From the airport to the city centre Dublin
To reach the city center, Airlink Express buses are the most convenient way with two routes:
Airlink Express 747 (to Heuston station, it passes through 3Arena, Talbot Street, Central Bus Station, Gardiner Street, O'Connell Street, Temple Bar, Christ Church Cathedral...) and Airlink Express 757 (to Camden, it serves Eden Quay & O'Connell Bridge, Hawkins Street & Temple Bar, Merrion Square, St. Stephen's Green...). Departure every 15 minutes from 6am to 11:30pm on weekdays and from 7am to 11:20pm on weekends. The cost is €7 one way and €12 round trip.
Otherwise, taking a public bus (Dublin Bus n° 16) is the cheapest way (around 3,50 € per person depending on the stop in the city center).
For those who prefer a cab, go to the exit of Terminal 1 or 2. During the day, count between 20 and 30 € to go to the center, depending on the period, and less than 30 minutes of travel.
Otherwise, you can also find the big car rental companies at the arrivals level.
Arrival by train Dublin
Iarnród Eireann (www.irishrail.ie), literally "Iron Road of Ireland", is the Irish railway network. By train, Dublin is connected to many Irish cities. There are three main stations in Dublin: Connolly, Pearse and Heuston stations. Connolly Station serves cities in the northeast and west; Heuston Station serves cities in the southeast and west. Pearse Station serves Rosslare Europort and from there you can take the DART to the north of Dublin.
Arrival by boat Dublin
The port or Dublin Ferryport is about 3 km from the city center. These are the arrival ports of the Irish Ferries (www.irishferries.com) or Stena Line (www.stenaline.fr) which operate ferries from France. If you go by car, you will use the new Dublin Port Tunnel (toll) located in the port complex, which allows easier access to the port and north Dublin. You can also get there by public bus from the main Dublin bus station.
Public transport Dublin
Bus. The national bus company Eireann (www.buseireann.ie) serves the rest of the country from Dublin. The network covers nearly one hundred local destinations and also offers day trips and daily connections to Great Britain and continental Europe. So you can say that you'll see a lot of them on the Irish roads!
In town, the Dublin Bus company (www.dublinbus.ie) is the most economical way to get around (Monday to Friday from 5:30 am to 11:30 pm, Saturday from 6 am to 11:30 pm and Sunday from 9 am to 11:30 pm; timetable varies according to the line). The company also offers a "Hop on Hop off" tour by double-decker bus through the city.
When boarding the bus , it is best to have the exact amount of the fare on you, as the drivers are not allowed to give change, this is called the exact fare system . If you pay more than the fare, the driver will give you a passenger change ticketand you will have to go to the Dublin Bus office (59 Upper O'Connell Street) to get your change.
Avoid rush hour, when the streets are congested, and allow more time to reach the airport (normally 30-45 minutes), especially in the early evening and on weekends after a Gaelic soccer or hurling match.
Streetcar - Luas. Another very convenient means of transportation is the Luas (www.luas.ie), the local tramway. Two lines are currently in operation. The Red Line runs from Saggart to The Point; the Green Line runs from St. Stephen's Green to Brides Glen. Monday to Friday from 5:30 am to 12:30 am, Saturday from 6:30 am to 12:30 am, Sunday from 7 am to 11:30 pm. Journey cost: between €1.70 and €2.60.
DART. The DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) is a train service of the Iarnród Eireann railway company. It serves the city of Dublin and the surrounding area, and is an excellent way to discover the capital and the surrounding coastline in the blink of an eye. It runs for about 40 kilometers and makes more than 20 stops, connecting Malahide and Howth to the north and Greystones to the south of Dublin. Within Dublin, the DART stops (from south to north) at Lansdowne Road, Grand Canal Dock, Pearse Station, Tara Street and Connolly Station.
The Leap Visitor Card is a very convenient pass that allows unlimited use of buses, Luas and DART. It costs €8 for a 24-hour card, €16 for 3 days and €32 for 7 days.
Bike, scooters & co Dublin
You can discover Dublin by bike. Like many cities in France and abroad, the Dublin City Council has decided to install DublinBikes (db), self-service bicycles, throughout the city. The Dublinbikes stations are spread throughout the city center, and located close to each other. This bike rental system is open to everyone, from the age of 14. For all subscriptions, a deposit of 150 € will be required. This amount will only be debited if the bike is not returned after a period of 24 hours. To find out about the different db stations, visit the website: www.dublinbikes.ie.
With a driver Dublin
For cabs, no specific color, but illuminated call numbers on the roof of the vehicle. The main taxi ranks in the city center are on O'Connell Street, Dame Street and St Stephen's Green. You can hail them on the street and they are very numerous when the pubs close. Cabs are metered. Count between €6 and €10 for a ride in Dublin.
Uber and FreeNow are available but only work with professionally licensed drivers.
By car Dublin
Generally speaking, it is very easy to get around the city center on foot, and the car is to be avoided. Especially since parking lots are usually very expensive.
In the vicinity of Dublin, the car can be practical, especially if you have come with a ferry. Don't be afraid of driving on the left side of the road, you can get used to it in a few hours and the Irish, courteous by nature, are also used to seeing rental cars hesitating about which way to go.
To drive their own vehicle in Ireland or to rent one, EU citizens must have their national driving license; an international driving license is not required. If you are driving your own vehicle in Ireland, you will need a vehicle registration document, insurance certificate and a national license plate on the back of your vehicle. A Canadian driver's license is valid in Ireland, provided it has been held for more than one year.
Driving. Be careful, here we drive on the left! This is not a problem, except perhaps at crossroads and traffic circles where you must be extra careful. The speed limit is 50 km/h in built-up areas, 80 km/h on regional roads, 100 km/h on national roads and 120 km/h on freeways. Since 2005, speed limits are indicated in kilometers. Signs are in English and Gaelic.
Finding your way around. Signs for entering or leaving Dublin are well indicated, whether for general directions (north, south, east or west) or for cities. Central Dublin is horribly congested at rush hour, partly because of trucks saturating the docks. It is faster to walk.
In case of an accident. If there are injuries, call 999. For insurance purposes, all accidents must be reported to the Motor Insurer's Bureau of Ireland.
Parking. Parking is scarce in Dublin and very difficult to find. Parking is not free (and quite expensive). Beware, parking tickets are frequent and the impound lot comes regularly. The list of parking lots in the city is available on the website: www.parkrite.ie
Security. It is not uncommon to see vehicles equipped with ultra-sophisticated devices (padlocks and chains on the steering wheel...). It is preferable not to leave anything in your car and to park it in the public or private parking lots of the hotels.
Accessibility Dublin
All buses and streetcars (Luas) have an access ramp and a dedicated space for wheelchairs. For trains, the assistance of the on-board staff will be required.
