Visitor from Ireland

St. Patrick’s Festival are delighted to host you for the festivities of 2020!

As it’s a busy time of year, the information listed below may be helpful for any extra planning needed during your stay.

Getting to Dublin from the Rest of Ireland

Get to Dublin via Train

Dublin’s two main train stations are Connolly Station and Heuston Station. Irish Rail is our nationwide rail operator and timetables, information and tickets can be found on irishrail.ie.

Get to Dublin via Bus

Bus Éireann offers a nationwide service. The main bus depot in Dublin is Bus Áras situated in the city centre behind the Custom House.

Get to Dublin via Car

-Cork to Dublin city

The journey will take approx. 2hr 50 min.

Get on N40 in Cork from S Link Rd/N27, then take the M8 to N7 in Kildare. Get on M50 in Dublin, continue on M50 to Chapelizod Bypass/R148. Then take exit 7 from M50, follow R148 to Parliament St. in Dublin City.

-Waterford to Dublin city

The journey will take approx. 2hr.

Take R708, R680 and R448 to M9 in Kilkenny. Follow M9 to N7 in Kildare, then get on M50 in Dublin. Continue on M50 to Chapelizod Bypass/R148. Take exit 7 from M50 and then follow R148 to Parliament St. in Dublin City.

-Galway to Dublin city

The journey will take 2hr 20 min.

Follow R336 and Bothar na dTreabh to N6. Follow M6 and M4 to N4 in South Dublin. Follow N4 and R148 to Parliament St in Dublin city.

-Belfast to Dublin city

The journey will take approx. 2hr.

Get on A12 from A1 and Grosvenor Rd/B38. Take M1 to A1 in Lisburn and Castlereagh. Take the A1 exit from M1. Continue to Newry, Mourne And Down. Take M1 to N1 in Dublin, Ireland. Take the N1 exit from M50. Continue on N1. Drive to Parliament St. in Dublin city.

Public Transport in Dublin

Once you’re here, there are many ways to travel the city. You can plan for trains, trams, buses, coaches or taxi journeys with transportforireland.ie.

To commute from your respective accommodation in Ireland, you can further use this website to check for routes, times and fares. They are available in real time information and you can also download the app.

Dublin Bus

Dublin Bus provides a network of services around the city including from Dublin Airport, Dublin Port and Dun Laoghaire, as well as a Nitelink and Sightseeing Tours. You can easily view real time information via the app.

BUS DIVERSIONS

There are a number of bus diversions during the festival, below are the alternative stop locations, followed by the route that they serve*

-Wood Quay pick up for: 25/a/b, 26, 66/a/b, 67, 37, 39/a & 70

-Cook Street 56a, 68, 69, 77a, 79/a, 150, 151

-Upper Ormond Quay set down for: 25/a/b, 26, 66/a/b, 67, 37, 39/a & 70

-Kildare Street 15a/b, 49, 54a, 65/b

-Mark Street 47 & 61

-Mountjoy Square North (on north side of street) 33, 38/a, 41/b/c

-Mountjoy Square North (on south side of street) 7, 40b/d, 120, 145

-Georges Quay 27a/b, 29a, 31/a, 32, & 130

*Subject to change.

Trams

Dublin is also serviced by LUAS, a light rail transit system. There are two Luas tram lines, the Red line and the Green line. The Red Line runs from Tallaght to The Point and from Saggart to Connolly.

The Green line runs from Brides Glen to Broombridge through Sandyford. During peak travel times (7.00am to 10.00am and 4.00pm to 7.00pm) Luas trams operate every 4-5 minutes. Off peak trams run every 10 to 15 minutes. Tickets are available at every LUAS terminal.

LUAS DIVERSIONS

The LUAS green line will only be running to Dominick Street and Stephen’s Green South up until 5pm. After this time the line will operate as per usual. The LUAS red line will be running to Smithfield between 09:30 and 5pm. The LUAS Cross city operations will resume to normal after the parade finishes (approx. 5pm).

DART Service

DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) serves Dublin commuter towns. The DART runs along the coast of the Irish Sea from Malahide in north County Dublin, and southwards as far as Greystones, Co. Wicklow.

Tickets can be purchased via the Irish Rail website or can be purchased at the station. Dublin city centre has three DART stations: Pearse Station, Tara Street Station and Connolly Station. Both Connolly Station and Pearse Station connect with Intercity and commuter lines.

Leap Visitor Cards

The Leap Visitor Card is the most convenient public transport card available for tourists and visitors to Dublin. Available to buy for 24hrs, 72hrs and 7 days, it provides unlimited travel over the selected time period on Dublin Bus, Go-Ahead Ireland routes in Dublin, Luas, DART and Commuter Rail. Airlink is also included, so you can even travel to and from the Airport at the start and end of your trip without any additional charge.

You can purchase the Leap Visitor card here or from selected TFI Leap agents.

Dublin Bikes

Dublin Bikes is a self-service bike rental system open to everyone from 14 years of age. With over 100 stations and 800 bikes, it enables you to travel around the city centre at a leisurely pace. 3 day tickets are available for visitors to Dublin.

Carparks

Parkrite offer a €7 rate for St. Patrick's weekend in the Convention Centre car park, the IFSC car park and Smithfield car park. Visit parkrite.ie for more information.

Traffic & Road Closures

Certain roads and streets will be closed for Festival events. For up to date information on traffic and road closures, visit here.

Good to Know

The 2020 St. Patrick's Festival Parade starts at 12 noon on Tuesday 17 March.

The Festival Parade will come down the EAST side of O’Connell Street (Clery’s side), O' Connell Bridge East and on to Westmoreland Street. These changes will affect how the general public get around the city. Diversions will be in place which may lengthen journey times, so it is advised to plan ahead.

Public coming to view the Parade on O’Connell Street East should access via Rosie Hackett Bridge and Marlborough Street. It is anticipated that viewing on O' Connell Bridge will be at capacity early. There will be directional street signage in place and An Garda Síochána and stewards will be there to assist.

The Festival Parade route is extended and there is now viewing on Kevin Street.

Local residents and public using the LUAS green line, terminating at Stephen's Green should consider availing of this new viewing opportunity. When the Festival parade finishes there will be diversions in place. Please cooperate with An Garda Síochána, security and stewards. Where possible it is advised to use public transport: see transportforireland.ie.

Find the 2020 Parade route map below:

St. Patrick's Festival Parade Route Map 2020

Visitor from Outside Ireland

Whether you’re a returning patron or visiting Ireland for the first time, we’re delighted to host you for St. Patrick’s Festival 2020.

Below, we’ve shared some tips for how to best plan your stay.

Getting to Dublin from Overseas

If you have decided to pay a visit to the island of Ireland, you will either be flying or getting a ferry.

Getting to Ireland via Air

You can reach Ireland directly from many European cities and regional airports, as well as direct flights from North America. There are 4 main international airports on the island of Ireland.

New routes are opened regularly, so always check your preffered carrier's website. Getting to Ireland via air has never been easier, with so many carriers, routes and seats to choose from.

Getting to Ireland via Sea

Check out your options for ferries if you're getting to Ireland via sea. Irish Ferries are one of the Festival's official partners and they offer a range of options for those who want to sail the seas.

Direct Irish Ferries to Ireland

-Dublin to/ from Holyhead (Britain)

-Rosslare to/ from Pembroke (Britain)

-Dublin to/ from Cherbourg (France)

Irish Ferries Landbridge Routes to Ireland

Travel to and from Continental Europe via Britain. Crossing the Irish Sea from Dublin or Rosslare, you may then choose to cross the English Channel with any of our Partner Carriers.

They offer Landbridge services to/from Ireland to France, Holland, and Belgium.

Where to Stay in Dublin

Wondering where to stay in Dublin? We are delighted to have the Irish Hotels Federation, Dublin Branch as the Festival’s Official Accommodation Partner. The Branch represents a diverse range of quality hotels and guesthouses within the Dublin area and is a key stakeholder in the Irish Tourism sector.

Mark Scott-Lennon, Chairman, IHF Dublin Branch said:

“On behalf of our members, I would like to thank the organisers and team behind St Patrick’s Festival. Their dedication and enthusiasm are key to the festival’s success, delivering an unforgettable experience for visitors and spectators every year. From a tourism perspective, the festival is a major highlight of our calendar. It generates a significant boost for the hospitality sector in Dublin and further afield, with more than 500,000 people attending the Festival Parade alone and some 37% of visitors coming from overseas.”
Mark Scott-Lennon

Irelandhotels.com is the official consumer site of the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) and offers a selection of hundreds of hotels and guesthouses throughout the island of Ireland along with a vast collection of unique packages and hotel breaks.

You've arrived to Dublin!

If you decided to check out other parts of the country before hitting up Dublin, you will find releveant information on getting to Dublin at the top of this page.

Getting to Dublin City from Dublin Airport

Dublin Airport is 12km north of the city centre and is well serviced by express coaches, local buses and taxis. There are a number of options from the airport to the city or vice-versa.

Taxis are available outside both Terminal 1 and 2. There are a number of coach and bus services that bring you to the city centre, as well as many areas surrounding Dublin.

Dublin Bus operates the Airlink Express 747 & 757, which serves both terminal 1 and 2. The Airlink will bring you right into Dublin City Centre and connects you with all major bus and rail stations. There is free Wifi on board all Airlink buses to help you get your bearings.

Top Tips for Your Trip

You may have heard rumours about the Irish weather… The best advice when visiting Ireland is ensure you pack warm and waterproof clothes for your visit. Around March, there are often five-minute bouts of sun with cloud and rainy showers - all happening at the same time.

So, just pack for every occasion. You’ll need to bring waterproof jackets, waterproof shoes, plenty of socks, gloves, hats and an umbrella. It would also be useful to pack sunglasses and t shirts.

The official language of Ireland is English, but parts of Ireland (particularly on the West coast) still speak the Irish language in daily conversation. If there’s one Irish word to remember, it’s “Sláinte” (pronounced "slawn-cha"). This is an Irish word meaning "health" and it’s used in place of "cheers" when clinking glasses together.

To stay safe on the road, we drive on the left-hand side. Regarding currency, The Republic of Ireland use the euro, but you will need British pound sterling for the North of Ireland.

Tourist Information

Discover Ireland Centre offer free maps and guides to Dublin, as well as best advice on what to do while in the capital.

Visit the experts on Dublin at:

Visit Dublin Centre, 25 Suffolk Street, Dublin 2
Discover Ireland Centre, 14 O’Connell Street, Dublin 1
Dublin Visitor Centre, 118 Grafton Street, Dublin 2
Dublin Visitor Centre, 17 Lower O’Connell Street, Dublin 1
Discover Ireland Centre, Terminal 1 & 2, Arrivals Hall
Dublin Airport Community Tourist Office, County Hall, Marine Road, Dun Laoghaire

Useful Websites

Fáilte Ireland

Fáilte Ireland is the National Tourism Development Authority. They promote Ireland as a holiday destination and manage a network of nationwide tourist information centres that provide help and advice for visitors to Ireland. Check their website for more information.