Updated October 2024--There are 10 airports on the island of Ireland.
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Below are the options available to travelers seeking transport from Ireland's airports, as well as from Belfast and Derry airports in Northern Ireland.
They include the option to take a bus, taxi or rent a car.
FROM DUBLIN
Dublin Airport is 6 miles (12 km) from Dublin’s city center.
By Taxi
You’ll find plenty of taxis parked outside Terminals 1 and 2 at Dublin Airport.
A taxi ride to the city center takes approximately 30 minutes depending on traffic. Fares average between €25 and €30.
If you are in a group of 2 or more, getting a taxi is actually cheaper than buying individual bus tickets.
Because taxis use dedicated bus lanes, they can get to the city center fairly fast. They operate 24 hours a day.
You can book a taxi in advance as well.
Learn more about how the taxi fares are calculated at Transport for Ireland.
If you are taking a train to another part of Ireland, the taxi fare from the airport to Heuston or Connolly stations is between €30 and €40.
Note: Uber does not exist in Ireland as it does in other countries. If you have the Uber app on your phone, you can definitely use it to get a taxi. When you use it in Dublin or anywhere else in the country, you will get a licensed taxi or limousine.
By Bus
You can easily get a bus from Dublin Airport to other parts of the country.
If you want to get to your accommodation in the city center, there are several options. They include the following:
Aircoach will get you from the airport to the city center and South County Dublin. The company operates from Zone 2 near Terminal 1 (Arrivals) and Zone 20 near Terminal 2 (Departures). It stops at most of the major hotels in Dublin and at other key locations, which makes this a popular choice. Look for bus routes 700, 702 and 703. It also has a non-stop service to Belfast, Cork, Derry and Galway.
Airport Hopper operates an hourly shuttle bus service from Dublin Airport to Maynooth in Co. Kildare as well as Tallaght, a suburb of Dublin. The towns of Leixlip, Clondalkin, Liffey Valley, and Lucan are all stops along this route, including popular Dublin hotels. Look for bus routes 767 and 777, which depart from the Dublin Airport coach park in Zone 16.
Dublin Coach provides a regular bus service on bus routes 726 (Zone 2) and 750 (Zone 3) at Dublin Airport to the Red Cow Luas stop in South Dublin and to the suburb of Dundrum. The service is available 7 days a week. Dublin Coach also provides transportation to other parts of Ireland, including Belfast, Clare, Cork, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick, and Waterford.
Dublin Express provides a regular service from the airport to the city center. Look for bus routes 782 and 784 to the city center, as well as route 783 to the Dublin suburbs. Buses depart from Zone 1 at Terminal 1 (Arrivals) and Zone 21 at Terminal 2 (Departures).
Dublin Bus, the sister company of Bus Eireann, operates throughout the city. You can catch the numbers 16 and 41 into the city center from Zone 15 at Dublin Airport.
Go-Ahead Ireland takes passengers from Dublin Airport to the Sutton Station, which serves the communities of Malahide, Portmarnock, and Swords, as well as another route that takes them to Balbriggan, Lusk, Rush, Skerries, and Swords. Look for bus routes 33a and 102 from Zone 15.
If you are traveling to other parts of the country, there are several options. They include the following:
Bus Eireann – the company operates daily coach services from the airport to towns all across Ireland. You can catch it at Zone 13 in the Dublin Airport bus park.
Citylink operates a bus service from the airport to Ballina and Castlebar in County Mayo; Clifden and Galway City; as well as Limerick. Citylink buses leave from Zones 10 and 11.
JJ Kavanagh & Sons operates a daily service from Dublin Airport to Clonmel, Kilkenny, Limerick, Tramore, and Waterford. Buses leave from Zone 16 in the Dublin Airport bus coach park.
John McGinley Coach Travel provides a service from Dublin Airport to several towns in County Donegal. It also goes to Derry and Monaghan, and has a regular service from Donegal to Glasgow. It departs from Zone 16 in the Dublin Airport coach park.
M4Direct operates a twice-daily bus service from the airport to Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. It leaves from Zone 16 in the airport bus park. You can also take this bus to the popular Center Parcs, the discovery park in Ballymahon, County Longford.
Wexford Bus runs multiple services every day from Dublin Airport to Wexford town. It departs from Zone 14 in the airport bus park.
Renting a Car at Dublin Airport
There are 11 car rental car companies located at Dublin Airport, which gives visitors plenty of choice.
They include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Carhire, Dollar Car Rental, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz, National, NewWay, and Sixt.
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FROM BELFAST
Tourists arriving in Belfast International Airport are primarily from the U.K. although there are visitors from other locations across the world who take flights to London and then transfer to Belfast Airport, which is approximately 12.7 miles (20 km) from the city center.
Below are the options available to travelers who arrive at this airport and want to see Belfast and the remainder of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
By Taxi
The International Airport Taxi Company is the official taxi company for Belfast International Airport.
It is available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
The drive to the Belfast city center by taxi takes between 30 and 45 minutes.
The fare is approximately £35, although more detailed information can be found in the exit hall of the terminal building. A taxi share scheme is also available.
The taxi rank is located at the airport exit lobby. You can book your taxi here.
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By Bus
You can catch a bus from Belfast International Airport at the front of the main terminal building.
The services available include the following:
Airport Shuttle – the Airport Express 300 operates every 15 to 20 minutes during the week and on weekends. You’ll find the bus stop opposite the terminal exit. You can purchase a ticket on the bus (cash only), or on the Translink website or from the Translink ticket vending machine at the airport.
The journey to Belfast city center takes about 30 to 40 minutes depending on traffic. The one-way fare is £9.50 and the return fare is £13.50.
Transportation to Derry from Belfast Airport is available on the Aircoach 705X route, which originates in Dublin.
A single ticket costs between €20 and €24; a return fare is between €30 and €34.50.
Renting a Car at Belfast International Airport
There are 7 car rental companies at Belfast International Airport. They include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz, and National.
CITY OF DERRY AIRPORT
The City of Derry airport is small. However, it offers an excellent service for visitors coming to Northern Ireland and the northwest of Ireland from Bermingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, London (Heathrow), Manchester, and Verona, Italy.
By Taxi
You can get to Derry city center quickly by means of City Cabs, which has a dedicated taxi rank at the front of the airport. A typical fare is around £11.
By Bus
There are several buses that you can take from the airport that will bring you into the city and to nearby towns such as Limavady and Coleraine. You can find a guide to the bus service here.
Renting a car at the City of Derry Airport
There are two car rental companies at the airport. They include Avis and Hertz.
FROM SHANNON
Shannon Airport is popular with many tourists who like its easy access to Kerry and Cork.
Here are the options for getting around this part of the country from Shannon.
By Taxi
While most people rent cars at Shannon Airport, there are some who prefer to take a taxi to their destination.
Shannon Airport Taxis is the official taxi company serving passengers at Shannon Airport.
The airport taxi desk is located in the Arrivals Hall.
By Bus
Bus Eireann offers a service from Shannon Airport to Limerick, Cork, and Galway. Once you get to those cities, you can then connect to other places on the Bus Eireann network, including Dublin.
The timetable for buses leaving Shannon Airport can be found here.
Tickets for Bus Eireann can be purchased from the self-service kiosk in the Arrivals Hall or on the bus.
The bus stop is outside the main terminal.
Renting a Car at Shannon Airport
There are 6 car rental companies located at Shannon Airport.
They include Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz, and Sixt.
FROM CORK
Cork Airport is most frequently used by European and U.K. travelers.
The airport is approximately 5 miles (8.2 km) from Cork city center. The drive takes about 15 minutes.
By Taxi
You’ll find the taxi rank outside the terminal building. The taxi fare from Cork Airport to the city center is approximately €20.
By Bus
You can take a Bus Eireann bus from the airport to the city using bus routes 225 and 226, and to other destinations all over Ireland, including to nearby Kinsale. Buses leave from the front of the terminal building.
You can purchase your ticket on the bus or at the ticket machine located outside the terminal.
Renting a Car at Cork Airport
There are six car rental companies at Cork Airport. They include Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz, and Sixt.
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FROM IRELAND WEST AIRPORT/KNOCK
Ireland West Airport, located in County Mayo, is the perfect airport to fly into if you are coming from the UK or mainland Europe and you want to explore the west and northwest of Ireland.
The airport is about 55 miles (89 km) from Galway City and about 33 miles (54 km) from the town of Sligo.
By Taxi
Knock Airport Taxi is the official provider of taxi transportation at this small but growing airport.
By Bus
Regular connections are provided from the airport to Donegal, Galway, Sligo and other parts of Mayo, with additional connecting services to Leitrim, Roscommon and the Midlands courtesy of Bus Eireann.
Renting a Car at Ireland West Airport
Budget, Avis, EuropCar, and Hertz are all available at Ireland West Airport.
FROM KERRY AIRPORT
Like Ireland West Airport, the airport in Faranfore, County Kerry, is popular with locals looking to travel to the UK and mainland Europe.
However, it could also an ideal place to land from Dublin if you want to spend your vacation in the region.
By Taxi
There are a number of local taxi services that provide transportation for passengers arriving at Kerry Airport. You can find a list of them on the airport website.
By Bus
Bus Eireann provides transport from the airport to Tralee, Killarney and Limerick.
Renting a Car at Kerry Airport
There are six car rental companies at Kerry Airport. They include Avis, Budget, Payless, Alamo, EuropCar, and Hertz.
Did you find this information on transport from Ireland's airports useful? Let me know in the comments below.
