Getting around Dublin

Getting around Dublin

If you're heading to Dublin this year and wondering how you'll be getting around the city, wonder no more. In this guide, we'll highlight all of the best ways to get around Dublin so you can make the most of your trip!

Including:

  • What is the easiest way to get around Dublin?
  • Is Dublin easy to get around without a car?
  • How many days do you need to see Dublin?
  • Getting around Dublin: Public Transport
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What is the easiest way to get around Dublin?

Walking is arguably the easiest and best way to get around Dublin. It's a relatively small city that is more than traversable by foot. But we'll get into that more down below!

Is Dublin easy to get around without a car?

Yes! Alongside the aforementioned walking, there are a ton of other ways to get around the city or even out of it. From trams to buses to national trains, you'll never be far from quick and affordable public transport. If you're traveling to Dublin from the States or another part of the world, we recommend you take a break from driving and let public transport do its thing.

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How many days do you need to see Dublin?

It depends on how many things you want to do in the city! If you have a concert or other event to attend, or like the look of a number of Dublin attractions and experiences, you may want to spend 3-4 days in the city to make the most of it. If you want to travel outside of Dublin and see Ireland' natural beauty in all its splendor, maybe add a day or two to that.

So, let's talk about getting around Dublin and the different forms of public transport you can take!

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Getting around Dublin: Buses

You'll see Dublin's bright yellow buses all over the city, and they're easily one of the best ways of getting around Dublin. Buses run from the city center to the outer suburbs and vice versa from around 6AM until around 11PM, depending on the route.

If you see any large blue or green lollipops sprouting from the ground, you've just seen a bus stop. There, you'll find maps, routes, and any other info you need to know.

Cost-wise, journeys are determined by travel distance, so the longer you go, the more you pay. However, if you get a Leap Card, you can travel whenever and wherever you want without worrying about that. But what is a Leap Card?

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Image courtesy of EternalMoments/Shutterstock

Getting around Dublin: Leap Cards

Leap Cards allow unlimited travel on all buses or trains for a specific period of time. You buy a card for either 1, 3, or 7 days, depending on the length of your stay, and then tap it whenever you get on a bus or go through train gates to board any vessel.

A 1-day ticket costs €8, a 3-day ticket costs €16, and a 7-day ticket costs €32. So, the more days you plan to use it, the less the daily cost.

To pick one up, there are a couple of options to consider. Firstly, you can simply order it online. However, it does get delivered to your home address, so you need to book it far enough in advance of your trip to ensure it arrives in time! Alternatively, if you're reading this on the plane ride over, you can pick one up at the airport. Head to the T1 arrivals lounge and go to Wright's Airport Convenience Store.

While it works on most forms of travel, it won't work on attractions like Dublin's Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour. But don't worry, we've got you covered!

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Getting around Dublin: DART

DART stands for Dublin Area Rapid Transit, which is very clever when you think about it. While you may not use DART much if you're planning on spending most of your time in the city center, it's still an easy and affordable way to get around if you need to make longer journeys.

DART serves over 30 stations, but you'll need to check ahead to see if it reaches a stop near you or your destination. If you're heading to the coast, DART is a quick and easy way to do it! DART trains run every 10 minutes from most stops, from 6AM - 12AM Monday - Saturday, and 9.30AM - 11PM on Sundays.

Like buses, DART trains determine their cost by distance, so it's hard to talk about without knowing how far you're traveling. But, with a Leap Card, you needn't worry.

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Getting around Dublin: LUAS

LUAS is Dublin's tram service, which is arguably the best way of getting around Dublin if you want to sightsee as you go! There are two lines, Red Line and Green Line, but since Dublin is so small, it's enough to get most people to where they're going.

Trams run from 5:30AM - 12.30AM Monday to Friday, 6.30AM - 12.30AM on Saturdays, and 7AM - 11.30PM on Sundays.

And guess what? Yes, repeat after us: your journey time determines the price. Look online if you want to buy single tickets, or pick up a Leap Card and throw caution - and worry - to the wind.

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Getting around Dublin: Irish Rail

You'll only use Irish Rail if you're traveling out of Dublin, so bear that in mind. If you are, you'll be leaving from Dublin Connolly (which serves North Ireland and Northern Ireland, or Heuston, which serves the south.

Ticket prices depend on distance, shocker, but just get a Leap Card and be done with it!

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Getting around Dublin: Walking

And finally, perhaps most importantly, Dublin is a very small city. So small, in fact, that walking is arguably the best way to get around. If you're not familiar with walking, it's when you put one foot in front of the other until you reach your destination. It's a great way to burn off those Guinness calories while breathing in what scientists call "fresh air".

Try it today and see the benefits for yourself!

And that's everything you need to know about getting around Dublin! If you want some vacation inspiration to level up your visit, check out Go City! With our All-Inclusive Pass and Explorer Pass, you can see all of Dublin's best bits for one low price!

Dom Bewley
Go City Travel Expert

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The Temple Bar - A Local's Guide

The Temple Bar: a local's guide Temple Bar is almost synonymous with sightseeing in Dublin as it’s one of the city’s most vibrant areas, bursting with culture, music and tradition. On the south bank of the River Liffey, it’s tucked away but full of life, no matter the hour. From iconic pubs, to street buskers, bold graffiti and picturesque cobbled streets, Temple Bar is not to be missed. Here’s a local’s guide to exploring the area: Dance to an Irish Jig Dublin is famous for its live music, and you can really enjoy it in Temple Bar. Most pubs will have a resident band who play traditional Irish music, but one of the best is Gogarty’s which prides itself on live music five days a week and over 12 hours a day. Whether you pop in for lunch or dinner, or even a nightcap, rest assured you’ll be up on your feet and dancing along to popular folk songs and even persuaded onto the dancefloor by one of the many talented Irish dancers... Find the perfect pub If you prefer something more sedate, don’t worry, there are plenty of other options where you can unwind after a busy day of sightseeing in Dublin with a pint of Guinness. With over 20 pubs to choose from in the area, not to mention a handful of pub crawls you can join, you won’t be left dry mouthed. Whether you prefer a quiet wine bar or traditional pub, you’ll find what you’re looking for in Temple Bar. See some art Visit the Temple Bar Gallery + Studios for some artistic inspiration. A former clothing factory, this contemporary art gallery is nestled in the Temple Bar cultural quarter. Showing a number of contemporary visual art exhibitions, you can enjoy a wide range of media, from photography to print and video. It’ll certainly get you thinking, and open your eyes to the talents of Dublin’s art scene. Go on a graffiti trail From contemporary art to street art, two things you can’t miss about Temple Bar are the vibrant colours and bold graffiti that jump out at you on every street. The area is given a real Banksy feel with caricatures, comical speech marks and witty words so make sure you don’t forget your camera. If you want to learn more about who’s responsible for this street art, why not take part in the Dublin Street Art Walking Tour and Graffiti Workshop? Get your vintage fix You might not associate Temple Bar with shopping, but the area has one of the most popular vintage clothing markets in the city. Dubliners are without doubt quirky, metropolitan and well dressed, and Cow’s Lane Designer Market is largely responsible. Open during the summer months of June to September, this daily market offers over 60 stalls of the best clothing, accessories, arts and crafts in the city. If you’re visiting in the winter, don’t worry, you can still catch the market indoors in St Michael’s and St John’s Banquet Hall.
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Go City Acquires The Dublin Pass to Expand Ireland Offerings

The Dublin Pass joins the company's portfolio of over 25 destinations worldwide, as Go City initiates further expansion into the country. DUBLIN, March 29, 2022 -- Go City®, the world's largest multi-attraction pass business, has purchased The Dublin Pass from Fáilte Ireland (Ireland's National Tourism Development Authority) by way of open market sale. Recently recognized in the Sunday Times Top Track 250, Go City plans to continue to expand its offerings in the market, leveraging its app-based technology to deliver a more enhanced customer experience. The Dublin Pass grants visitors discounted and flexible entry to the top attractions, museums and tours in Dublin. It was created in 2004 as a collaborative project between Dublin Tourism and key industry partners to promote and sell the Dublin experience to sightseers. Ownership of the pass moved to Fáilte Ireland after it merged with Dublin Tourism in 2012. While Go City has managed The Dublin Pass operation under a concession agreement on behalf of Fáilte Ireland since 2015, this move will see Go City own The Dublin Pass in its entirety. Go City operates in more than 25 of the most iconic cities in the world, and delivers approximately 12 million paid attraction visits annually, worldwide. The Dublin Pass includes 35 of the city's most popular attractions, tours and experiences, including the Guinness Storehouse, Saint Patrick's Cathedral, and many more. This acquisition will broaden the company's offerings in Ireland and provide Dublin's attraction partners with a wider range of marketing capabilities and technology solutions. "We are delighted to welcome The Dublin Pass into the Go City portfolio of passes to the world's best cities. Customers love the savings, flexibility and wide variety of experiences that The Dublin Pass offers, allowing them to unlock the city. Our aim is to build on that success and expand our offerings further into Ireland," comments Jon Owen, CEO of Go City. Paul Keeley, Fáilte Ireland's Director of Regional Development adds, "The Dublin Pass will continue to be an important product for Dublin in the future, as it helps visitors access the city's unique attractions, and experience Dublin's rich history, heritage and culture." Go City will continue to work closely with the local community of attraction partners and Fáilte Ireland to deliver incremental visitation to Dublin, opening up exciting opportunities for the year ahead. ABOUT GO CITY Go City is the most popular multi-attraction pass in the U.S and operates in over 25 cities across the globe. Partnering with over 1,000 attractions, tours and activities worldwide, Go City allows customers to experience everything a destination has to offer, while attraction partners receive incremental visitation and revenue. Offering choice, convenience and savings, Go City enables customers to lock in savings ahead of travel, while retaining flexibility to make plans as they go. All delivered digitally, the Go City app provides contactless entry at attractions by scanning the pass straight from a smartphone device. Go City transforms the way people experience the world's greatest destinations. They simply scan and enjoy, all at their own pace for a fraction of the retail cost. For more information, or to experience Go City please visit www.gocity.com. ABOUT FÁILTE IRELAND As the National Tourism Development Authority, Fáilte Ireland's role is to support the long-term sustainable growth in the economic, social, cultural and environmental contribution of tourism to Ireland. Tourism is of critical importance to the national economy and to regional development and employment. Pre-coronavirus, the sector generated revenue of €7.5billion annually and supported 260,000 jobs nationwide while contributing €1.7billion to the Exchequer. Fáilte Ireland works in partnership with Government, State agencies, Local Authorities, representative groups and industry, to develop tourism across Ireland by creating destination development plans and networks, investing in infrastructure, activities, visitor attractions and festivals. Fáilte Ireland also provides consumer and buyer insights, mentoring, business supports and training programmes' and buyer platforms to help tourism businesses innovate and grow. In addition, Fáilte Ireland supports Business Tourism, managing the bidding for and securing of larger conferences, meetings, and events to be hosted in Ireland. Fáilte Ireland is also responsible for domestic holiday marketing across its four regional experience brands: Dublin, Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland's Ancient East, and Ireland's Hidden Heartlands.
Evangeline Leeder

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