Getting Around Dublin by Foot, Tram, Bus, and Taxi

The center of Dublin is very small and can easily be explored on foot: therefore, unless you want to venture out to the coast, during your stay in the Irish capital, you will have little need to use public transport which is generally efficient and affordable. The first thing we recommend doing is downloading the map of the attractions in Dublin and that of Temple Bar to understand how to navigate and arrive in the city already prepared.

PDF map of central Dublin with tourist attractions PDF map of Temple Bar

In Dublin, there are three types of public transport: buses, Luas trams, and the DART (which is not a subway). Buses reach every area of the city, while the DART train runs from north to south along the coast and is not used for local city travel. Additionally, there are two lines of the new Luas tram which currently have limited utility.

Dublin's public bus service is divided into 13 zones, each corresponding to a fare. Most attractions are located within zones 1 to 3, so your reference ticket will cost between €1.95 and €3.60 depending on the number of stops, and it can be purchased directly from the driver. The service operates daily from 6 AM to around 11:20 PM, and tickets must be bought on board, strictly with coins. On Friday and Saturday nights, the Nitelink night lines operate from 11:30 PM until the resumption of daytime service. The ticket costs €5 and can be bought directly from the driver: banknotes are not accepted.

At the bus stops, you must line up in English fashion and in order of arrival. The direction of the bus is indicated by a sign above.

The official tourist card for Dublin does not include free transport, so the only way to save on public transport is with the Leap Card, which is valid for 1, 3, or 7 days (€10.00; €19.50; or €40.00) and allows unlimited travel on all public transport, including night lines and airport connections. It also offers discounts at the most popular attractions. It can be purchased online, or at authorized Spar or Centra stores, and at Luas, DART, and Irish Rail machines.

After deregulation in 2002, Dublin has more taxis than New York, so they are readily available at any time and at acceptable costs compared to those in Italy. Taxis are a great alternative especially at night, from Sunday to Thursday, when the Nitelink night bus is not operational. Most taxi stands are concentrated in areas between O'Connell Street, College Green, and St. Stephen's Green.