|
Dublin, many people say, is a city best traveled by foot. It seems to me that from a commuter's point of view that may be correct but for the leisure traveler I find the public transportation system in Dublin to be a particularly handy way to get around town and to experience the city from an inhabitant's point of view.
I cannot sing the praises of its' speed and will confess that the trams, buses and commuter trains aren't the timeliest of transport methods that I've ever encountered, but if you're not looking to rack up a big taxi bill they're worth trying out.
The method of transportation that is most visible is the "big yellow bus" or the Dublin Buses. Based on personal experience it seems that the Dublin Bus fleet consists mostly of the big yellow double-decker buses, which came as a welcome surprise to me on my first trip to Dublin because I thought the only place that had this type was London. Anytime I take a bus here I make sure to get on the second level as to get the better view of wherever it is I am traveling to. Prices for the Dublin Bus range from about a single euro to just at 2 euros, and the prices are based on the distance from City Centre that you'll be traveling. On Friday and Saturday evenings a late-night service called the Nite-Link operates with service out of City Centre to the surrounding suburbs at the cost of 4 euros. On Sunday through Thursday nights, bus services cease at around 11:30 P.M. If you decide to use Dublin Bus it is advisable to visit the Dublin Bus Centre on North O'Connell St. to gather time tables and system maps. If you decide to wing it and give it a go on your own it's important to know that the bus numbers mean almost nothing as they are assigned in no general order, so find out in advance which number gets you to where you're headed!
The Luas is the tram system that operates with limited service on the north side of Dublin and with relatively extensive service on the south side of town all the way down to the foothills of the Dublin Mountains. There are two lines of the Luas, however they can be somewhat hard to use together as they're not connected and the red line is about a 10 to 20 minute walk from the green line depending on traffic between the two places. Though the north side service is limited, it can be the best way to get from one end of town to the other as it connect the cities two main train stations- Connolly and Heuston station. All points in between the two stations are close to or are themselves tourist attractions, so on a rainy day the Luas is a good idea for attraction hoping sans hypothermia. Tickets for the Luas can be purchased at all stops and fares are based on how many zones you travel through. The DART trains and commuter trains are another option if you're looking to get a little further outside of town. These trains go as far north as Howth, as far south as Greystones and as far west as Maynooth and Clondalkin. Most of these trains are accessible at Connolly station which is handily located at the terminus of the Luas.
For details of the public transportation o[tions in Dublin see:
http://www.dublinbus.ie
http://www.luas.ie
http://www.iarnrodeireann.ie/dart
|
