First day in Dublin

Here are a few tips that you may find useful when first arriving in Dublin.

If you arrive by plane, Dublin airport is quite far from the city centre. The taxi will cost you around €25-30 to get to the city centre, depending on the time of day. There are also two busses that go from the airport – Airlink and Dublin Bus.

Airlink is a private company and operates airport shuttles (big blue busses) that you can find directly outside the main doors. The cost is approximately €7 as at the time of this writing and you should consult a map before boarding the bus. These maps are available from the kiosk directly outside the main airport doors, right beside the bus stop. Be aware that there are several bus routes so ensure that you ask the bus driver if he goes where you need to go.

Second option is Dublin Bus, which is a double-decker yellow or green bus that stops near where the Airlink coach stops. The fair is only a Euro or two cheaper and the bus is less comfortable. It also does not cover as much area as the Airlink does.

If you want to walk around Dublin, here are some tips. Drivers in Ireland are not as polite as in Canada or US, to the best of my knowledge. There is no implicit rule that the pedestrian always has the right of way, so drivers will not slow down to let pedestrians cross and pedestrians do not necessarily obey the traffic lights themselves. You can see a clear example of this near Grafton Street or College Green in the city centre. Oh by the way, it is not called “downtown”, it is called “city centre” here.

When waiting for the bus, make sure that you stand well back from the edge of the curve, since the busses drive so closely by they may hit you with the mirror. This has actually happened!