DUBLIN - GETTING AROUND

Walking

Wonderfully compact, Dublin is ideal for walking. The majority of the capital`s best sites are located in the city center, an area of only a few square miles. Just remember to look right and then left (and then look again) before crossing the street. Pedestrians have the right of way at special crossings marked with black and white stripes. These intersections usually have two flashing lights as well.

By bus

Buses are the easiest way to get around the city. Dublin Bus operates a fleet of double-deckers, single-deckers, and minibuses (called `imps`). Bus stops are located every few blocks on main thoroughfares. Buses heading to the city center indicate that with the Irish phrase `An Lar`. Inner-city fares are based on distances traveled. Fares begin at €2.15 and are paid on board the bus. (The fare is €1.55 when using your Leap Card.)

Please Note: No Dublin bus accepts notes or gives change so be sure to have the correct coins. The sole exception to this rule is Airlink Express Route 747, which runs between the airport and the city center. It accepts notes and gives change.

Bus service operates daily starting at 5:00am (9:00am on Sunday) to midnight. On Friday and Saturday nights, Nitelink service runs from the city center to the suburbs from midnight to 4:00am at a cost of €6.60 (€4.50 on your Leap Card). Buses run about every 30 minutes; schedules are posted on revolving sign boards at bus stops.

By Luas tram

The sleek, modern (and wheelchair accessible) light rail tram system, known as Luas, runs from around 5:30am to 12:30am Monday to Friday, 6:30am to 12:30 am on Saturday, and 7:00am to 11:00pm on Sunday. There are two lines, Red and Green, facilitating easy access to sights like the Guinness Storehouse (James Street Stop), O`Connell Street (the Northside Abbey Street stop), and St. Stephen`s Green. They run every 7 to 10 minutes at peak times and every 15 to 20 minutes after that. Fares range from €2.10 to €3.20 according to the number of zones traveled. (That price range is reduced to €1.54-€2.40 for Leap Card holders.) For further information, contact Luas (tel. 01/800-300-604 or 01/461-4910).

By commuter rail (DART)

Several buses link the DART stations. An acronym for Dublin Area Rapid Transit, the electric DART trains travel above ground, linking the city center stations at Connolly Station, Tara Street, and Pearse Street with suburbs and seaside communities. Service operates roughly every 10 to 20 minutes Monday to Saturday from around 5:30am to 12:00am (midnight) and Sunday from 9:30am to 11:30pm. Individual fares begin at €3.30 (€2.40 when using your Leap Card). Tickets can be bought at stations, but it`s also possible to buy weekly rail tickets, as well as weekly or monthly rail-and-bus tickets, from the Irish Rail Travel Centre. For further information, contact DART, Dublin Pearse Station (tel. 01/703-3592).

By taxi

It can be difficult to hail a taxi on the street; instead, they line up at taxi stands called `ranks`. Taxi ranks are located outside major hotels, at bus and train stations, and on major thoroughfares such as Upper O`Connell Street, College Green and the north side of St. Stephen`s Green. The initial charge is €3.60 (reduced in 2018 from the former €4.10), with an additional charge of about €1.10 per kilometer afterwards (€1.45 for trips longer than 15 km). The fare is displayed on a meter (make sure it`s turned on). You may want to phone a taxi company to meet you at your hotel, but this may cost up to €2 extra. Each extra passenger costs €1, but there is no charge for luggage. To call a cab try Co-Op (tel. 01/677-7777), Trinity (tel. 01/708-2222), and VIP Taxis (which can be summoned by downloading the VIP Taxis app).

Please Note: Although the taxi fleet in Dublin is large, the cabs are not standard, and some cars are neither large nor in good condition. And not all cabs are equipped to accept credit cards so make sure you ask BEFORE you get in.

By car

Unless absolutely necessary, we suggest that you don`t drive in Dublin! The city`s roads are crowded and confusing with heavy traffic, one way streets and bad signage being common problems. Gasoline is also expensive at around €2 a liter. If you have a car, leave it behind at your hotel or as close as you can get as parking is notoriously difficult. If you are planning on taking any day trips or touring the Irish countryside then we suggest you pick up your rental car as you depart the city to avoid excessive rental/parking expenses.

Information on the Leap Card

In December 2011, Transport for Ireland introduced the Leap Card, a contactless smart card meant to streamline transport options for locals and tourists. The Leap Card costs €5, and that deposit can be fully refunded. A minimum balance of €5 is also required. Luas, DART, Iarnród Éireann and Dublin Bus all accept Leap Cards, as do select Bus Éireann routes. Fares are discounted an average of 30% when using the Leap Card. For more information on the Leap Card, including where to purchase them, visit www.transportforireland.ie/faq/leap-card.