Dublin, Ireland — Travel Tips
Getting There By Air
Flights to Dublin Airport are served by a number of different airlines, including Aer Lingus, BMI, Flybe.com, and Lufthansa. Cheap flights to Dublin are available with low cost airline Ryanair. Dublin flights should be booked well in advance to obtain cheap fares.
Dublin Airport (DUB)
Tel: (01) 814 1111.
Website: www.dublin-airport.com
Dublin Airport is located 12km (7 miles) north of the city center. A second terminal is slated to open by the end of 2010.
Airport facilities
These include a tourist office, bank and currency exchange, duty-free shopping, shops and newsagents, pharmacy, telephones, restaurants, bars and car hire from Avis, Budget, Hertz, National Alamo and Europcar.
Transport to the city
Buses 16A, 41, 41B, 46X, 58X and 746 run to the city center every 10 to 20 minutes daily (journey time - 40 minutes). They are operated by Dublin Bus (tel: (01) 873 4222; www.dublinbus.ie). The Airlink Express coach service (numbers 747 and 748), run by the same operator, links the airport with the central bus station on Store Street and the two main railway stations, Connolly Station and Heuston Station. It runs every 10 to 20 minutes daily (journey time - 35 minutes). The Aircoach (tel: (01) 844 7118; www.aircoach.ie) links Dublin Airport with O'Connell Street in the city center every 10 to 20 minutes daily (journey time - 40 minutes). All bus services depart from bus stops located immediately to the left after exiting the arrivals hall. Taxis are available and an average day fare into Dublin costs around €28.
Approximate flight times to Dublin
From London - 1 hour; from New York - 6 hours 30 minutes; from Los Angeles - 12 hours; from Toronto - 8 hours 10 minutes; from Sydney - 24 hours.
Getting There By Road
Driving in Ireland is fairly straightforward. Traffic drives on the left and signposts are usually bilingual. On motorways a speed limit of 120kph (74mph) applies. On national roads and dual carriageways, the speed limit is 100kpm (62mph), dropping to 50kph (31mph) in towns and cities. The minimum driving age is 17 years. A valid national driving license is required and a Green Card and Motor Insurance certificate are recommended. A country identification sticker is compulsory, as are seat belts in the front and, where fitted, in the rear of the car. The Automobile Association of Ireland (tel: (01) 617 9999; www.aaireland.ie) provides information on reciprocal agreements with other motoring associations.
Emergency breakdown services
Automobile Association (tel: 1 800 667 788).
Routes to the city
Dublin can be approached via the N11 dual carriageway from Dún Laoghaire harbor, the N1 and the M1 motorway from Belfast, the N6 and N4 from Galway and the N7 (M7) and N8 (M8) from Cork.
Driving times to the city
From Belfast - 2 hours 45 minutes; Galway - 3 hours 30 minutes; Cork - 4 hours 15 minutes.
Coach services
Bus Éireann (tel: (01) 836 6111; www.buseireann.ie) operates Ireland's largest coach station, Busáras (Central Bus Station), Amiens Street, with routes nationwide and destinations including Cork, Galway and Limerick, as well as Belfast and Derry in Northern Ireland. Services are more frequent than those provided by the rail network. Facilities include restaurant, bureau de change and left luggage. Bus Éireann/Eurolines (tel: (01) 836 6111; www.eurolines.ie) has daily services to UK and European destinations, including Amsterdam, Brussels, Edinburgh, Leeds, London and Paris.
Getting There By Rail
Rail Services
Dublin has two main stations: Connolly Station on Amiens Street (tel: (01) 703 2358), in the center, and Heuston Station by the Quays (tel: (01) 703 3299). Both have bureau de change, lockers, left luggage, shops, bar and snack bars.
Rail Operators
Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) provides the national service (tel: (01) 836 6222; www.irishrail.ie).
Connections
To Belfast - 2 hours; to Rosslare - 3 hours 10 minutes; to Sligo - 3 hours; to Galway 2 hours 40 minutes; to Cork - journey time 2 hours 30 minutes; to Kilkenny 1 hour 35 minutes; to Limerick 2 hours 30 minutes.
Getting Around in Dublin, Ireland
Public Transport
Dublin's public transport system is a bus and rail network, although a network of 40 trams is currently being introduced by Luas Light Rail Lines (tel: (01) 646 3400 or 1 800 300 604; www.luas.ie), with two lines currently in operation. Luas offers a range of ticket options ranging from a single trip to a seven-day or 30-day pass. There are also one-, seven- and 30-day combi-tickets for the Luas and Dublin Bus, covering all zones.
Iarnród Éireann runs the speedy electrical DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transport) rail services (tel: (01) 836 6222; www.irishrail.ie), which operate Monday to Saturday 0630-2400 and Sunday 0930-2300. You can buy DART tickets from any DART station.
Bus Átha Cliath (Dublin Bus) runs the city bus services (tel: (01) 873 4222; www.dublinbus.ie), which operate daily from 0600-2330, with a night bus service (Nitelink) running daily from 0030-0430. Bus fares vary according to the number of stops. The price of Nitelink tickets also depends on the length of journey. You can buy pre-paid tickets at the information desk at Dublin Airport, Dublin Bus Head Office or at bus ticket agencies.
Various passes for bus, rail or both combined are available, including one-, three-, five- and seven-day Rambler Tickets, and a one-day Family Rambler Ticket, each offering unlimited travel for consecutive days on all Dublin Bus scheduled services, excluding the night buses. Weekly and monthly passes for the DART (including the buses) are also available, and there is also an Adult Short Hop pass and a Family Short Hop pass, valid for unlimited travel for one day on all Dublin Bus, DART and suburban rail services.
Taxis
Taxis (standard saloon cars) can be hailed on the street, hired at taxi ranks (O'Connell Street, Dame Street and St Stephen's Green) or booked by telephone. Radio Link (tel: (01) 478 1111) and VIP ACE Taxis (tel: (01) 478 3333) are reputable companies. It is customary for passengers to tip the driver between 10 and 15% of the fare.
Driving in the City
The volume of traffic in Dublin is increasing and parking is expensive and limited, although some hotels and guest houses provide private parking. Visitors should avoid rush hours if possible. There are also numerous one-way systems in the center, including the quays alongside the River Liffey.
Street parking is limited in the city center. The city's main car parks, with various hourly rates, are Arnotts, Middle Abbey Street, and Brown Thomas, Clarendon Street. For street parking, curbside pay-and-display meters are standard.
Car Hire
A full national driving license and deposit are necessary for visitors to hire a car in Ireland; most firms require the driver to be over 23 and under 70 years old and to have held a full driving license for a minimum of two years without endorsements.
Avis, 35-39 Old Kilmainham Road (tel: (01) 605 7500; www.avis.ie), Budget, 151 Drumcondra Road Lower (tel: (01) 837 9611; www.budget.ie), and Europcar, Dublin Airport (tel: (01) 844 4199 ; www.europcar.ie), are among the main providers. Pre-booking is strongly recommended in summer and payment is usually only accepted by credit card.
Bicycle Hire
The best tracks are along Dublin Bay and across the Wicklow Mountains, as central Dublin is sadly lacking in cycle paths. Phoenix Park Bike Hire, Gate Lodge, Chesterfield Avenue (tel: 0862 656 258; www.phoenixparkbikehire.com), offers a comprehensive bicycle hire service.
