Trip Planning for Dublin

A well-prepared city trip is a relaxed city trip. This page brings together this guide's planning tools - two ready-made itineraries and the interactive map - plus the essentials you need before you leave: getting there, public transport, costs, and small practicalities like plug sockets and roaming. Each major topic also has its own guide, kept up to date; here's the 2026 overview.

The itineraries: two or three days

Two full days cover the highlights, three make for a fuller trip. Both come with a ready-made plan here: Dublin in 2 Days covers the compact centre south of the Liffey on day one, then heads west to Kilmainham Gaol and Guinness Storehouse on day two. Dublin in 3 Days adds a coastal day in Howth with the Cliff Walk - the fullest planning option, and one that pairs neatly with the 3-day Leap Visitor Card (€18). From four days onward, Dublin also works well as a base for further trips, such as to the Wicklow Mountains. The interactive map plots every stop from both itineraries across the city.

A planning note for the second half of 2026: Dublin Castle is closed from mid-June 2026 because of Ireland's EU Council Presidency (tours resume in January 2027), and Chester Beatty Library is closed from 15 June to the end of December 2026. Both are stops on the itineraries - build in an alternative at that point, such as the free-entry National Gallery.

Getting to Dublin

For most travellers, flying is the obvious choice. Direct flights from the UK and mainland Europe typically run from under an hour up to around three hours - from London around 1 hour 20, from Paris or Amsterdam roughly 1 hour 45, from Frankfurt or Berlin around 2 hours. Aer Lingus, Ryanair and other carriers connect Dublin directly with most major European hubs, and long-haul nonstop links run from several North American cities; check specific routes and seasons before booking. Details are in the guides to Flights to Dublin and Dublin Airport. For the transfer into the city, the regular bus with a Leap Card starts from €2.00; Aircoach (from around €7) and Dublin Express run more frequently but don't accept Leap cards.

The ferry is the slower but more flexible option - especially if you're bringing your own car or a lot of luggage. One thing worth planning around is the route: if the crossing goes via Great Britain (for example through the Welsh port of Holyhead), you'll be travelling through the UK and need a UK ETA; direct ferries from the continent avoid this. If you're driving yourself, factor in driving on the left when you pick up your car hire.

The UK ETA question

This causes a lot of confusion, so to be clear: the Republic of Ireland does not require a UK ETA from EU, US, Canadian, Australian or most other visa-exempt travellers. For a Dublin trip by direct flight or direct ferry, you don't need one. The Electronic Travel Authorisation only becomes relevant if your journey passes through Great Britain or continues on to Northern Ireland. In that case, as of 2026:

• Since 25 February 2026, the ETA has been strictly enforced - an application that's only been submitted, not yet approved, isn't enough to board.
• It has cost GBP 20 (roughly EUR 23) since 8 April 2026, the same fee for all visa-exempt nationalities.
• It's valid for multiple entries over two years, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.
• You apply through the official "UK ETA" app or via GOV.UK, allowing a few working days.

Full details on ID, EHIC-equivalent cover and the Northern Ireland special case are in the guide to Entry Requirements for Ireland.

Getting around

Bus, the two Luas tram lines and the DART suburban rail network cover Dublin and its surroundings. The core ticket is the TFI Leap Card: a trip under the 90-minute fare costs €2.00, with free transfers between bus, Luas and DART - paying cash on the bus for the same journey costs more, with the card saving up to 30% over cash fares. It also automatically caps your costs within the city area (Zone 1): you're never charged more than the daily or weekly cap, however often you travel. For short visits, there's the Leap Visitor Card with unlimited travel.

Real-time departures are available on the free TFI Go and TFI Live apps. For how the cards work in detail, see the guide to the Leap Card; for the full picture, see Public Transport. If you'd rather not plan your own route, the hop-on hop-off bus covers the main stops; guided tours and day trips also reach further afield.

Where to stay and tickets

For which neighbourhoods make sense to stay in, see the guide to Where to Stay. If you're planning several attractions, it's worth checking the Dublin Pass: the Go City all-inclusive pass bundles 35 attractions, including Guinness Storehouse, EPIC and the Big Bus loop tour. Not included are Kilmainham Gaol (guided tours only, tickets released 28 days ahead) and the Book of Kells - both need to be booked separately.

What Dublin costs

Dublin ranks among Europe's pricier destinations. There's no reliable daily budget figure, but a few benchmarks help with planning - these are crowd-sourced figures (Numbeo, June 2026), so treat them as a general guide rather than fixed prices:

• Simple meal - around €20 per person
• Three-course meal for two - around €90
• Pint of beer (0.5 l) - around €7
• Cappuccino - around €4.30
• Public transport ride - €2.00 under the 90-minute fare with a Leap Card

The Dublin Pass can help cut entry costs depending on your itinerary; the National Gallery and IMMA at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham are among the attractions that are free to enter.

Power, phones and health

Three small things that are easy to overlook when planning:

• Power - Ireland uses Type G sockets (three rectangular pins, 230V / 50Hz), the same as the UK. Travellers from continental Europe, North America or elsewhere with a different plug type will need a travel adapter for Type G.
• Phones - if you're travelling from within the EU, roam-like-at-home applies: calls, texts and data run under your normal domestic plan with no surcharge. There's no fixed data cap, and the fair-use limit depends on your plan, but it's rarely an issue for a city trip. From outside the EU, check your provider's roaming rates before you travel, or plan to pick up a local SIM or eSIM.
• Health - EU nationals with a valid EHIC or GHIC get access to Ireland's public healthcare system. Travel insurance with medical cover and repatriation is a sensible addition for everyone, since state health-cover schemes don't cover everything, and non-EU visitors will need it regardless.

Good to know

For what to expect climate-wise, see Weather, and how safe the city is at Safety. Background on the city and country is in Facts, and what's on during your visit is covered in Events. One simple rule for booking: around major events like St Patrick's Day in mid-March and during summer's peak season, accommodation gets scarce and expensive - book well ahead.