Dublin Transportation

Getting There

Air

Dublin International Airport (DUB) (+353 1814 1111 / http://www.dublin-airport.com/) is six miles north of the city center. Its compact, two-level terminal is user friendly and offers tired travelers short jaunts from point to point. Numerous shops, bars and restaurants are strewn across both levels. ATMs and currency exchanges are located on both levels. Airlines include:

Aer Arann (+353 1 8141058 / http://www.aerarann.ie/) Aer Lingus (+1 800 474 7424 / http://www.aerlingus.com/) Air Canada (+1 888 247 2262 / http://www.aircanada.com/) Air France (+1 800 237 2747 / http://www.airfrance.com/) Air Malta (+33 1 58 18 64 05 / http://www.airmalta.com/) Air Transat (+877 872 6728 / http://www.airtransat.com/) Air Wales (+1800 654 193 / http://www.airwales.co.uk/) Alitalia (+1 800 223 5730 / http://www.alitalia.it/) Blue1 (+358 20 585 6000 / http://www.blue1.com/) BMI (+44 1332 854854 / http://www.flybmi.com/) BMI Baby (+0890 710 081 (France) / http://www.bmibaby.com/) British Airways (+1 800 217 9297 / http://www.britishairways.com/) Continental Airlines (+1 800 523 3273 / http://www.continental.com/) Delta Airlines (+1 800 221 1212 / http://www.delta.com/) FlyBe (+871 700 0535 / http://www.flybe.com/) Germanwings (+44 870 252 12 50 / http://www1.germanwings.com/) Hapag-Lloyd Express (+180 509 3 509 / http://www.hlx.com/) Iberworld Airlines (http://www.iberworld.com/) Lufthansa (+1 800 803 5838 / http://cms.lufthansa.com/) My Travel (+870 238 7710 / http://www.mytravel.com/) Ryan Air (+353 1 249 7851 / http://www.ryanair.com/) SAS (+1 800 221 2350 / http://www.scandinavian.net/) Sky Europe (+421 2 4850 1111 / http://www2.skyeurope.com/en/) Thomson Fly (+43 192 89 598 / http://www.thomsonfly.com/) Transavia (+312 406 0406 / http://www.transavia.com/)

From the Airport

Car Rentals: Avis (+1 800 230 4898/+353 1605 7500 / http://www.avis.com/) Budget (+353 903 27711 / http://www.budget-ireland.com/) Murray's Europcar (+353 1 812 0410 / http://www.europcar.ie/) Hertz (+1 800 654 3131 (US)/+1 800 654 3001(Intl) / https://www.hertz.com/) National (+1 800 227 7368/+353 1844 4162 / http://www.nationalcar.com/).

The rental desks are located in the arrivals area on the lower level of the terminal. From the airport, the M1 shoots directly into the city center. For a more circular route or to access other motorways take the M1 to the M50, which forms a broad half moon around the city.

Bus & Taxi: A taxi rank is outside the arrivals hall and a ride into town will set you back EUR15. A multitude of bus companies (both private and public) run more than 700 departures from the airport to points around town and around the country. Aircoach (+353 1844 7118 / http://www.aircoach.ie/) has two routes (one 24-hours) on luxury buses stopping at a number of hotels in the city center and south of Dublin. Fares are EUR6 one way, EUR10 return. The public bus system, Dublin Bus (+353 1 872 0000 / http://www.dublinbus.ie/), has an extensive network of lines leaving from the airport including the 747 and 748 Airport Links, which provide express service to the Busaras Bus Station and various rail stations. Other coach companies serving the airport include:

Bus Eireann (+353 1836 6111/http://www.buseireann.ie) Dublin Airport Busnestor (+353 9179 7484) J.J. Kavanagh (+353 563 1106 / http://www.jjkavanagh.ie/) CityLink (+353 91 56 4100 / http://www.citylink.ie/)

Bus

Bus Eireann (http://www.buseireann.ie/) takes care of most of the long haul domestic routes, stretching out to the far reaches of the island, and in cooperation with Eurolines (+353 1836 6111 / http://www.eurolines.ie/) covers some 450 international destinations. CityLink (+353 91 56 4100 / http://www.citylink.ie/) and Busnestor (+353 91 79 7484) have cheap trips between Dublin and Galway.

Car

The M1/N1 from the north, the N2 and N3 from the northwest, the M4/N4 from the west, the M7/N7 and N81 from the southwest and the M11/N11 from the south all stream into Dublin.

Rail

Although limited by its island status, Ireland's Irish Rail (+353 1 836 6222 / http://www.irishrail.ie/) unites Dublin with most regions throughout the country and offers daily jaunts to from the capital city to Belfast. Trains arriving in Dublin pull into Connolly, Heuston, or Pearse station.

Water

Dublin harbor is Ireland's largest port, aptly named Dublin Port (+353 1 855 2296 / http://www.dublinport.ie/), which is quickly becoming a star on the cruise stop circuit. It is also home to numerous ferry companies darting travelers back and forth across the Irish Sea between Dublin and the likes of Liverpool (England), Holyhead (Wales), Moyson (Wales), and during the peak season, Isle of Man, and Cherbourg (France). Ferry companies include:

Sea Cat (+1800 551 743 / http://www.steam-packet.com/) Irish ferries (+353 1 638 3333 / http://www.irishferries.com/) P&O Irish Sea (+1800 409 049 / http://www.poirishsea.com/) Stena Line (+353 1 204 7777 / http://www7.stenaline.ie/)

Getting Around

Dublin's bustling economy means more money for locals to go out and buy cars to fill up the streets. So traffic is getting hectic, and the public transit system is good enough that you can get around town easily without the hassle of a car. Of course, if exploring the picture postcard scenic countryside is on the agenda, there are plenty of car rental companies around town.

Taxi

Taxis usually line up outside major hotels and the train and bus stations, but during the peak tourist season lines may be long. You can give it your best shot to flag down a cab on the street, but most likely the driver will pass you by without so much as a glance. Dispatching options include: Metro Cab (+353 1 668 3333) and Pony Cab (+353 1 661 2233).

Public Transport

Irish Rail (+353 1 836 6222 / http://www.irishrail.ie/) handles DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) and the four suburban rail lines. DART is a speedy eclectic rail line that runs through the city center to Howth in the north and down to towns hugging the seaside in the south. Trains halt at each of the 25 stations every 10/15 minutes from 7a to midnight. Single fares start at EUR.90. Multi-day and multimodal passes are available.

LUAS light rail (+353 1 646 3400 / http://www.luas.ie/) has two electric tram lines (Red and Green) webbing out from the Connolly and St. Stephen's Green Stations in the city center to the suburbs in the south and southwest.

Dublin's green double decker buses set out to all areas of the city. The massive grid is managed by Dublin Bus (+353 1 872 0000 / http://www.dublinbus.ie/) and has a variety of services including airport links, night links, express links and various hop on hop off sightseeing tours including a Dublin City Tour for EUR12.50. Many bus routes, especially cross town lines, pause at DART stations and both Connolly and Heuston train stations. Basic fares are based on zones and start at EUR.80. Multi-day passes are also available and transferable to the DART system.

Bike

The compact nature of the city center is walking conducive, but not so hot for biking. If pedaling is the preferred mode of transport opt for exploring the outskirts of town or roads along the bay front.

Planning a Trip

222km (138 miles) NE of Shannon Airport, 258km (160 miles) NE of Cork, 167km (104 miles) S of Belfast, 309km (192 miles) NE of Killarney, 219km (136 miles) E of Galway, 237km (147 miles) SE of Derry, 142km (88 miles) N of Wexford

Visitor Information

Dublin Tourism operates six walk-in visitor centers in greater Dublin that are open every day except Christmas. The principal center is on Suffolk Street, Dublin 2, open from June to August Monday to Saturday from 9am to 8:30pm, Sunday and bank holidays 10:30am to 3pm, and the rest of the year Monday to Saturday 9am to 5:30pm, Sunday and bank holidays 10:30am to 3pm. The Suffolk Street office has a currency exchange counter, a car-rental counter, an accommodations-reservations service, bus and rail information desks, a gift shop, and a cafe. For accommodations reservations throughout Ireland by credit card (including some good last-minute deals on Dublin hotels), contact Dublin Tourism at tel. 01/605-7700 or www.visitdublin.com.

The five other centers are in the arrivals concourse of Dublin Airport; Upper O'Connell Street, Dublin 1; Baggot Street Bridge, Baggot Street, Dublin 2; the Square Towncentre, Tallaght, Dublin 24; and the ferry terminal at Dún Laoghaire Harbor. All telephone inquiries should be directed to the number listed above, or tel. 1850/230-330. All centers are open year-round with at least the following hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 5:30pm and Saturday 9am to 5pm.

For information on Ireland outside of Dublin, call Bord Fáilte (tel. 1850/230330 in Ireland; www.discoverireland.com).

At any of these centers you can pick up the free Tourism News. The free Event Guide, a biweekly entertainment guide, is online at www.eventguide.ie. InDublin, a biweekly arts-and-entertainment magazine selling for €3, is available at most newsstands, or online at www.indublin.ie.

City Layout

The city is neatly divided down the middle by the curves of the River Liffey, which empties into the sea at the city's farthest edge. To the north and south, the city center is encircled by canals: The Royal Canal arcs across the north and the Grand Canal through the south. Traditionally, the area south of the river has been Dublin's buzzing, prosperous hub. It still holds most of the best hotels, restaurants, shops, and sights, but the Northside is on the upswing, with hip new bars and trendy hotels making it the new place to be. Both north and south, Dublin is compact and easily walked in an hour. In fact, a 45-minute walk from the bucolic peace of St. Stephen's Green, up Grafton Street, and across the Liffey to the top of O'Connell Street offers a good overview of the city's prosperous present and troubled past.

The most interesting suburban towns tend to be along Dublin Bay -- these include (heading north along the bay) Drumcondra, Glasnevin, Howth, Clontarf, and Malahide; and (heading south along the bay) Ballsbridge, Blackrock, Dún Laoghaire, Dalkey, Killiney, Rathgar, and Rathmines. Due to the conspicuous wealth and prosperity that came to these towns in the late 1990s, locals have wryly dubbed this area Bel Eire.

Main Arteries, Streets & Squares -- In the town center just south of the river, Dame Street, which changes its name to College Green, Westmoreland Street, and Lord Edward Street at various points, is the main east-west artery connecting Trinity College with Dublin Castle and Christ Church Cathedral. On one side of Dame Street are the winding medieval lanes of Temple Bar, which, with its many pubs and bars, is Dublin's party central. On the other side of Dame Street are lots of tributary streets lined with shops and cafes; the best of these is Great St. George's Street, which arcs off toward the south. Where Dame turns into College Green, the sturdy gray stone walls of Trinity College make an excellent landmark as you get your bearings, and at its southwest corner is the top of Grafton Street -- a lively pedestrianized shopping lane crowded with tourists, musicians, and artists, which leads to the bucolic, statue-filled peace of St. Stephen's Green. From there, heading back up via Kildare Street will take you past Leinster House, where the Irish Parliament meets, and a turn to the right brings you to Merrion Square, another of Dublin's extraordinarily well-preserved Georgian squares.

To get to the Northside, most visitors choose to walk across the photogenic arch of the Ha'penny Bridge, but most locals take the less attractive O'Connell Bridge nearby. You can be different and cross via the Ha'penny's sleekly modern neighbor, the Millennium Bridge, which is beautifully illuminated after dark. The O'Connell Bridge leads directly onto O'Connell Street, a wide, statue-lined boulevard that is the north's main thruway. O'Connell Street runs north to Parnell Square, which holds a couple of marvelous museums and marks the edge of central Dublin. From the bottom to the top, O'Connell Street is lined with statues, starting with an absurdly ornate representation of the titular politician Daniel O'Connell surrounded by angels (which still have bullet holes left from the Easter Rising). The street running along the Liffey's embankment is called the North Quays by all, though its name changes on virtually every block, reflecting the long-gone docks that once lined it.

In the older section of the city, High Street is the gateway to medieval and Viking Dublin, from the city's two medieval cathedrals to the old city walls and nearby Dublin Castle. The other noteworthy street in the older part of the city is Francis Street, Dublin's antiques row.

A Toll Tale -- Built in 1816 as one of the earliest cast-iron bridges in Britain and Ireland, the graceful pedestrians-only Ha'penny Bridge (pronounced Hay-penny) is the prettiest of Dublin's bridges. Though officially named the Liffey Bridge, it's far better known by the toll once charged to cross it: half a penny. The turnstiles were removed in 1919, when passage was made free.

Getting There

By Plane

Dublin International Airport (tel. 01/814-1111; www.dublinairport.com) is 11km (6 3/4 miles) north of the city center. A travel information desk in the arrivals concourse provides information on public bus and rail services throughout the country.

An excellent airport-to-city shuttle bus service called AirCoach operates 24 hours a day, making runs at 15-minute intervals. Its buses run direct from the airport to Dublin's city center and south side, stopping at O'Connell Street, St. Stephen's Green, Fitzwilliam Square, Merrion Square, Ballsbridge, and Donnybrook -- that is, all the key hotel and business districts. The fare is €7 one-way or €12 round-trip; €1.50 one-way for children aged 5 to 12. You buy your ticket from the driver. Although AirCoach is slightly more expensive than the Dublin Bus, it makes fewer intermediary stops, so it is faster (the journey to the city center takes about 45 min.), and it brings you right into the hotel districts. To confirm AirCoach departures and arrivals, call tel. 01/844-7118 or find it on the Web at www.aircoach.ie.

If you need to connect with the Irish bus or rail service, the Airlink Express Coach (tel. 01/844-4265) provides express coach services from the airport into central Dublin and beyond. Rtes. 747 and 748 go to the city's central bus station, Busáras, on Store Street, and on to Connolly railway station, and Rte. 748 makes an additional stop at Heuston railway station. Service runs daily from 5:45am until 11:30pm (Sun 7:15am-11:30pm), with departures every 20 to 30 minutes. One-way fare is €6 for adults and €3 for children 11 and under.

Finally, Dublin Bus (tel. 01/873-4222; www.dublinbus.ie) runs daily connections between the airport and the city center from 6am to 11:30pm. The one-way trip takes about 30 minutes, and the fare is €6. Nos. 16a, 41, 41b, 46x, 230, 746, 747, or 748 all serve the city center from Dublin Airport. Consult the travel information desk in the arrivals concourse to figure out which bus takes you closest to your hotel.

For speed and ease -- especially if you have a lot of luggage -- a taxi is the best way to get directly to your hotel or guesthouse. Depending on your destination in Dublin, fares average between €20 and €30. Surcharges include €.50 for each additional passenger and for each piece of luggage. Depending on traffic, a cab should take between 20 and 45 minutes to get into the city center. A tip of a couple of euro is standard. Taxis are lined up at a first-come, first-served taxi stand outside the arrivals terminal.

Major international and local car-rental companies operate desks at Dublin Airport.

By Ferry

Passenger and car ferries from Britain arrive at the Dublin Ferryport (tel. 01/855-2222), on the eastern end of the North Docks, and at the Dún Laoghaire Ferryport (tel. 01/842-8864). Call Irish Ferries (tel. 0818/300-400; www.irishferries.ie), P&O Irish Sea (tel. 01/407-3434; www.poirishsea.com), or Stena Line (tel. 01/204-7777; www.stenaline.com) for bookings and information. There is bus and taxi service from both ports.

By Train

Irish Rail (tel. 1850-366-222; www.irishrail.ie), also called Iarnród Éireann, operates daily train service to Dublin from Belfast, Northern Ireland, and all major cities in the Irish Republic, including Cork, Galway, Limerick, Killarney, Sligo, Wexford, and Waterford. Trains from the south, west, and southwest arrive at Heuston Station, Kingsbridge, off St. John's Road; from the north and northwest at Connolly Station, Amiens Street; and from the southeast at Pearse Station, Westland Row, Tara Street.

By Bus

Bus Éireann (tel. 01/836-6111; www.buseireann.ie) operates daily express coach and local bus service from all major cities and towns in Ireland into Dublin's central bus station, Busáras, Store Street.

By Car

If you are arriving by car from other parts of Ireland or on a car ferry from Britain, all main roads lead into the heart of Dublin and are well signposted to An Lar (City Centre). To bypass the city center, the East Link (toll bridge €1.70) and West Link are signposted, and M50 circuits the city on three sides.