How to get from Dublin airport to Dublin city center

How to get from Dublin airport to the city center. easy guide to Dublin airport transport options and the best ways to get from Dublin airport (DUB) to your accommodation.

Dublin airport is right to the North of the City, a 30-to-45-minute drive away from city center locations such as Trinity College, Grafton Street and the river. 

Unlike other cities in Europe, there is no metro or train connecting Dublin airport to the city however, there are several, easy transport options to suit all budgets.

This is my guide to the best ways to get from Dublin airport to Dublin city center. 

Dublin airport transportation overview

There are 3 main Dublin airport transportation option to get you to the city center (or back):

• Taxi
• Bus
• Airport Bus

and an additional one: private transport.

Below, we are giving an overview and our opinion on each of them.

The cheapest way to get from Dublin airport to the city center

By far the cheapest way to get from Dublin airport to Dublin city center and your hotel is using the Dublin Bus Public a transport system.

Standards buses leave from outside Terminal 2: as you leave the terminal, walk left and you will quickly see them. 

Dublin buses are yellow and blue, most are double-deckers (two storeys, steps inside) and they serve several parts of the city for standard bus fares. The top fare on those is 3 Euro so indeed, the price is low!

The buses serving the airport often have luggage racks inside. Tickets can be bought at the automatic machines at the bus stop and the exact fare depends on the number of stops you need to get to your hotel.

This is an excellent, budget-friendly transportation option from Dublin airport into town. However, please be advised that the journey can be long: the many local stops easily make the journey to the Southside of the city over an hour long!

I highly recommend you use the standard bus if you are visiting Dublin on a budget and you arrive during the day, when buses are more frequent. 

Other bus services from Dublin airport to the city center

As well as the public buses connecting the airport to the city center, there are specialized airport bus services that can be excellent for visitors.

The ones to look out for are:

Airlink 747, airport bus in Dublin

The Airlink Bus goes from just outside the Dublin airport terminal to the city center and then Heuston station (train station).

This is an excellent service and a good compromise between a faster service than the local bus and the more expensive taxi option.

The bus stops right outside the arrivals terminal, its bus stop is well indicated and you recognize it for being green and a visible bus number 747.

You can buy tickets when boarding or, more easily, online following this link.

The cost in 2020 is:

• 6 Euro per adult
• 3 Euro per child
• 17 Euro per family ticket

Good to know: You can combine the ticket for the Airlink Bus with one for the Hop On – Hop Off Dublin bus tour and save on the price of both. You can read about this option and get your ticket here

Aircoach airport Bus between Dublin airport and city center

Another bus service covering the trip between Dublin airport and Dublin city center is called Aircoach.

Like Airlink, this is a service stopping right outside of Dublin airport and serving several stops in Dublin Center as well as additional farther destinations such as Bray/Greystones, Sandyford/Leopardstown and even Cork and Belfast.

This is a good service, slightly more upscale than Airlink in terms of passengers’ comfort. You can find all the prices for the several routes served here.

You can buy tickets also when boarding: discounts for return journeys are available.

Getting the taxi between Dublin airport and your hotel

The easiest way to get from Dublin airport to Dublin city center yet also the priciest is getting a taxi.

Taxis stop outside the main terminal and they are well indicated both inside and outside of the arrivals hall. You queue up on the appropriate taxi lane and assistance is available in the form of a gentleman allocating clients with the best available car.

The cost of a taxi from Dublin airport to town depends on the exact distance and the traffic you encounter: usually, you spend anything between 25 and 45 Euro.

Most taxis accept both cash and cards but do ask your driver before boarding: should they not accept cards, they are always ok with stopping you at an ATM on the way for you to withdraw some cash.

If you prefer to book a taxi via an app, the one in Dublin is called FreeNow. If you register your card with them, payment gets taken automatically.

Need to know: if you are traveling to Ireland with babies or young children, please be advised that taxis do not carry car seats. Thet are not compulsory on taxis however, the journey between the airport and the city is via Motorways so you may want to bring your own.

At the time of writing, Uber and Lyft are not available in Dublin due to taxi regulations. It is, however, good to know that Dublin has a very high number of taxis and usually getting one on arrival is not a problem, day at night.

I hope you found this overview of the best ways to get from Dublin airport to the center useful. Safe travels and welcome to Dublin!