the second line. The operating time of Commuter Rail is from early morning until midnight. The running frequency is 10 to 15 minutes.
The single ticket for an adult from Dublin Connolly to Kilcock costs 6 Euros. You can use your Leap Card.
There are many day trips available by train …
Galway Bay Rail tour from Dublin includes visiting Limerick, Cliffs of Moher and Burren. The trip duration is 15 hours and it costs around 122 Euros per person.
Another interesting trip is Ring of Kerry Rail Trip from Dublin. This rail trip will take you to the mesmerizing landscapes of southern Ireland. Trip duration is around 16 hours and cost per person is 122 Euros.
To travel towards the southeast region of Ireland take Waterford Crystal and Kilkenny Rail trip. It is roughly 12 and half hours trip and the costs 122 Euros.
Here are few tips if you want explore on your own:
Limerick is located towards southwest of Dublin and can be reached either by train or by coach service. There are three different routes by train and in all the three cases you need to change once. Take an Irish Rail line number 1 train from Heuston Station towards Cork Kent and get down at Limerick Junction (journey time is 1 hour 36 minutes). Change to line number 7 train for Limerick (takes around 27 minutes). Alternatively you can disembark at Ballybrophy by line 1 train and take a line 3 train towards Limerick. The third option is to board a line 6 train from Heuston station towards Galway, get down at Athenry and change to a line 7 train for Limerick. Note that the first route is the shortest one. Ticket costs 47.80 Euros (in Cash) for the first route.
You can directly travel to Limerick by coach services as well. City Link, Air Coach, Dublin Coach, Eurobus and Bus Eireann have direct services from Dublin to Limerick. Journey time varies from 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours. The minimum ticket cost is around 24 Euros.
The best way to reach Ring of Kerry from Dublin is by bus though you need to change twice. The journey time would be around 8 and half hours, so without a package trip it would be difficult to do a day trip.
Kilkenny is located towards south of Dublin. You can take a line 4 train towards Waterford from Heuston station and disembark at Kilkenny MacDonagh station. Journey time is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes. There is a train at every 2 to 3 hours. Ticket costs 26 Euros per person.
Taxi
There are over 25,000 taxis that ply on the roads of Dublin. You can hail a taxi on the road or get one at a designated taxi rank. Look for the taxi sign on the roof of the cab.
The taxi fare is as follows… Initial fare is 4.10 Euros which covers the first kilometre, thereafter it is 1.03 Euros for every additional kilometre. If you take a taxi for a long distance, the additional per kilometre charge will be increased to 1.77 Euros. You need to pay 1 Euro per additional passenger if your group has more than two members. Fare is 10% more if you hire a taxi between 8:00pm to 8:00am.
Many taxi companies would charge you a fixed amount and that will be decided while you book one over phone. Taxis operate 24 hours and there are 79 taxi ranks in the city. For telephone numbers please see the Getting to the city section above.
Transport Passes
The most popular among all transport cards is Leap Card (known as Leap Visitor Card for visitors). This is the most economical and convenient travel pass. You can get unlimited travel rides by Airlink, Dublin Bus, Go-Ahead Ireland, Luas, Dart and Commuter Rail. The card entitles you to discounts even for getting to the city from the airport or return. However Leap Visitor Card is not accepted in hop on hop off buses or in other special tours.
A single day Leap Visitor Card costs 10 Euros, 3 days card is 19.50 Euros and a 7 days card costs 40 Euros. The card is activated when you use the card for the first time. You can purchase a Leap Visitor Card online at the Leap Visitor Card Website and it will be delivered to your address. Book the Card well in advance so that it can be delivered before your journey.
You can also purchase Leap Visitor Card upon your arrival at Dublin. Here are the places you can buy the card at Dublin…
- Terminal 1: Bus and Travel Information Desk, WHSmith’s counter
- Terminal 2: Spar
- Dublin city centre: Dublin Bus, 59 Upper O’Connell Street. Discover Ireland Centre, 14 Upper O’Connell Street. Visit Dublin Centre, 25 Suffolk Street. Easons Busaras at Beresford Place. Easons Heuston Station, Dublin 8.
Dublin Freedom Pass is also a good tourist pass offering unlimited travel by Dublin Bus around the city during day time, one hop on hop off tour, transfer to/from airport by Airlink Bus and discounts at selected attractions. The pass comes with a map of the city with all the tourist attractions shown. This pass is valid for 72 hours after its first validation. The pass costs 35 Euros for an adult.
You must validate your card every time you travel.
Getting To Major Attractions
Since Dublin is a compact and quite walkable city many attractions can be reached on foot.
Trinity College is at the heart of the city and a nice place to start your city tour too. Other attractions within the city centre area includes Dublin Castle, the National Museum of Ireland, the Hugh Lane Gallery, the Science Gallery, Dublinia, St Stephen’s Green (Park), Merrion Square (Park) and the famous shopping mile Grafton Street. There are dedicated pathways for walking, so you won’t need any form of transportation for most of these.
For other attractions the ‘hop on hop off’ bus is a great option. There are two different routes for Dublin’s sightseeing hop on hop off buses, one is red route and the other one is blue route.
Red route covers 26 stops. Starting location is 13, Upper O’Connell Street and the last spot is Parnell Square North. First bus leaves at 9:00am and the last bus departs at 5:00pm (5:30pm on Saturdays). Service interval varies from 20 to 30 minutes. The route duration is 90 minutes. The important attractions covered by red route are the Guinness Storehouse, Georgian Dublin, Teelings Whiskey Distillery, Kilmainham Gaol, and Phoenix Park etc.
Blue route starts from the same place as the red route and has 28 stops among which 17 stops are common with red routes. Blue route mainly covers the northern part of Dublin where you can enjoy the story of Irish Diaspora, witness the Jeanie Johnson Famine ship, visit Samuel Beckett Bridge and Dublin Convention Centre. First bus leaves at 9:30am and the last one leaves at 2:30pm. The route duration is 2 hours. There is a bus every 1 hour.
24-hour hop on hop off adult ticket cost 22 Euros both from in-store and website, while a 48-hour ticket is 28 Euros in-store and 25.20 Euros from website. For further information, visit Hop On Hop Off Website.
Hiring Bicycles
Like in London you can hire a bike from a self service bike rental terminal. The service here is known as Just Eat Dublinbikes. There are many rental terminals throughout the city making it convenient to the public. Normally Dubliners use annual card to rent a bike but a 3 day card is also available especially for the tourists.
Price of a 3 day ticket is 5 Euros. You can hire a bike any number of times within 3 days with a 3 day ticket. The first half an hour is free. Up to 1 hour is 0.50 Euros, for the second hour you pay 1.50 Euros, for third hour 3.50 Euros, for 4th hour 6.50 Euros and thereafter it is 2 Euros for every half an hour.
Car Rentals
There are many car rental companies in Dublin. You can hire a self driven or a chauffeur driven car. The rent of a car depends upon the model. Rental rates start from 35 Euros per day for a small car. Following are a few well-known car rental companies.
- Budget Car Rental: (Website: www.budget.ie)
- Europcar: (Website: www.europcar.ie)
- Irish Car Rentals: (Website: www.irishcarrentals.com)
- Avis: (Website: www.avis.ie)
Scooter/Motorbike Rentals
If you are looking for ordinary scooters or motorbike you can get one at 140 to 150 Euros per day (although in most cases you need to rent for 3 days or more). High end models like BMW, Honda or Harley Davidson rent for around 230 Euros per day. Following are a few well-known rental companies…
- Celtic Ride: (Website: www.motorental.ie)
- RentalMotorbike: (Website: www.rentalmotorbike.com)
- Phillip MacCallen Motorcycle Hire: (Website: www.motorcyclehireireland.com)
- Dublin Harley Davidson: (Website: www.harley.ie)
Transport tips
- Vehicles move along the left side of the road. Look at your right side first before crossing the road
- Tipping is not necessary to the taxi drivers but it is expected to round up the fare to the nearest Euro
- There are street signs on every street but you have look upwards to find one
- Do not forget to tap your Leap Card during each journey or else you will attract a hefty fine
- You have to raise your hand to make a bus stop at the designated bus stops
A travel addict. Still celebrating the day when he quit his high-profile corporate job to pursue his passion for travel writing.