Dublin Airport has a large number of car rental companies as well as bus routes.
Buses 16 and 41 are the cheapest for getting into the city centre, while Dublin Express or Aircoach offer faster services with fewer stops. All routes are to Dublin city centre.
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Car rental
For many travellers, Dublin Airport is the gateway to exploring the whole of Ireland. Hire a car straight from the airport and set off across the charming Irish countryside.
Weekly rental rates in the summer range from 300 eur, and in the low season from 190 eur. There are dozens of different rental companies at the airport.
Compare transport to Dublin city centre
Express and long-distance public transport stops can be found in the common area outside Terminals 1 and 2.
Local buses and cheaper services to Dublin city centre stop just beyond the car park, with a pedestrian passage running through it.
| Price | Journey times | Frequency | Hours of operation | Link | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bus 16 | 2,60 eur 2 eur with Leap Card |
45 minutes | 10 minutes | 7:00-0:30 | dublinbus.ie |
| Bus 41 | 2,60 eur 2 eur s Leap Card |
45 minutes | 20 minutes | 24/7 | dublinbus.ie |
| Dublin Express 782 | 8 eur 10 eur return |
30-35 minutes | 15 minutes | 3:30-0:35 | terravision.eu |
| Dublin Express 784 | 8 eur 10 eur return |
30-35 minutes | 30 minutes | 4:00-22:50 | terravision.eu |
| Aircoach 700 | 7 eur 9 eur return |
35 minutes | 30 minutes | 2:20-1:20 | aircoach.ie |
Buses 16 and 41 to Dublin
Buses 16 and 41 are the cheapest form of transport to the city centre.
Tickets cost 2,60 eur, if you use a LEAP Card you only pay 2 eur. Single tickets can be bought from Wrights Food Fayre on the way to the stops from the terminal, from the ticket machine at the stop (can be paid by card) or from the driver (can only be paid with exact cash).
Line 16 runs from approximately 7:00 am to 12:30 am, while line 41 runs 24 hours a day.
The stop for lines 16 and 41 is after passing through the passage under the garage and is located approximately 200 metres from both terminals. Current prices and timetables can be found on the official website: dublinbus.ie.
Leap Card
If you're going to be travelling around Dublin more often, it's definitely worth buying a Leap Card. Detailed information can be found at leapcard.ie.
Where to buy a Leap Card at the airport?
- Wright Food Fayre in the arcade through the car park (open 24/7)
- Spar Supermarket in the arrivals hall of Terminal 2 (open 6:00-22:00)
Pay a deposit 5 eur, which will be refunded if you return your card. You must load a minimum credit of 5 eur onto the Leap Card (at any of the points of sale or via the mobile app, or at stations or tram stops via a machine). The fare is then charged when you attach it to the reader on the bus or any other means of transport. In the case of bus travel, you only need to attach the card when you board. You do not have to "beep" when you get off.
For example, the fare to Dublin city centre on the 16 and 41 buses with the Leap Card is 2 eur.
A more convenient alternative to the classic Leap Card is the Leap Visitor Card. You can use the card in the following values:
- 24 hours per 8 eur
- 72 hours per 16 eur
- 168 hours per 32 eur
Dublin Express buses
Dublin Express is the fastest transport to the city centre. Buses run from 4:45 to 23:30 every 30 minutes. The journey to the city centre takes less than half an hour.
You can buy a ticket online at Terravision.eu. A one-way ticket is available at 8 eur, and a return ticket is heavily discounted at 10 eur. If you miss a connection, you can use any other.
Buses run on two routes 782 and 784 to Dublin city centre. When buying online at terravision.eu you do not enter a specific stop, just "Dublin City Centre", you can use any connection from any stop.
The location of all stops is shown on the Dublinexpress website. You can also find the bus route on the map below.
- Travel time: 25-30 minutes
- Frequency: 15-20 minutes for the 782 and 30 minutes for the 784
- Fares: 8 eur one-way / 10 eur return
- Online booking: terravision.eu
Aircoach buses
Aircoach express buses run to Dublin city centre on the 700 line. Travel time to the centre at O'Connel Bridge is approximately 30-35 minutes and buses run at 30 minute intervals from approximately 2:00 to 1:25.
A one-way ticket is available at 7 eur, while a return ticket is available at 9 eur.
Official information and online ticketing: aircoach.ie
Taxi to Dublin city centre
There will always be plenty of taxis at the airport at all hours of the day and night. Uber or Bolt services can also be used, but these can be more expensive than a taxi, especially at peak times (early morning towards the airport and late evening towards the city centre).
Fares are calculated according to distance, but also according to standing in traffic jams or at traffic lights, so it is not possible to determine the exact amount in advance.
Generally, a daytime ride to Dublin city centre (O'Connel Street) will cost around 33 eur. At night, on Sundays and on public holidays for around 45 eur.
Buses to other Irish cities
Directly from the airport there are bus services from many companies literally all over Ireland without changing buses.
You can find uniform timetables in the search engine: transportforireland.ie. However, you have to buy tickets online from the websites of the individual carriers: Bus Éireann, Go Bus, Aircoach, Dublin Coach, CityLink, John McGinley.
- Belfast: from 14 eur, journey time 2 hours, use Aircoach, Translink
- Cork: from 20 eur, journey time 3.5 hours, use Aircoach, Go Bus
- Limerick: from 25 eur, journey time 2.5 hours, use CityLink
- Galway: from 21 eur, journey time 2.5 hours, use CityLink, Aircoach
- Derry/Londonderry: from 25 eur, journey time 3.5 hours, use Aircoach, Translink
- Sligo: from 25 eur, journey time 3 hours, use Bus Éireann
And dozens of other smaller towns around the island, see the list of all routes on the airport website.