Dublin: Getting there & around

Orientation

Dublin lies on the east coast of Ireland, with Greater Dublin sprawling around the arc of Dublin Bay, bounded to the north by the Howth hills and to the south by the Dalkey headland. The city is split - physically and psychologically - by the river Liffey; the north has traditionally been poorer and the south wealthier. Two canals - the Grand Canal in the south and the Royal Canal in the north - form semi-circular arcs around the centre. North of the river, the most important streets for visitors are O'Connell St, the major shopping thoroughfare that leads to Parnell Square, and Gardiner St, a B&B and hostel hotspot. To the west, the Smithfield area is emerging as a tourist magnet. Busáras, the main bus station, and Connolly station, one of the two main train stations, are near the southern end of Gardiner St.

Immediately south of the river is the hub of Dublin, Temple Bar, where you'll find a concentration of pubs, restaurants, shops and a number of art galleries. Nearby Trinity College is at the southern end of Grafton St, the city's most exclusive shopping street. On the south side you'll also find the best examples of Georgian Dublin, with stately houses and elegant parks.

Getting There

• bus

  Bus Éireann is the Republic's national bus line, based at Busáras, with services all over the Republic and to the north. These fares are substantially cheaper than regular train fares but journeys take a little longer. Buses can also be caught from London, but cramped conditions and delays are a problem.

  The best value if you are using the Airlink express buses from the Airport is to purchase a Rambler ticket at the Airport. This will allow you to travel on the express bus and any other bus on the Dublin Bus network (apart from Nitelink, Ferry Services and Tours). There are 1,3,5 ,7 and Family Day tickets available from the CIE desk in the Airport and at the ticket vending machines outside Arrivals.

• ferry

  Ferry services from Britain and France operate to Dublin's city ferry terminal and Dun Laoghaire's Carlisle ferry terminal on the southern side of Dublin Bay. Both terminals have good public transport connections to the city.

• train

  Train travel is expensive and the network, while improving, is slow and poorly maintained. At least distances are short; the longest trip you can make by train from Dublin is 4.5 hours, to Tralee. Iarnród Éreann (Irish Rail) operates routes from Connolly station going north of Dublin and from Heuston station for services to the west, south and southwest.

• plane

  Dublin has Ireland's major international airport and many international airlines - including Aer Lingus, the Irish national airline, and Ryanair - have connections to countries in Europe and to the USA. Indeed, London to Dublin has overtaken London-New York and London-Paris as the busiest international air route in the world. Departure tax is included in ticket prices. There are internal flights between Dublin and Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Shannon and Sligo. Most journeys within Ireland take between 30 and 40 minutes. Dublin Airport is 10km (6mi) north of the city centre. The Airlink Express Coach runs two services, to/from Busáras and the Dublin Bus offices in O'Connell St, and to Heuston and Connolly stations, both taking about 30-40 minutes. There's also the Aircoach service that runs between the airport and 15 city locations. If you're on a really tight budget, take the cheaper but slower buses 41, 41A and 41C, which stop at various spots in the city and take about an hour, terminating near O'Connell St. Taxis are subject to all sorts of additional charges for baggage, extra passengers and 'unsocial hours'.

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Getting Around

• bus

  Dublin's extensive bus network (usually yellow double-deckers) radiates from the city centre to the vast suburbs surrounding it. While it's easy to travel from almost anywhere in outer Dublin into the city centre, very few buses travel east-west across town, necessitating a trip into town and then out again. Dublin Bus also runs airport, Nitelink and sightseeing tours. Costs vary and tickets can be purchased at over 350 ticket agents throughout the city or in the Dublin Tourism Centre. If you do not have a ticket, you will need exact change to buy a ticket on the bus - the driver will let you know how much you owe, depending on how far you are going.

• car

  With severe congestion, scarce parking, diligent traffic wardens and even more committed car thieves, it's hardly worth driving in central Dublin. But for excursions, a car can be a great way to get off the beaten track, particularly on Sundays when public transport is infrequent.

• taxi

  Taxis are expensive, and a perennial shortage (despite 6000 new permits being issued in 2001) means it can be hard to catch one, especially around the weekend after the pubs close.

• Disabled Travellers

  In 2003 Dublin hosted the Special Olympics World Games to a resounding success, which brought the needs and entitlements of people with disabilities to the forefront of the national debate. What is clear is that despite the fact that many of the city's hotels, restaurants and sights are increasingly being adapted for people with disabilities, there's still a long way to go, especially as there still exists an attitude that can best be summarised as 'if a problem comes up, we'll find a solution somehow'. Fáilte Ireland's annual accommodation guide, Be Our Guest , indicates which places are accessible by wheelchair. Public transport can be a nightmare, although a limited number of buses are now equipped with electronic elevators for wheelchairs, and nearly all DART stations have ramps and/or elevators.

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