Overview
Dublin's public transport is a mixed network of buses, trams and trains rather than a single unified metro. There is no subway in operation: MetroLink, a planned fully segregated, driverless metro line, has no confirmed opening date as of 2026, so you cannot ride it yet. Instead, you get around on Dublin Bus, Go-Ahead Ireland buses, the Luas tram, and Irish Rail's DART and commuter trains.
Because the rail network in Dublin is quite limited compared with many other European capitals, buses are by far the main mode of public transport. The system is not run by a single agency but by a number of state-contracted operators, and most information is provided separately on each operator's website. Transport for Ireland (TFI) is the umbrella brand for public transport in Ireland, and its Journey Planner is a good way to plan a trip across different modes, while Live Departures gives real-time information for all rail and bus stops. TFI also offers smartphone apps including a journey planner and real-time departures.
To ride end to end as a visitor: plan your route on the TFI Journey Planner, buy a Leap Card (regular or visitor) or pay the driver in exact coins, tap or present your ticket on boarding, and use the TFI Live Departures app to track your next bus, tram or train. Much of the city centre is compact enough to see on foot, so you can combine walking with short hops on the Luas or a bus.
The network
Dublin's network breaks down into buses, trams, suburban rail and ferries. There is no metro or subway line in service.
Metro (planned, not yet operating)
- MetroLink — a planned metro line, not yet open. It is planned to run from Estuary, north of Swords on Dublin's Northside, to Charlemont on the Southside, with stops at Dublin Airport, O'Connell Street, Tara Street and St Stephen's Green. It is planned as a fully segregated, driverless metro about 18.8 km (11.7 mi) long with 16 stations and tunnels beneath Dublin Airport and the city centre. The Railway Order became operative in January 2026, and as of September 2026 construction was set to begin by 2027, anticipated to take eight to ten years. As of 2026, no official opening date had been confirmed, so you cannot use it during your visit.
Tram / light rail
- Luas — Dublin's tram system, run by Luas. The network is divided into zones, and your fare depends on the number of zones you travel. The Luas Red Line serves Heuston Station, and the Green Line serves the Sandyford area.
Suburban rail
- DART — the electrified suburban rail service run by Irish Rail, with Connolly as its hub for local DART trains. It serves the coast and suburbs, including Howth and Bray.
- Commuter rail — Irish Rail's broader commuter services, including trains from Connolly towards Maynooth and from Heuston to destinations across the country.
- Intercity rail — Irish Rail trains converge on Dublin at two main stations: Connolly (Stáisiún Uí Chonghaile), serving the north and east coast with trains from Sligo, Belfast via Drogheda, and Rosslare ferry port via Wexford and Wicklow; and Heuston (Stáisiún Heuston), serving all other directions with trains from Cork, Galway, Westport, Limerick and Waterford. Allow 45 minutes if you need to transfer between Heuston and Connolly.
Buses
- Dublin Bus — runs most city buses.
- Go-Ahead Ireland — runs some local buses in suburban areas.
- Bus Éireann — runs intercity and regional services from Busáras bus station, just south of Connolly railway station and 300 m east of O'Connell Street, with services from most towns in Ireland running via the airport.
Ferries
- Dublin Port — has ferries from Holyhead in Wales (Stena and Irish Ferries, 3 hr 30 min) and Douglas, Isle of Man (Isle of Man Ferries, 3 hr 30 min). The port is 2 km east of the centre, and the number 53 bus connects it to the bus station by Custom House in central Dublin. The former ferry port of Dún Laoghaire is no longer used.
Tickets & fares
You have two main ways to pay: a Leap Card smartcard or cash/tickets bought on the spot. A Leap Card saves up to 31% compared with cash tickets. Fares below are approximate and change, so check the operator's site before you travel.
Leap Card
- Regular Leap Card — pay-as-you-go top-up credit, suited to commuters or stays over 7 days. Buy at outlets, rail station ticket machines, or order online. Zonal fares apply.
- Leap Visitor Card — unlimited travel for a chosen period, valid from first use. Approximate prices: 24h €8.00; 72h €18.00; 7 days €24.00. It is valid on all Dublin Bus and Go-Ahead bus services (not tours), all Luas tram services, and Dublin rail in the Short Hop Zone. It is not valid on Aircoach or Dublin Express airport services.
- Cards ordered online are posted to your home address (not e-tickets), so allow delivery time.
- Visitor Card outlets include Dublin Airport (Wrights, T1 Arrivals; Spar, T2 Arrivals) and Dublin city (Dublin Bus 59 Upper O'Connell St; Spar 63 Upper O'Connell St; Spar 19-20 Dame St; Mullins Newsagent, Heuston Station; Spar 50 Talbot St; Spar 70/72 Talbot St; GPO O'Connell St; TCD Student Union; Easons, Connolly Station).
TFI 90 Minute Fare
- Valid on Dublin Bus, Luas, most DART and commuter rail (Short Hop Zone zones 1–4), and Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin city services.
- Approximate cost: €2.00 Adult; €1.00 Young Adult/Student; €0.65 Child.
Buses
- Fares are based on the number of stages (stops) travelled; Xpresso services charge a flat fee.
- You can buy tickets from the driver, but no change is given and there is no refund on overpayment, so pay with exact coins. Drivers don't accept cards or banknotes.
- The Leap Card is cheaper.
Trains (DART & Commuter)
- Fares depend on distance and whether your journey is within the Short Hop Zone (lower fares inside).
- Short Hop Zone boundaries: Kilcoole to Balbriggan; Central Dublin to Kilcock; Central Dublin to Sallins and Naas.
- Buy at the ticket office (manned stations) or a ticket machine (most accept cash and card). An Irish Rail Fare Calculator is available for prices.
Luas (trams)
- The network is divided into zones; the fare depends on the number of zones travelled.
- Buy tickets from machines at stops (most accept cash and card). A Luas fare calculator is available.
- The Leap Card is cheaper and easier.
Rail passes
- Ireland's rail network radiates from Dublin to major cities but covers little of the countryside; buses reach far more rural locations but are not covered by rail passes.
- Pay-as-you-go tickets work for both train and bus, and rail passes are often not good value in Ireland.
- Interrail passes cover all trains (not buses) in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
- Republic of Ireland–only passes: Trekker Four Day (four consecutive days) and Explorer (five days within a 15-day window); sold only at Irish train station ticket offices, not online.
- Buying point-to-point train tickets online for the Republic of Ireland can save up to 50% versus station window fares; online tickets are purchasable up to one hour before departure, with deeper discounts up to 90 days in advance. First-class fares are roughly 50% above second-class.
From the airport
Dublin Airport (DUB) is about 10 km north of the city centre. Between the airport and the city, bus and taxi are your options — there is no rail or metro link.
- Aircoach 700 — runs to the city centre from T1 then T2, every 15–30 minutes, taking about 30 minutes. The fare in 2024 was €10 single or €15 return. The last bus to the city is 1:30AM, then the next is 6AM. Aircoach also runs the 701, 702 and 703 to the south side of Dublin, and to other cities such as Cork and Belfast.
- Dublin Express — runs to the city centre and Heuston Station every 10 minutes or so. The last bus to the city is 11PM, then the next is 5:30AM. The cost in September 2024 was €8 single, or €10 return if purchased online.
- Dublin Bus local routes — much slower (allow an hour) but much cheaper, at about €2.60 in coins or €2 with a Leap Card, and may be more convenient for the suburbs. Bus 16 runs via Drumcondra railway station, O'Connell St and George's St out to the southern suburbs of Rathmines and Ballanteer/Kingstown, from morning until late evening. Bus 41 runs via Drumcondra railway station and O'Connell St, passing near Busáras, to Lower Abbey St, and northbound out to Swords; it runs 24 hours every 20–30 minutes. Stops for the local buses are at Terminal 1 through the car park opposite the Arrivals exit and then to the right. Pay with exact coins, or buy a prepaid Leap Card from a convenience store in the terminal or near the bus stops. Luggage space is limited, and drivers may turn away travellers with packs that cannot be stored.
- Taxi — to the city centre might cost €34–40 (July 2024), so taxis are competitive with the Aircoach for a group of three or more. Note that taxi drivers routinely try to pick up passengers waiting at the Aircoach stop; they're forbidden to do so, but offer a similar rate and get many takers.
- Other destinations — most buses to other Irish cities run via the airport. Bus 101 runs every 20 min to Balrothery, Balbriggan and Drogheda (not available for journeys just between city, airport and Swords). Bus 102 runs from the airport every 30 min to Swords, Malahide, Portmarnock and Sutton near Howth. Aircoach Bus 700 also runs to Leopardstown and Sandyford, 702 to Bray and Greystones, and 703 to Dún Laoghaire, Dalkey and Killiney.
Etiquette & customs
- Queuing — queue in an orderly fashion at bus stops and ticket machines. At the airport, be aware that taxi drivers may approach passengers waiting at the Aircoach stop; they are not supposed to, so if you want the bus, wait at the marked stop.
- Escalators — no specific side convention is documented in the sources; follow the posted signs and stand to one side so others can pass.
- Quiet and priority seating — no specific rules are documented in the sources; as a general courtesy, offer priority seats to those who need them and keep noise down in quiet areas.
- Eating and drinking — no specific rules are documented in the sources; keep food and drink minimal and tidy, especially at rush hour.
- Rush-hour behaviour — buses are the main mode and can be slow; allow extra time at peak times. On local airport buses, luggage space is limited and drivers may refuse packs that cannot be stored, so travel light or use a coach service.
- Paying — bus drivers don't accept cards or banknotes and don't give change, so have exact coins ready or use a Leap Card. On the number 53 port bus, the driver usually only accepts Leap Cards or coins, and occasionally will accept notes or cards, but this is the exception.
Official links
Survival terms
Dublin is a natively English-speaking city, so the key transit words are already in English. A few Irish-language names appear on signs and stations:
- subway/metro — meitreo (MET-roh)
- ticket — ticéad (TIK-ayd)
- line — líne (LEE-nyeh)
- entrance — bealach isteach (BAL-akh ISH-takh)
- exit — bealach amach (BAL-akh a-MAKH)
- transfer — aistriú (ASH-troo)
- single fare — táille aonair (TAWL-yeh AY-nir)
- day pass — pas lae (PAS lay)
Buy a Leap Card at the airport or a city-centre outlet on arrival, tap on and off where required, and check the TFI Journey Planner before you set out so you never have to guess which bus or tram will get you there.