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Voykit pocket guide · Ireland
Dublin
Baile Átha Cliath
Dublin is compact and walkable: book Trinity's Book of Kells for opening time, do the centre on foot, save the pubs for the evening, and carry a rain layer in every season.
Dublin's main sights sit within a 20-minute walk of each other, so the failures are not distance: they are timed tickets that sell out (Book of Kells, Guinness Storehouse, Kilmainham Gaol), showers that arrive without warning, and hotel prices that jump on rugby, concert and festival weekends. Temple Bar is the busiest and most expensive place to eat and sleep; a bed near St Stephen's Green keeps the walk short and the nights quiet. Four walking clusters cover a first visit; Howth and Glendalough are trips away from one kept bed.
- Country
- Ireland
- Local name
- Baile Átha Cliath
- Best months
- Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct
- Time zone
- Europe/Dublin
- Stay
- 2 days: Trinity and Grafton, Dublin Castle and Temple Bar
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Cards and contactless work almost everywhere, including pubs and taxis. Carry a few euro coins for small change and public toilets.
- Daily spend
- Budget €50–80 excl. bed · Mid €80–160 excl. bed · High €160+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Install an eSIM before you fly, or buy a SIM at the airport or at a phone shop in the centre (passport needed).
- Emergency
- Police, ambulance, fire 112 or 999 · Garda Pearse Street station (check) +353 1 666 9000
- Plugs
- 230 V; UK-style three-pin sockets (type G). Bring a UK adapter.
- Tipping
- About 10–12.5% in sit-down restaurants if service is not already added; not expected for a pint at the bar. Round up for taxis.
- Water
- Tap water is safe to drink.
- Toilets
- Cafés, shopping centres, museums and larger pubs; you may need to buy a drink.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (flat white in a café) | €3.50–4.50 |
| Pint of stout in a pub | €6.50–8.00 |
| Cooked breakfast in a café | €12–20 |
| Sit-down lunch, per person | €15–28 |
| Dinner main course | €20–35 |
| Bus or Luas ride in the centre (Leap Card) | €1.50–3 |
| Taxi or ride-hail from the airport to the centre | €30–40 |
| Book of Kells and Old Library ticket | €18–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- Dublin Airport (DUB)
- DUB to the centre: one taxi or ride-hail car, 30–50 minutes; there is no rail link, so the choice is car or bus, and the risk is the M50 and Port Tunnel at rush hour.
By rail and road
| Station | Serves | To the centre |
|---|---|---|
| Heuston Station (Stáisiún Heuston) | Cork, Limerick, Galway, Kerry, Waterford, Kilkenny (Irish Rail); Luas Red Line | Luas Red Line to Abbey Street or Busáras, 10–15 min; taxi 10 min |
| Connolly Station (Stáisiún Uí Chonghaile) | Belfast (Enterprise), Sligo, Rosslare, DART north and south | Walk 10–15 min to O’Connell Street; Luas from Busáras |
| Pearse Station (Stáisiún Mhic Piarais) | DART to Howth, Dún Laoghaire and Bray; commuter trains | Walk 5–10 min to Trinity and Grafton Street |
| Busáras (Dublin Central Bus Station) (Áras Mhic Dhiarmada) | Bus Éireann and long-distance coaches; some regional routes | Walk 10 min to O’Connell Street; Luas Red Line beside it |
| Dublin Port (ferries) (Calafort Bhaile Átha Cliath) | Holyhead (Irish Ferries, Stena), Liverpool (P&O), Cherbourg and Isle of Man (check) | Taxi 10–15 min or bus; not walkable with bags |
| Dún Laoghaire harbour (Dún Laoghaire) | Some seasonal ferries (check) | DART about 25 min |
Typical fares
- DUB → city centre, taxi or ride-hail
- €30–40, 30–50 min; 60 min in rush hour
- DUB → centre, Airlink coach
- About €8 (check), about 45–60 min
- Centre → Howth, DART
- About €3–5 (check), 30 min
Show 8 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Eat, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk inside a cluster, tram or bus between clusters, DART for the coast. The Luas Green Line runs from the Green through Trinity to O’Connell Street; the DART covers the coast; most buses run through the centre and stop around midnight.
| How | Fare | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Free | Trinity, Grafton, the Castle, Temple Bar and the Green |
| Luas tram | About €2–3 by Leap Card (check) | Green Line: Stephen’s Green, Trinity, O’Connell Street, north to Broombridge; Red Line: Heuston to The Point |
| Dublin Bus | About €1.50–3 with Leap; cash fares higher; exact change only | Airport, suburbs, late night on some routes |
| DART | About €3–5 (check) | Howth, Dalkey, Dún Laoghaire, Bray |
| Taxi and ride-hail | About €10–20 across the centre | Luggage, night, rain |
| Dublin bikes and scooters | Dublin bikes about €5 for a few days (check); scooters by the minute | Short hops on a dry day |
| Hop-on hop-off bus | About €25–35 | A first orientation loop |
Fares are estimates; check before you ride.
- Passes
- No pass needed for the centre. Check whether a Leap visitor card pays back if you ride the airport bus and take several buses, the Luas or the DART.
- Late at night
- Luas, DART and most buses stop around midnight (check current times); taxis and ride-hailing run all night.
See and do
01Book of Kells and the Long RoomLeabhar Cheanannais
The most famous object in Ireland and a 65-metre library hall; the first timed slot avoids the crowds.
Hours: best First slot of the day · Price: €18–25 · Time: 1–1.5 h
02Dublin CastleCaisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath
Where British rule was run until 1922, with state apartments and a medieval tower; a guided tour makes it make sense.
Hours: best Mid-morning · Price: €8–12 · Time: 1–1.5 h
03National Gallery of IrelandGailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann
A free, quiet collection with Caravaggio, Vermeer and the Irish rooms; a good rain plan.
Hours: best Weekday morning · Price: Free · Time: 1–1.5 h
04The GPO and the 1916 storyOifig an Phoist Ghinearálta
The building where the Rising began; the exhibition explains the road to independence.
Hours: best Morning · Price: €12–18 · Time: 1 h
05St Stephen’s GreenFaiche Stiabhna
A free Victorian park and the easiest pause between museums.
Hours: best Dry late morning · Price: Free · Time: 30–45 min · 53.3382, -6.2591
06National Museum — ArchaeologyMúsaem Náisiúnta na hÉireann — Seandálaíocht
Gold, the Ardagh Chalice and bog bodies, free.
Hours: best Tue–Sat morning · Price: Free · Time: 1–1.5 h · 53.3402, -6.2547
07Guinness Storehouse
The city’s most visited attraction: a seven-floor tour ending in a pint with a city view.
Hours: best Timed morning slot · Price: €30–40 · Time: 2–2.5 h
08A live trad session in a pub
The reason many people love Dublin: fiddle and flute in a small pub, a pint in hand.
Hours: best From about 21:00 · Price: A pint · Time: 2 hHours: best From about 9:00 PM · Price: A pint · Time: 2 h
09Howth cliff walk by DART
A coast half-day with sea views, seals and fish and chips; go on a dry day.
Hours: best Morning start · Price: €3–5 fare · Time: 4–5 h
10St Patrick’s CathedralArdeaglais Naomh Pádraig
Ireland’s largest cathedral and Swift’s grave; pair it with Marsh’s Library.
Hours: best Weekday morning · Price: €9–10 · Time: 45–60 min · 53.3395, -6.2717
Hours and prices are desk estimates (checked 2026-09); anything marked (check) is not confirmed. Coordinates open in any map app.
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Howth | DART train about 25–30 min | Half day |
| Glendalough (Wicklow Mountains) | Bus or tour about 1.5 h each way | Full day |
| Newgrange (Brú na Bóinne) | Tour or car about 1 h each way | Half to full day |
Eat
| Where | What · area | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leo Burdock's Fish and Chips | Fish and chips · Christ Church | €10–18 | Budget |
| Queen of Tarts | Scone and tea · Cow’s Lane | €6–10 | Budget |
| Cornucopia | Vegetarian hot plate · Wicklow Street | €12–18 | Budget |
| Supermarket meal deal | Sandwich, drink and snack · Any Tesco, SuperValu or Spar | €5–8 | Budget |
| The Brazen Head | Irish stew and a pint · Bridge Street | €25–40 | Mid-range |
| Bewley's Grafton Street | Café breakfast or lunch · Grafton Street | €12–25 | Mid-range |
| The Winding Stair | Modern Irish lunch above a bookshop · Ormond Quay | €20–35 (check) | Mid-range |
| A pizzeria | Wood-fired pizza · Centre | €14–20 | Mid-range |
| Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud | French-Irish tasting menu · Merrion Street | From about €150 (check) | Splurge |
| Chapter One | Modern Irish tasting menu · Parnell Square | From about €100 (check) | Splurge |
Per person, one dish or one meal, 2026 estimate. Addresses change: check the day before.
Sleep
| Band | Price a night | Where | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| budget | €30–50 dorm bed · €90–140 double | Temple Bar, North of the Liffey, Smithfield | Hostels, guesthouses |
| mid | €150–280 | St Stephen’s Green, Merrion Square, Temple Bar | 3–4 star hotels, boutique Georgian houses |
| high | €300–450 | Merrion Square, St Stephen’s Green, Ballsbridge | 4–5 star hotels |
| splurge | €450–900+ | Merrion Square, the Green, Ballsbridge | Five-star and heritage hotels |
Per room per night in euro, 2026 estimate; rugby, concert and festival weekends add 30–100%.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Dia duitdee-ah gwit |
| Goodbye | Slánslawn |
| Thank you | Go raibh maith agatguh rev mah ug-ut |
| Please | Le do thoilleh duh hull |
| Cheers | Sláinteslawn-cha |
| Toilets (women / men) | Mná / Firmnaw / fear |
| Exit | Bealach amachbyal-akh am-akh |
| Airport | Aerfortair-furt |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Pubs: Order at the bar. If you join a round, buy yours in turn; a round is not required for solo drinkers.
- Tipping: About 10–12.5% in restaurants without a service charge; not expected for a pint at the bar; round up for taxis.
- Queues: Orderly: stand in line at counters and bus stops; do not push in.
- Cathedrals and churches: Quiet voices, no photography during services, and modest dress at services.
- Small talk: Friendly and joking; a bit of banter is a sign of welcome. Avoid politics and the border early on.
- Traffic: Drive on the left; look right first when you cross. Use the green-man signal.
- Photos: No photography of the Book of Kells; ask before you photograph people in pubs.
Red lines
- Book of Kells exhibition: no photography inside.
- Cathedrals: quiet voices and no photos during services.
- Pubs: order at the bar; if you join a round, buy yours.
Scams and watch-outs
- Ticket sellers on Grafton Street and O'Connell Street: buy tickets on the official site or at the sight.
- Unlicensed cars offering a lift: use the taxi rank or a ride-hailing app.
- Street 'charity' and petition collectors who follow tourists: decline and keep walking.
- Check whether service is already on the bill before you add a tip.
One and two days
1 day
A stopover or a day before a coach trip. Skip: Kilmainham, the Guinness Storehouse and the coast: all are rides away.
- 08:308:30 AMBook of Kells first slot
- 10:1510:15 AMWalk Grafton Street to St Stephen’s Green
- 12:0012:00 PMLunch at a café or Cornucopia
- 13:301:30 PMDublin Castle tour and the Chester Beatty
- 16:004:00 PMChrist Church or the National Gallery (rain plan)
- 19:007:00 PMDinner and a pub with live music
2 days
The usual Dublin stay. Skip: The Guinness Storehouse unless you book a timed slot.
Day 1 — Trinity, museums, the Green
- 08:308:30 AMBook of Kells
- 10:3010:30 AMNational Gallery (free)
- 12:3012:30 PMLunch near Grafton Street
- 14:002:00 PMNational Museum — Archaeology
- 16:004:00 PMSt Stephen’s Green and a pint at Kehoe’s
Day 2 — Castle, cathedrals, the Liberties
- 09:309:30 AMBreakfast at Queen of Tarts
- 10:1510:15 AMDublin Castle
- 12:0012:00 PMChester Beatty Library (free)
- 13:001:00 PMFish and chips by Christ Church
- 14:302:30 PMSt Patrick’s Cathedral
- 19:307:30 PMDinner and a session at The Brazen Head
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Fáilte Ireland (national tourism authority): www.failteireland.ie/
- Discover Ireland: www.discoverireland.ie/
- Wikivoyage — Dublin: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Dublin
- Wikitravel — Dublin: wikitravel.org/en/Dublin
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
DublinBaile Átha Cliath
Say it in English — English is spoken throughout; show the street name and Eircode.
Please take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Take me to
- Leabhar CheanannaisBook of Kells and the Old Library
- Caisleán Bhaile Átha CliathDublin Castle
- Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireannNational Gallery of Ireland
- Oifig an Phoist GhinearáltaGPO Witness History
- Faiche StiabhnaSt Stephen's Green
- Músaem Náisiúnta na hÉireann — SeandálaíochtNational Museum of Ireland — Archaeology
- Police, ambulance, fire112 or 999
- Garda Pearse Street station (check)+353 1 666 9000
Most embassies are in Ballsbridge (US: Elgin Road; UK: Merrion Road) and Wilton Terrace (Canada, Australia). Write your own embassy’s 24-hour line below.
English is used everywhere; the Irish is on signs and in a few place names. Show the street name and Eircode (postcode) to a driver.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/dublin). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.