Transport
Ireland’s capital and biggest city is the most important point of entry and departure for the country – the overwhelming majority of airlines fly in and out of Dublin Airport. The city has two ferry ports: the Dun Laoghaire ferry terminal and the Dublin Port terminal. Ferries from France arrive in the southern port of Rosslare. Dublin is also the nation’s primary rail hub. Flights, cars and tours can be booked online at lonelyplanet.com.
arriving in dublin
Dublin Airport
Dublin’s international airport (
01-814 1111; www.dublinairport.com) is located 13km north of the city centre. It has two terminals: most international flights (including all US flights) use the new Terminal 2; Ryanair and select others use Terminal 1. Both terminals have the usual selection of pubs, restaurants, shops, ATMs and car-hire desks.
There are direct flights to Dublin from all major European centres (including a dizzying array of options from the UK) and from Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia and Washington, DC in the USA. Flights from further afield (Australasia or Africa) are usually routed through another European hub such as London.
Most airlines have walk-up counters at Dublin airport; those that don’t, have their ticketing handled by other airlines.
There is no train service from the airport to the city centre.
Bus
It takes about 45 minutes to get into the city by bus.
Aircoach (www.aircoach.ie; one-way/return €7/12) Private coach service with two routes from the airport to 18 destinations throughout the city, including the main streets of the city centre. Coaches run every 10 to 15 minutes between 6am and midnight, then hourly from midnight until 6am.
Airlink Express Coach ( 01-873 4222; www.dublinbus.ie; adult/child €6/3) Bus 747 runs every 10 to 20 minutes from 5.45am to 11.30pm between the airport, central bus station (Busáras) and Dublin Bus office on Upper O’Connell St. Bus 748 runs every 15 to 30 minutes from 6.50am to 10.05pm between the airport, and Heuston and Connolly Stations.
Dublin Bus ( 01-873 4222; www.dublinbus.ie; 59 Upper O’Connell St; 
9am-5.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat) A number of buses serve the airport from various points in Dublin, including buses 16A (Rathfarnham), 746 (Dun Laoghaire) and 230 (Portmarnock); all cross the city centre on their way to the airport.
Taxi
There is a taxi rank directly outside the arrivals concourse. It should take about 45 minutes to get into the city centre by taxi and cost about €25, including a supplementary charge of €3 (not applied when going to the airport). Make sure the meter is switched on.
ONLINE BOOKING AGENCIES
CLIMATE CHANGE & TRAVEL
Every form of transport that relies on carbon-based fuel generates CO2, the main cause of human-induced climate change. Modern travel is dependent on aeroplanes, which might use less fuel per kilometre per person than most cars but travel much greater distances. The altitude at which aircraft emit gases (including CO2) and particles also contributes to their climate change impact. Many websites offer 'carbon calculators' that allow people to estimate the carbon emissions generated by their journey and, for those who wish to do so, to off set the impact of the greenhouse gases emitted with contributions to portfolios of climate-friendly initiatives throughout the world. Lonely Planet off sets the carbon footprint of all staff and author travel.
Dun Laoghaire Ferry Terminal
The Dun Laoghaire ferry terminal ( 01-280 1905; Dun Laoghaire), 13km southeast of the city, receives Stena Line ( 01-204 7777; www.stenaline.com; Ferry Terminal, Dun Laoghaire) ferries to/from Holyhead in Wales. The crossing takes just over three hours and costs around €25 for foot passengers or €95 for a medium-size car with two passengers. The fast-boat service from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire takes a little over 1½ hours and costs €25 or €130 for the same.
Train
To travel between Dun Laoghaire ferry terminal and Dublin, take the DART to Pearse Station (for south Dublin) or Connolly Station (for north Dublin). Trains from Dublin to Dun Laoghaire take about 15 to 20 minutes. A one-way DART ticket costs €2.80
Bus
To get into Dublin by bus, take bus 46A to St Stephen’s Green, or bus 7, 7A or 8 to Burgh Quay.
Dublin Port Terminal
The Dublin Port terminal ( 01-855 2222; Alexandra Rd) is 3km northeast of the city centre. Irish Ferries ( 0818 300 400; www.irishferries.com; Ferryport, Terminal Rd South) serves Holyhead in Wales (three hours, €25 for foot passengers, €95 for a car with two passengers). P&O Irish Sea ( 01-407 3434; www.poferries.com; Terminal 3) and Isle of Man Steam Packet Company/Sea Cat ( 01-836 4019; www.steam-packet.com; Maritime House, North Wall) have services to/from Liverpool in England. Between Liverpool and Dublin the ferry service takes 8½ hours and costs €25 (foot passenger) or €180 (car with two passengers). Cabins on overnight sailings cost more. The fast-boat service takes four hours and costs up to €40 or €240 respectively.
Bus
Buses from Busáras are timed to coincide with arrivals and departures from the Dublin Port terminal. For the 9.45am ferry departure from Dublin, buses leave Busáras at 8.30am; for the 1am sailing to Liverpool, the bus departs from Busáras at 11.45pm. All buses cost adult/child €2.50/1.25.
GREENER ARRIVALS
Although the vast majority of visitors will enter and exit Dublin via the airport, you can do your bit for the environment and arrive by boat – and have a bit of an adventure along the way. From Britain it’s a cinch: you can buy a combined train-and-ferry ticket (known as Sail & Rail) for about €46 (see www.irishrail.ie for travel from Ireland or www.thetrainline.co.uk for travel from the UK) or, if you’re really on a budget, get a bus-and-ferry ticket – from London it won’t cost you more than the price of a meal.
You can also arrive at another Irish port. Rosslare in County Wexford has ferry services from France and southwestern Britain, while Larne, a short hop outside Belfast, is served from Stranraer in Scotland. Not only will you get to Dublin easily enough, but you can do some exploring on the way.
Busáras Terminal
Busáras ( 01-836 6111; www.buseireann.ie; Store St) is just north of the river behind Custom House; it has different-sized lockers costing €6 to €10 per day.
It’s possible to combine bus and ferry tickets from major UK centres to Dublin on the bus network. The journey between London and Dublin takes about 12 hours and costs around €34 return. For details in London, contact Eurolines ( 0870 514 3219; www.eurolines.com).
From here, Bus Eireann buses serve the whole national network, including buses to town and cities in Northern Ireland.
Heuston & Connolly Train Stations
Dublin has two main train stations: Heuston Station ( 01-836 5421), on the western side of town near the Liffey; and Connolly Station ( 01-836 3333), a short walk northeast of Busáras, behind the Custom House. Heuston Station has left-luggage lockers of three sizes, costing €6 to €10 for 24 hours. At Connolly Station the facility costs €6.
Connolly Station is a stop on the DART line into town; the Luas Red Line serves both Connolly and Heuston stations.
Getting Around dublin
Bus
The Dublin Bus Office ( 01-872 0000; www.dublinbus.ie; 59 Upper O’Connell St; 9am-5.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat) has free single-route timetables for all its services. Buses run from around 6am (some start at 5.30am) to about 11.30pm.
Bus Fares
Fares are calculated according to stages:
» one to three stages: €1.65
» four to seven stages: €2.15
» eight to 13 stages: €2.40
» 14 to 23 stages: €2.80
» More than 23 stages: €2.80 (inside Citizone; outer suburban journeys cost €4.40)
If you’re travelling within the designated bus corridor zone (roughly between Parnell Sq to the north and St Stephen’s Green to the south) you can use the €0.65 special City Centre fare. You must tender exact change when boarding; anything more and you will be given a receipt for reimbursement, only possible at the Dublin Bus main office. Avoid this by getting a Leap Card (www.leapcard.ie), a plastic smart card available in most newsagents. Once you register it online, you can top it up with whatever amount you need. When you board a bus, Luas or suburban train, just swipe your card and the fare – usually 20% less than a cash fare – is automatically deducted.
Fare-Saver Passes
Freedom Ticket (adult/child €28/12) Three-day unlimited travel on all bus services, including Airlink and Dublin Bus Hop-On, Hop-Off tours.
Adult (Bus & Rail) Short Hop (one/three days €12/24.50) Valid for unlimited travel on Dublin Bus, DART and suburban rail, but not Nitelink or Airlink.
Bus/Luas Pass (one/seven days €8.10/32.80) Unlimited travel on both bus and Luas.
Family One-Day Short Hop (€17.70) Valid for travel for one day for a family of two adults and two children aged under 16 on all bus and rail services except Nitelink, Airlink, ferry services and tours.
Rambler Pass (one/three/five days €6.90/15/25) Valid for unlimited travel on all Dublin Bus and Airlink services, except Nitelink.
10 Journey Travel 90 (adult/child €25) Valid for 10 90-minute journeys on all Dublin Bus and Airlink services, except Nitelink.
Nitelink
Nitelink late-night buses run from the College, Westmoreland and D’Olier Sts triangle. On Fridays and Saturdays, departures are at 12.30am, then every 20 minutes until 4.30am on the more popular routes, and until 3.30am on the less frequented ones; there are no services Sunday to Thursday. Fares are €5. See www.dublinbus.ie for route details.
Train
The Dublin Area Rapid Transport (DART; 01-836 6222; www.irishrail.ie) provides quick train access to the coast as far north as Howth (about 30 minutes) and as far south as Greystones in County Wicklow. Pearse Station is convenient for central Dublin south of the Liffey, and Connolly Station for north of the Liffey. There are services every 10 to 20 minutes, sometimes even more frequently, from around 6.30am to midnight Monday to Saturday. Services are less frequent on Sunday. A one-way DART ticket from Dublin to Dun Laoghaire or Howth costs €2.80; to Bray it’s €3.30.
There are also suburban rail services north as far as Dundalk, inland to Mullingar and south past Bray to Arklow.
Train Passes
DART passes include the following:
Adult (Bus & Rail) Short Hop (one/three days €12/24.50) Valid for unlimited travel on Dublin Bus, DART and suburban rail travel, but not Nitelink or Airlink.
Family One-Day Short Hop (€17.70) Valid for travel for one day for a family of two adults and two children aged under 16 on all bus and rail services except for Nitelink, Airlink, ferry services and tours.
Tram
The Luas (www.luas.ie) light-rail system has two lines: the green line (running every five to 15 minutes) connects St Stephen’s Green with Sandyford in south Dublin via Ranelagh and Dundrum; the red line (every 20 minutes) runs from Lower Abbey St to Tallaght via the north quays and Heuston Station. There are ticket machines at every stop or you can buy a ticket from newsagents in the city centre; a typical short-hop fare (around four stops) is €2. Services run from 5.30am to 12.30am Monday to Friday, from 6.30am to 12.30am Saturday and from 7am to 11.30pm Sunday.
Bicycle
Despite the intermittent presence of rust-red cycle lanes throughout the city centre, getting around by bike can be something of an obstacle course as cyclists have to share roads with buses and indifferent motorists. Bike theft is a major problem, so be sure to park on busier streets, preferably at one of the myriad U-shaped parking bars, and lock it securely. Never leave your bike on the street overnight or it may just be gone in the morning. Dublin City Cycling (www.dublincitycycling.ie) is an excellent online resource.
Bikes are only allowed on suburban trains (not the DART), either stowed in the guard’s van or in a special compartment at the opposite end of the train from the engine. There’s a flat €4 charge for transporting a bicycle up to 56km.
Dublinbikes
One of the most popular ways to get around the city is with the blue bikes of Dublinbikes (www.dublinbikes.ie), a pay-as-you-go service similar to the Parisian Vélib system: cyclists purchase a €10 Smart Card (as well as pay a credit-card deposit of €150) – either online or at any of the 40 stations throughout the city centre – before ‘freeing’ a bike for use, which is then free of charge for the first 30 minutes and €0.50 for each half-hour thereafter.
Hire, Purchase & Repair
Bike rental has become tougher due to the Dublinbikes scheme. Typical rental for a hybrid or touring bike is around €20 a day or €120 per week. Raleigh Rent-a-Bike agencies can be found through Eurotrek ( 01-456 8847; www.raleigh.ie).
Cycleways (www.cycleways.com; 185-186 Parnell St) An excellent bike shop that rents hybrids and touring bikes during the summer months (May to September).
Eurocycles & Eurobaby (57 South William St; 10am-6pm Mon, Tue & Sat, to 8pm Wed-Fri, noon-6pm Sun) New bikes, all the gear you could possibly need and a decent repair service; but be sure to book an appointment as they are generally quite busy.
MacDonald Cycles ( 01-475 2586; www.macdonaldcycles.ie; 38 Wexford St) Does repairs, and will have your bike back to you within a day or so (barring serious damage).
Car & Motorcycle
Driving
Traffic in Dublin is a nightmare and parking is an expensive headache. There are no free spots to park anywhere in the city centre during business hours (7am to 7pm Monday to Saturday), but there are plenty of parking meters, ‘pay and display’ spots (€2.50 to €5 per hour) and over a dozen sheltered and supervised car parks (around €5 per hour).
Clamping of illegally parked cars is thoroughly enforced, and there is an €80 charge for removal. Parking is free after 7pm Monday to Saturday, and all day Sunday, in most metered spots and on single yellow lines.
Car theft and break-ins are a problem, and the police advise visitors to park in a supervised car park. Cars with foreign number plates are prime targets; never leave your valuables behind. When you’re booking accommodation, check on parking facilities.
The Automobile Association of Ireland (AA; 01-617 9999, breakdown 1800 667 788; www.aaireland.ie; 56 Drury St) is located in the city centre.
ROAD SAFETY RULES IN DUBLIN
» Drive on the left, overtake to the right.
» Safety belts must be worn by the driver and all passengers.
» Children aged under 12 are not allowed to sit on front seats.
» Motorcyclists and their passengers must wear helmets.
» When entering a roundabout, give way to the right.
» Speed limits are 50km/h or as signposted in the city, 100km/h on all roads outside city limits and 120km/h on motorways (marked in blue).
» The legal alcohol limit is 50mg of alcohol per 100mL of blood, or 22mg on the breath (roughly one unit of alcohol for a man and less than that for a woman).
Hire
Car rental in Dublin is expensive, so you’re often better off making arrangements in your home country with some sort of package deal. In July and August it’s wise to book well ahead. Most cars are manual; automatic cars are available but they’re more expensive to hire. Motorbikes and mopeds are not available for rent. People aged under 21 are not allowed to hire a car; for the majority of rental companies you have to be at least 23 and have had a valid driving licence for a minimum of one year. Many rental agencies will not rent to people over 70 or 75.
Nova Car Hire (www.novacarhire.com) acts as an agent for Alamo, Budget, European and National, and offers greatly discounted rates. Typical weekly high-season rental rates are around €150 for a small car, €185 for a medium car and €320 for a five-seater people carrier.
The main rental agencies, which also have offices at the airport (open from 6am to 11pm), include the following:
Avis Rent-a-Car ( 01-605 7500; www.avis.ie; 35 Old Kilmainham Rd)
Budget Rent-a-Car ( 01-837 9611, airport 01-844 5150; www.budget.ie; 151 Lower Drumcondra Rd)
Europcar ( 01-648 5900, airport 01-844 4179; www.europcar.com; 1 Mark St)
Hertz Rent-a-Car ( 01-709 3060, airport 01-844 5466; www.hertz.com; 151 South Circular Rd)
Thrifty ( 01-844 1944, airport 01-840 0800; www.thrifty.ie; 26 Lombard St East)
Taxi
All taxi fares begin with a flag-fall fare of €4.10 (€4.45 from 10pm to 8am), followed by €1.03 per kilometre thereafter from 8am to 10pm (€1.35 from 10pm to 8am). In addition to these there are a number of extra charges – €1 for each extra passenger and €2 for telephone bookings. There is no charge for luggage.
Taxis can be hailed on the street and found at taxi ranks around the city, including on the corner of Abbey and O’Connell Sts; College Green, in front of Trinity College; and St Stephen’s Green at the end of Grafton St.
Phone the Garda Carriage Office ( 01-475 5888) if you have any complaints about taxis or queries regarding lost property.
Numerous taxi companies dispatch taxis by radio.
National Radio Cabs ( 01-677 2222; www.radiocabs.ie)
Tours
Dublin isn’t that big, so a straightforward sightseeing tour is only really necessary if you’re looking to cram in the sights or avoid blistered feet. What is worth considering, however, is a specialised guided tour, especially for those of a musical, historical or literary bent.
Boat
Liffey River Cruises ( 01-473 4082; www.liffeyrivercruises.com; Bachelor’s Walk; adult/student/child €14/10/8; 9am-5.30pm Mar-Oct) Dublin’s history as seen from the river, from the Viking raids to the recent dockland development.
Sea Safaris MAP GOOGLE MAP ( 01-668 9802; www.seasafari.ie; National Convention Centre; adult/child €20/12.50) Historical tour of the River Liffey and Dublin Port, departing from outside the Convention Centre.
Viking Splash Tours MAP GOOGLE MAP (www.vikingsplash.com; adult/child €20/12) A 75-minute tour of the city in an amphibian vehicle, complete with Viking helmets and splash down in the Grand Canal Basin.
Bus
Dublin Bus Tours
Dublin Bus ( 01-872 0000; www.dublinbus.ie; adult/child €28/14; 11am), the city’s bus company, runs a variety of tours, all of which can be booked at its office, or at the Bus Éireann counter at Dublin Discover Ireland Centre (www.visitdublin.com; St Andrew’s Church, 2 Suffolk St; 9am-5.30pm Mon-Sat, 10.30am-3pm Sun). Tours include the following:
Dublin Tour (adult/child/student €18/8/16; every 15min 9am-5pm) A 90-minute hop-on, hop-off tour you can join at any of the 24 designated stops covering the city centre’s major attractions; admission to the sights isn’t included.
Ghost Bus Tour (adult €28; 8pm Mon-Thu, 8pm & 8.30pm Fri, 7pm & 9.30pm Sat & Sun) Popular two-hour tour of graveyards and ‘haunted’ places (not suitable for under-14s).
North Coast & Castle (adult/child €24/12; tours 10am & 2pm) Takes in the Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, the Casino at Marino, Malahide Castle and Howth, all in about three hours.
South Coast & Gardens Tour (adult/child €24/12; 11am) A 4½-hour tour running along the stretch of coastline between Dun Laoghaire and Killiney before turning inland into Wicklow and on to Powerscourt Estate (admission included).
Other Bus Tours
City Sightseeing MAP GOOGLE MAP (www.citysightseeingdublin.ie; 14 Upper O’Connell St; adult/child €18/free; every 8-15min 9am-6pm) A typical tour should last around 1½ hours and lead you up and down O’Connell St, past Trinity College and St Stephen’s Green, before heading up to the Guinness Storehouse and back around the north quays, via the main entrance to Phoenix Park.
1916 Easter Rising Coach Tour MAP GOOGLE MAP (www.1916easterrisingcoachtour.ie; Custom House Quay; adult/child €15/10) A 90-minute tour of the sites that played a part in the 1916 Easter Rising. Buy your tickets online or at the Dublin Tourism office in St Andrew’s Church, Suffolk St.
Carriage
Old-style horse-and-carriage tour operators congregate at the top of Grafton St by St Stephen’s Green. Each carriage takes up to five people. Half-hour tours cost up to €60, but different length trips can be negotiated: fix a price before the driver says giddy-up.
Segway
Glide Tours MAP GOOGLE MAP ( 01-822 3388; www.glidetours.ie; €50) Two-hour guided tours of the Phoenix Park (10am, 12.30 and 3pm Saturday and Sunday) or the Docklands (10am Sunday) aboard a segway. The tours are designed by local historian Pat Liddy. Phoenix Park tours go from the visitor centre in the park; Docklands tours from by the Jeanie Johnston ship on Custom House Quay.
Walking
1916 Rebellion Walking Tour MAP GOOGLE MAP ( 086 858 3847; www.1916rising.com; 23 Wicklow St; per person €12; 11.30am Mon-Sat, 1pm Sun Mar-Oct) Superb two-hour tour starting in the International Bar, Wicklow St. Lots of information, humour and irreverence to boot. The guides – all Trinity graduates – are uniformly excellent and will not say no to the offer of a pint back in the International at tour’s end.
Dublin Literary Pub Crawl MAP GOOGLE MAP ( 01-670 5602; www.dublinpubcrawl.com; 9 Duke St; adult/student €12/10; 7.30pm daily Apr-Oct, 7.30pm Thu-Sun Nov-Mar) A tour of pubs associated with famous Dublin writers is a sure-fire recipe for success, and this 2½-hour tour/performance by two actors – which includes them acting out the funny bits – is a riotous laugh. There’s plenty of drink taken, which makes it all the more popular. It leaves from the Duke on Duke St; get there by 7pm to reserve a spot for the evening tour.
Dublin Musical Pub Crawl MAP GOOGLE MAP ( 01-478 0193; www.discoverdublin.ie; Oliver St John Gogarty’s, 58-59 Fleet St; adult/student €12/10; 7.30pm daily Apr-Oct, 7.30pm Thu-Sat Nov-Mar) The story of Irish traditional music and its influence on contemporary styles is explained and demonstrated by two expert musicians in a number of Temple Bar pubs over 2½ hours. Tours meet upstairs in the Oliver St John Gogarty pub and are highly recommended.
IWALKS
If you fancy a go-it-alone guided walk, why not download one of Pat Liddy’s excellent iWalks (www.visitdublin.com/iwalks), which you can play on your MP3 player. All you have to do is subscribe to the podcasts at the above address (or search for them on iTunes). There are a bunch of walks, from tours of the city’s different districts to walks tailored to historical, architectural and activities themes.
Pat Liddy Walking Tours MAP GOOGLE MAP ( 01-831 1109; www.walkingtours.ie; Dublin Tourism Centre, St Andrew’s Church, 2 Suffolk St; €10) Dublin’s best-known tour guide is local historian Pat Liddy, who leads a varierty of guided walks including Dublin Highlights & Hidden Corners and The Best of Dublin – The Complete Heritage Walking Tour. He is also available for private guided walks. Check the website for timings. He also has a bunch of podcast walks available for download.