Dublin Bus

There are several different types of buses on Dublin's roads. Dublin Bus (Bus Átha Cliath in Gaelic) with its fleet of yellow and blue liveried single and double-deckers gets you around town and to and from the suburbs. The white Bus Eireann coaches with the orange greyhound logo on the side connect you with other main Irish cities.

Tourist hop-on hop-off bus
An open top double decker bus will make sightseeing entertaining without having to go through the hassle of daily city life. These busses go around Dublins highlights in 8 to 20 minute intervals and you can get on and off as many times as you like. Meet fellow tourists and share your impressions. The bus runs daily all year round.
Tourist bus reservation page

Getting Around Dublin By Bus
Dublin Bus (Bus Átha Cliath) is the main public transport provider. Its fleet of yellow and blue liveried buses carries 70% of all peak time public transport, which equals roughly half a million customers a day.

Bus Stops And Timetables
Bus stops are marked by a yellow pole crowned with a small yellow disc bearing the blue Dublin Bus logo. Distances between stops can vary significantly. In the city centre, they are usually quite close together. It is not unusual for a bus to stop every 150-200 metres on some routes.

If there is a timetable at your stop, take it as an indication of services only. The traffic in Dublin is quite heavy, particularly during rush hour from 7:00-9:00 and 16:00-19:00. There are some dedicated bus lanes, but they can mainly be found outside the city centre proper. If you are in a hurry, please factor this in and allow ample time to reach your destination.

Dublin Bus Fares
In Dublin you pay the driver. Fares are calculated in stages, the more stages between your starting point and your destination the higher the fare. A typical city centre journey will cost you approximately €1.60 (€0.80 for children under 16). The maximum fare is €4.50.

Some bus stops have tables displaying fares to different destinations from that particular stop. However, most bus stops don't divulge that sort of detail and Dubliners usually just state their destination and the driver will name the fare.

Make sure you have plenty of small change. Dublin Bus drivers are not required to accept notes and might refuse to let you on board. If you do not have the exact fare you will not get change from the driver. Instead, your ticket has a section that says 'Refund' and states the appropriate amount. If you want your change back, you need to head to the Dublin Bus office at 59 Upper O'Connell Street.

Rambler Ticket
If you plan to make more than the odd journey on the bus during your visit to Dublin you should consider purchasing a Rambler Ticket. They are available for one day, three days, five days and seven days. A one day adult Rambler Ticket costs €6.00, a family ticket costs €10.00. Day tickets can be bought from the bus driver. You can buy longer term tickets online on the Dublin Bus homepage.
www.dublinbus.ie

Dublin Bus Etiquette
Dubliners queue at the bus stop, with the person who was there first nearest to the stop sign. If your stop services more than one bus line it is pefectly fine to jump the queue when the person in front of you is obviously not waiting for your bus. You enter and leave a bus through the front door by the driver only. You will notice many passengers muttering a 'thank you' to the driver when leaving the bus. If your bus has a middle door, do not bother to queue up in front of it, your driver will most likely not open it and you have to face a mad dash to the front of the bus to make your stop.

Going Long Distance
Bus Eireann coaches start and terminate at the Busaras or central bus terminal at Store Street on the North Quays near the International Financial Services Centre. Apart from connecting you with all major cities in Ireland, Bus Eireann also offers day trips to locations near Dublin, such as the megalithic tombs at Newgrange and the early Christian monastery and picturesque mountain lakes at Glendalough. Please see the Bus Eireann homepage for more information on daytrips.
www.buseireann.ie