Getting Around in Dublin

Dublin's city centre is relatively small in size and you could stroll from the GPO to Stephens Green in under an hour, taking in the sights on the way.

A handy hint if you are trying to locate an address, postal codes are always odd numbers on the Northside and even numbers on the Southside. As a rule of thumb, the higher the number, the further away the location will be from the city centre.

If you would like to cover some distance, then Dublin has a good public transport network with a choice of buses, two tram lines (the Luas), a local area train running all the way along Dublin Bay (the Dart) and a large number of taxis.

Guided Tours

Dublin Bus Tours
The Dublin Bus Tour takes in most of the city centre sights. It is a 'hop-on, hop-off' affair, so you can get off the bus take a look around and get a later bus to the next stop. The Dublin Bus Tour costs €15. The separate 'South Coast & Gardens' tour brings you through Sandycove and Dalkey to the Powerscourt stately home and estate in the Wicklow Mountains and back. The 'North Coast & Castle' tour brings you out to the fishing port of Howth and to Malahide Castle.

Viking Splash Tours
See Dublin from the water as well as from the road, travelling in an American amphibian personnel carrier from World War II, a Dukw. The tour takes in the sites of Viking Dublin, the city’s two famous cathedrals (St. Patrick’s and Christchurch), Trinity College, Government Buildings and Georgian Dublin. The water leg of the tour brings you to the recording studio of U2 and explores the newly developed Grand Canal Docklands. Adult tickets cost €20.00, children's tickets are half price. For more information or to book tickets.

Making Your Own Way

Dublin By Bus
Dublin Bus (Bus Átha Cliath) operates a city-wide bus network. A typical city centre journey will cost you approximately €1.60 (€0.80 for children under 16). Bus drivers accept exact change only. If you plan to make more than the odd journey on the bus during your visit to Dublin you should consider purchasing a Rambler Ticket. A one day adult Rambler Ticket costs €6.00, a family ticket costs €10.00. Day tickets can be bought from the bus driver.

Dublin By Tram
Dublin has two tram lines called 'Luas'. The Red Luas line traverses the city from North East to South West and the Green Luas line connects St. Stephen's Green with the Southern suburbs. The Luas is a relatively recent arrival, and coaches are modern and spacious. Luas fares are roughly equivalent to bus fares.
www.luas.ie

Dublin By Train
There are a number of suburban and local trains that service several stops in the centre of Dublin and connect you with visitor attractions or accommodation in the suburbs. The most important local rail service is the DART, which traverses the city from North to South, travelling alongside Dublin Bay for most of the journey.

Dublin By Taxi
Dublin has a fair number of licensed taxi cabs which are marked by a yellow Taxi sign on top of their roof. The best way to get a taxi is to hail one down on the road. Taxis are, generally speaking, for hire if the yellow light is lit. But peek inside, sometimes the cabbie already has a fare on board but forgot to switch the light off. Dublin taxis are metered. An average journey in the city centre will cost between €6.00-10.00.

Dublin By Car
Getting around town by car is relatively easy outside rush hour. Generally speaking, rush hour is 7:00-9:00 and 16:00-19:00 Monday to Friday. Please note that major sporting matches can clog up the roads and available parking at weekends, so check before you go. The city centre is one big one-way system. A handy hint: The Quays on both sides of the Liffey operate in a clockwise circle! Imagine O'Connell Street as 12 o'Clock, Custom House as one o'clock, the International Financial Services Centre as two o'clock and so on. Remember TO DRIVE ON THE LEFT!

Rental Cars
Many major and international and local companies offer car rental in Dublin. The main car rental companies servicing Dublin are, in no particular order, Argus, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Thrifty. The main pick up and drop off points for all car rentals are located at Dublin Airport, but many companies also offer city centre pick up and drop off.

Dublin By Bicycle
Dublin is great for cycling! For most parts, it is fairly flat with only a few modest climbs getting you anywhere. You can also park your ride everywhere. In many city centre locations you will find dedicated bicycle parking spots with chunky metal bars to chain your bike to. There are some dedicated cycle lanes around town. Bicycles are also allowed to use the bus lanes. Please note that you will share the bus lane with buses (obviously) but also taxis and motorcycles. The biggest danger to Dublin cyclists are, however, the humble pedestrians. Be aware that most pedestrians are blissfully unaware of bicycles and likely to step out right in front of you. Phoenix Park Bike Hire is the only dedicated bicycle hire place in Dublin. They offer 150 bikes, including some mountain bikes (ATBs) and racers.
www.phoenixparkbikehire.com

Another site about transportation in Brussels. If you are going there too you might find it helpful.