It's customary to say that the way to get to know Dublin is to
walk. It's true that the city's size makes this a practical
possibility, but equally true that walking the city streets can
quickly become a tiring slog. Luckily there's an extensive and
reasonably priced local bus network that makes it easy to
hop on a bus whenever you want. Buses start running between 6am and
6.30am, and the last city-centre buses leave town around 11.30pm.
After midnight a limited night-bus service takes over and runs
every hour. Maximum fare on the daytime bus system is £1.15/€1.46
and since all buses are exact fare only it's worth carrying a lot
of change (the driver will issue you with a ticket in lieu of
change, which can only be redeemed at Dublin Bus headquaters on 59
Upper O'Connell St.). If you don't know which stop to go to in the
first place, either ask a bus inspector - there usually seems to be
one around, dispensing directions - or invest in a bus timetable,
which includes a Dublin bus map , for £1.50/€1.90 from
Dublin Bus, 59 Upper O'Connell St (Mon-Fri 9am-5.15pm, Sat 9am-1pm;
tel 873 4222 for city buses, tel 836 6111 for provincial services).
A one-day bus-only pass costs £3.50/€4.44; an Explorer Ticket, a
one-day bus-and-train pass (including DART) costs £5.20/€6.60; a
four-day version of the latter is better value still at £10/€12.70.
Passes are available from most newsagents. Finding your way around
the bus system may prove more of a problem, although most stops now
have timetables and routes for the buses that stop there. Dublin
Bus also runs city tours and cheap trips outside
Dublin to places the regular services don't visit, so it's worth
enquiring about these.
The other useful city transportation service is the DART
, the Dublin Area Rapid Transport system (tel 836 6222), which
links Howth to the north of the city with Bray to the south in
County Wicklow, via such places as Sandycove, Monkstown and Dún
Laoghaire. DART services are quick, efficient and easy to use, and
the stretch that runs along Dublin Bay from Dalkey to Killiney
gives you such an amazing view that it's worth taking the train
just for that. It's not expensive - maximum single fare is
£1.70/€2.15 - but if you're considering taking more than one or two
trips, it's worth buying an Explorer Ticket
. The DART runs from 6.55am to 11.30pm and is accessible to
wheelchair users, though in some stations there is a pronounced gap
between the platform and the coach.
Because most public transport stops before midnight, Dubliners
are forced to rely on an oversubscribed taxi service. Recent
limited deregulation has helped alleviate the problem, but long
post-midnight lines at designated ranks remain a frustrating
feature of the city's night scene. The best served city-centre
ranks are situated outside the Shelbourne Hotel on St
Stephen's Green, Dame Street (opposite the main gate of Trinity
College), Abbey Street (on the right-hand side going up O'Connell
Street from the bridge), or close to Jurys Hotel and The
Towers hotel in Ballsbridge. You can also book taxis by phone;
some of the more reliable firms include ABC Taxis (tel 285 5444),
Central Cabs (tel 365 555), City Cabs (tel 872 7272) and National
Radio Cabs (tel 677 2222; 24hr). Finding a taxi after 11pm is
difficult, so if you know you'll need one, book it.
If you're brave enough to face the often hair-raising habits of
Dublin drivers, a bike can prove a useful way of getting
around. Try Raleigh Rent-a-Bike at Hardings on Bachelor Walk (tel
873 2455) or Rent-A-Bike at 58 Lower Gardiner St (tel 872
5399).