Getting Around

While driving in the city is intimidating, getting around Dublin is not at all daunting, in general. Public transportation is good and getting better, taxis are plentiful and reasonably priced, and your own two feet can easily carry you from one end of town to the other. In fact, with its current traffic and parking problems, it's a city where the foot is mightier than the wheel. If you can avoid it, don't use a car while you're in Dublin.

By Bus

Dublin Bus operates a fleet of green double-deckers and single-deckers, and minibuses (the latter charmingly called "imps"). Most originate on or near O'Connell Street, Abbey Street, and Eden Quay on the Northside, and at Aston Quay, College Street, and Fleet Street on the south side. Bus stops, which resemble big blue or green lollipops, are located every 2 or 3 blocks on main thoroughfares. To tell where the bus is going, look at the destination street and bus number above its front window; those heading for the city center indicate that with an odd mix of Gaelic and Latin: VIA AN LAR.

Bus service runs daily throughout the city, starting at 6am (10am on Sun), with the last bus at 11:30pm. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, Nitelink service runs from the city center to the suburbs from midnight to 3am. Buses operate every 10 to 15 minutes for most runs; schedules are posted on revolving notice boards at bus stops.

Inner-city fares are based on distances traveled. The minimum fare is €1 ($1.30); the maximum fare for journeys in the city center is €1.90 ($2.50). The Nitelink fare is a flat €4 ($5.20). Buy your tickets from the driver as you enter the bus; exact change is required, so have some change available. Following a rise in robberies of bus drivers in Dublin, all buses in the capital now operate an "Autofare" scheme. This means that fares must be paid with coins directly into a fare box next to the driver's cab, after which a ticket is issued. Notes are not accepted and no change is given. If you have to pay more than the cost of the ticket, the driver will issue you with a refund ticket, which must be presented along with your travel ticket at the Dublin Bus office on Upper O'Connell Street to claim a refund for the difference. Inevitably this is rarely worth the effort, so be sure to have plenty of handy change if you're going to travel by bus, or buy a bus pass. Discounted 1-day, 3-day, 5-day, and 7-day passes are available in advance. The 1-day bus-only pass costs €5 ($6.50); the 3-day pass costs €10 ($13); the 5-day pass goes for €16 ($21); and the 7-day pass costs €19 ($25). For more information, contact Dublin Bus, 59 Upper O'Connell St., Dublin 1 (tel. 01/873-4222; www.dublinbus.ie).

By Dart

While Dublin has no subway in the strict sense, there is an electric rapid-transit train, known as the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit). It travels mostly at ground level or on elevated tracks, linking the city-center stations at Connolly Station, Tara Street, and Pearse Street with suburbs and seaside communities as far as Malahide to the north and Greystones to the south. Service operates roughly every 10 to 20 minutes Monday to Saturday from 7am to midnight and Sunday from 9:30am to 11pm. Typical adult fares cost around €1.60 ($2.10) for a single journey; combination rail and bus tickets, valid all day within the "short hop" zone of the city center, start from €8.80 ($11) adults, €14 ($18) families (although these are not accepted on Airlink buses). One-day, 3-day, and 10-trip passes, as well as student and family tickets, are available at reduced rates from ticket windows in stations. For further information, contact DART (Dublin Pearse Station; tel. 01/7033592; www.dart.ie).

By Tram

The newest addition to Dublin's public transportation network, the sleek light-rail tram system known as LUAS first opened in the summer of 2004. With trams traveling at a maximum speed of 70kmph (45 mph) and departing every 5 minutes in peak hours, LUAS has been popular enough to make at least a small impact on Dublin's appalling traffic congestion. Services run from 5:30am (6:30am Sat) to half past midnight Monday to Saturday, and 7am to 11:30pm on Sundays. The lines link the city center at Connolly Station and St. Stephen's Green with the suburbs of Tallaght in the southwest and Dundrum and Sandyford to the south. For visitors, one of the handiest reasons to use the LUAS is to get between Connolly and Heuston stations. The one-way fare within the city center is €1.40 ($1.80) adults, €.80 ($1.05) children. One-day and multiple-day passes are also available. For further information, contact LUAS (tel. 01/800-300-604; www.luas.ie).

On Foot

Marvelously compact, Dublin is ideal for walking, as long as you remember to look right and then left (and in the direction opposite your instincts if you're from the U.S. or Canada) before crossing the street. Pedestrians have the right of way at specially marked, zebra-striped crossings (there are usually two flashing lights at these intersections).

By Taxi

It's very difficult to hail a taxi on the street; instead, they line up at taxi stands (called "ranks") outside major hotels, at bus and train stations, and on prime thoroughfares such as Upper O'Connell Street, College Green, and the Northside of St. Stephen's Green.

You can also phone for a taxi. Some of the companies that operate a 24-hour radio-call service are Co-Op (tel. 01/677-7777), NRC (tel. 01/677-2222), and VIP/ACE Taxis (tel. 01/478-3333). If you need a wake-up call, VIP offers that service, along with especially courteous dependability.

Taxi rates are fixed by law and posted in each vehicle. The following are typical travel costs in the city center: The starting fare for the first kilometer (2/3 mile) is €3.80 ($5) by day and €4.10 ($5.35) at night. For the next 14km the fare is €.95 ($1.25) per kilometer by day, €1.25 ($1.65) by night, rising to a maximum of €1.65 ($2.15) per kilometer thereafter. It costs an extra €2 ($2.60) if you order a cab by phone. Be warned: At some hotels, staff members will tack on as much as €5 ($6.50) for calling you a cab, although this practice violates city taxi regulations. Ask before you request a taxi if you'll be charged.

By Car

If you'll be spending all of your time in Dublin, it is very unlikely you'll need to rent a car. In fact, getting around the city and its environs is much easier without one.

If you must drive in Dublin, remember to keep to the left-hand side of the road, and don't drive in bus lanes. The speed limit within the city is 50kmph (31 mph) -- falling to 30kmph (19 mph) in certain areas -- although it's very unlikely you'll ever reach it. Just as in the U.S., seat belts must be worn at all times by driver and passengers.

Most major international car-rental firms are represented in Dublin, as are many Irish-based companies. They have desks at the airport, full-service offices downtown, or both. Rates vary greatly according to company, season, type of car, and duration of rental. In high season, the average weekly cost of a car, from subcompact standard to full-size automatic, ranges from €200 to €1,525 ($260-$1,983); you'll be much better off if you've made car-rental arrangements well in advance from home.

International firms represented in Dublin include Avis, 35-39 Old Kilmainham, Dublin 8, and at Dublin Airport (tel. 01/605-7500; www.avis.ie); Budget, 151 Lower Drumcondra Rd., Dublin 9 (tel. 01/837-9611; www.budget.ie), and at Dublin Airport (tel. 01/844-5150); Hertz, 151 South Circular Rd., Dublin 8 (tel. 01/709-3060; www.hertz.ie), and at Dublin Airport (tel. 01/844-5466); and Murray's Europcar, Baggot Street Bridge, Dublin 4 (toll-free tel. 1/614-2888; www.europcar.ie), and at Dublin Airport (tel. 01/812-0410).

During normal business hours, free parking on Dublin streets is nonexistent. Never park in bus lanes, cycle lanes, or along a curb with double yellow lines. City officials will either clamp ("boot") or tow errant vehicles. To get your car declamped, the fee is anywhere from €25 ($32) to €90 ($117) -- usually on the higher end of that scale -- and if your car is towed away, it costs €165 ($214) to reclaim it.

Throughout Dublin, you'll find multi-bay meters and "pay and display" parking. If you park on the street, look around for a meter (there's usually one on every block) -- you pay coins into the machine for however many hours you expect to be there, and stick a ticket in the front window of your car to prove you've done it. Expect to pay around €2 ($2.60) per hour. The best places to park are surface parking lots and multistory car parks in central locations such as Kildare Street, Lower Abbey Street, Marlborough Street, and St. Stephen's Green West. Expect to pay €1.90 ($2.50) per hour and €19 ($25) for 24 hours. Night rates run €6 to €9 ($7.80-$12) per hour. The bottom line here is that you're better off without a car in Dublin.

By Bicycle

The steady flow of Dublin traffic rushing down one-way streets may be a little intimidating for most cyclists, but there are many opportunities for more relaxed pedaling in residential areas and suburbs, along the seafront, and around Phoenix Park. The Dublin Tourism office can supply you with bicycle touring information and suggested routes.

Bicycle rental averages from upwards of €20 ($26) per day, €100 ($130) per week, with a €70 ($90) deposit. In the downtown area, bicycles can be rented from Raleigh Rent A Bike, 58 Gardiner St., Dublin 1 (tel. 01/8725399).