Taxis
With over 12,000 licensed taxis working the Dublin area there is generally little problem getting a taxi in Dublin except when traffic is particularly heavy or late at night during the Christmas party season.
All taxis in Ireland a large yellow and blue roof-sign and are metered. Since October 2006 all taxi charges have been the same throughout the country. Taxis have a sticker on the sun visor and fare cards in the seat pockets or window stickers which explain the fares.
Taxis may be hailed on the street, picked up at a taxi rank or ordered by phone. From 1st Nov 2008
The initial fares are:
- €4.10 during the day 8am to 8pm
- €4.45 8pm to 8am and all day Sunday & Public holidays.
For the first 1km or 170 seconds
Although most drivers are honest, beware the ’extras’ on the meter. The only extras due are
- Second and additional passengers: €1.00 each
- Booking fee: €2.00
There are no charges for luggage There are no charges for an airport pick up.
Check the charges on the meter, and if you don't understand them, ask! Drivers are generally honest, if you do have a problem with a driver, a taxi or the radio company report the matter to the Taxi Regulator
All taxis can issue a receipt (like a till receipt) stating start and end of journey time, distance traveled, the fare and the extras. It states the registration number of the car and the taxi plate number. If you feel you may have been over-charged and you're not happy with the driver's explanation, keep your receipt and check the cost of your journey with your hotel or contact the Taxi Regulator at www.taxiregulator.ie or 1890 60 60 90.
Rental Cars
Car Rental Company's Avis, Hertz Dublin, National, Budget, Europcar and Sixt-Irish Car Rentals have desks in the arrivals hall. Open 6.00hrs-23.00hrs. Pre-booked Car Rental Company’s Argus, Atlas, Dan Dooley, Enterprise and Thrifty's desks are in the arrivals hall. Check Web sites for opening hours, usually 8.00hrs to 20.00hrs.
Most of the smaller car company rental car desks are in Terminal 1 so if you land at Terminal 2 you have to walk to the other terminal to collect your car. Thrifty rentals also charge you 100 Euros for a full tank of petrol and expect you to bring it back empty there are no refunds for unused petrol. Their car lot is also a short distance from the terminal and you have to take the shuttle bus to collect your car so allow time for this.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car is highly recommended. But their hours are limited and watch for the hidden extras. 8.00hrs-18.00hrs They are at one of those ’hidden’ desks at Dublin airport, but they also have locations all over Ireland. Their cars tend to be new and their prices are much better than your average outfit charge. Argus Rent-A-Car is another good choice, 6.00hrs-23.30hrs (they are the biggest Irish Car-Hire Company). Another Company located in this section is County Car Rentals, a family-run independent company with low rates and cars on the airport complex and not located off airport like most of the others.
It is usually well worth booking ahead if you want to rent a car at the Dublin airport. During the summer months, the major outfits like Hertz and Europcar can charge upwards of €89 per day if you find yourself without a reservation! The largest of the car hire companies have desks right outside of the arrivals door... you can’t miss them as you walk out of the airport. There are also smaller firms tucked away in the back corner, just to the right of the larger companies. You won’t see a sign for them, but the airport is so small it won’t take you long to find their rental desks. They typically have better prices than the large companies.
Americans should be aware that most cars here are manual transmission. Automatic transmission costs quite a bit more in this market, and accordingly the rental companies will charge you a bit more if you specify this option. Again, you should make sure to book ahead if you aren’t comfortable driving a stick shift! If you aren’t familiar with driving in Dublin it's strongly recommended that you take a Taxi or a Bus to your Hotel. Driving in Dublin City isn't easy and parking is expensive. Sleep off the jet lag before piling into a rental car!When you are returing the car to the Airport, it isn't well signposted. Instead of the usual time allowed in returning a car, you should add 15 minutes extra for Dublin Airport. The location of the rental facility is something you haven't seen since you arrived and you should remember it's a hike to the departures lounge with your luggage and newly bought Aran sweaters and other assorted gifts. Follow the directions for short-term parking and then every so often a Car Rental return sign will pop up indicating you are on the right route.
You really don’t need a car in Dublin. The ’tourist’ locations are mostly in walking distance, and for the few sites that are on the edge of the city, you can catch one of the ubiquitous Dublin Tour buses that make the circuit for around €7.00. Beyond Dublin, renting a car over buses and trains are recommended. Though some bus tours are pleasant enough, the car allows you the mobility to break from the crowd. As for the trains... they aren’t exactly known for their creature comforts and they are notoriously scatty with their timetables! It is also worth noting that many local train stations are quite a hike from the city centres, though the aforementioned Enterprise could arrange to pick you up from a station if you wanted to spend part of your journey by rail.
And also:
Yes, there are speed traps in Ireland. There are cameras on the ’M’ and ’N’ roads and they WILL track you down if you get snapped! Your car rental company will charge your credit card if they get a notice in the mail that you were ticketed. The Gardai (Police) have also cracked down on drunk driving over the last couple of years, so don’t hesitate to take a Taxi or a Bus back to your hotel if you’ve had more than a pint, a Garda (policeman/policewoman) has the power to stop a car driver at anytime and breathalyse them!
To/From the Airport
See the separate Inside Dublin pages Arriving And Departing and From Dublin Airport To Your Hotel