Dublin Weekend Break
Getting around in Dublin
Dublin city is an ideal weekend break destination because once you arrive in the city getting around is easy. There are lots of alternative modes of transport to choose from making all city zones highly accessible for those on Dublin breaks.
The compactness of Dublin along with its localized tourism and pub districts makes traveling on foot a good option a lot of the time, but when you need transport you have 4 good local alternatives.
If you want a guided tour of Dublin you have two options. The first is an offcial bus tour and the second is a guided tour of the city (or parts of it) on foot. You can find out more about both alternatives here guided tours of Dublin.
1. Bus Service
Dublin’s bus service (Eireann or Dublin bus) really is one of the best in Europe (unlike mainland Britain) and the city has over 200 different routes and over 1000 buses servicing them.
The city benefits from a massive 84km of bus “corridors” that make traveling around the city very speedy. When you combine this infra-structure with the number of stops included on it you literally have thousands of “step on” and “step off” points making access to any part (or attraction) of the city straight forward.
The bus service also provides “cross city” access to all the main shopping districts and complexes and buses are regular and punctual.
Buses run every day from 7.00am to 11.30pm with a reduced service on Sundays. A special “Nightlink” service operates additional buses outside of these hours from Monday to Saturday.
Fares are dependant upon age and journey length and tickets can be bought for a day or multiple days as well as for individual trips. Fare rates go from 1.00 euros to 1.90 euros (adult) within the city.
A one day adult pass is 6.00 euros and a family ticket is 8.50 euros. These tickets offer unlimited use except on the Nightlink service. (Fares and schedules my change.) Tickets can be pre-bought at stations, outlets etc.
You will need to check current timetables for up-to-date information about ticket prices, bus schedules and any special services. The information provided above is for guidance only.
The Nitelink service runs from 12.30am to 2.00am on Mondays to Thursdays with an extended service on Friday and Saturday. The cost is 4.00 euros.
2. LUAS (Dublin's tram system)
The LUAS is a lightweight train or tram system that was introduced to Dublin to ease congestion and it has been a massive success. There are 2 lines, one red and one green and they traverse the city with park and ride facilities at there most distant stops outside the city centre.
The green line runs from Sandyford to St. Stephens Green and takes 22 minutes whilst the red line runs from Tallaght to Connolly Station and takes about 50 minutes. The trams a smart clean and comfortable.
Fares vary dependant upon age and the zones through which you travel. The red line has 4 zones and the green line has 3 zones and a single zone adult fare is 1.40 (2.60 return) euros on both lines. The maximum single trip fare you will pay id 2.10 (3.90 return) euros. An adult day ticket is under 5.00 euros. (Fares and schedules my change.)
There is a 4.00 euro daily charge to leave you car in the park and ride car park.
The trams are regular during normal hours and ticket can be bought from vending machines.
3. Taxis
Dublin has approximately 2,000 taxis and 1,200 hackney cabs, so you will never struggle to gat a taxi.
The cost will be dependant on the trips duration and or distance. As an example the 10 km trip from the airport to central Dublin should be around 15 euros. Always check the fare before you commit to using the taxi.
4. Rail (train) Service
You will probably not have the need to use the Dublin train service for getting around the city, but if you plan to embark or depart from a main line train you will use either Heuston or Connolly stations. Trains arrive and depart every 5 minutes. The local Dublin trains are called DARTs
For more information about the rail service see the “Travelling to Dublin” link in the left hand menu.
5. Car rental
If you decide that you would like the independence of your own vehicle whilst you explore Dublin your options are either, to bring your own car over on the ferry (if you travel from mainland Britain), or to hire a vehicle and pick it up on your arrival. Information on vehicle hire can be found here - Car rental in Dublin. In The Republic of Ireland cars drive on the left.