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Things you Should Know as a

Study Abroad Student in Dublin

Your inside guide to living abroad in Dublin

Dublin Tips- Public Transportation

Unless your pockets are deeper than Mary Poppin’s bag, Dublin public transport will be your best friend in Dublin. The buses, trains, trams and taxis are the best ways to get around. What transport method you use depends on where you want to go and with how much ease. The very first thing you need to do is get a student Leap card (€10) which you can load with money and use to get discounted trips. Leap cards are valid on double decker public buses, the Irish rail and trams. Student Leap cards may be retrieved from most Universities within Dublin or other agents and can be topped up online or at some selected general stores. The Maps app is also helpful in seeing what Dublin transport is available from your location.

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The Pros and Cons of Public Transportation

Double Decker Public Buses

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PROS

CONS

Train "The dart"

Irish Rail

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tram.png

The Tram "Luas"

  • Easy to catch, more stops than other Dublin transport modes.

  • Student Leap card accessible

  • Tell bus driver what stop to charge your student Leap card to, to avoid full route cost.

  • €5 cap available for each day for student leap cards

  • There are often USB ports for charging electronics on the seats

  • Takes student Leap card

  • Single tickets available

  • Best way to get to areas outside of Dublin city for day trips e.g. Howth, Malahide etc.

  • Faster than buses with fewer stops.

  • Timetable accessible on RealTime Ireland and Journey Plan apps.

  • Reaches regional areas that buses don’t

  • Relatively frequent trains.

  • €5 cap per day for student Leap cards

  • Numerous central stops

  • Only two lines making routes easy to navigate (Boombridgeà Bridges Glen, Saggartà The point)

  • They are not always reliable; however their updated arrival time is posted at stop.

  • Expensive, €3 for single trip around city centre if paying by cash.

  • No change for cash (ensure exact money)

  • Fewer stops than buses

  • Can be more expensive than buses

  • Fewer stops than buses

  • Fewer routes than buses

Click photo for more info

Click photo for more info

Click photo for more info

Taxis

Generally public Dublin transport stops running in the late evening, so a taxi is the best way to get home in early hours of the morning. When getting a taxi, expect to pay cash to the driver on top of a starting fare will be added. The Mytaxi app can be used for cheaper fares as Uber doesn’t run in Dublin.

Clothing and Clubbing

If you are going clubbing in Dublin in Winter, make sure you bring a couple of euros if you want to check your coat in at an establishment. Additionally, expect a cover fee for most of the clubs. However, to avoid some of these crazy charges and get the most bang for your buck ensure you download the student apps for clubbing in Dublin. Vipsy and Guestlist are free apps offering many free entry passes and discounted drinks (as cheap as €1 drinks) in popular student pubs and clubs. Remember to bring a hood in case of rain when you head out!

Dublin Drinks and Tipping

Unlike the US, tipping is not expected when eating and drinking out. However, eating and drinking out can be very expensive, especially in the popular, touristy temple bar area. Beware of mixed drinks in Dublin, they’re very expensive! Often you will have to pay for the liquor separately from a very expensive non-alcohol mixer. Beer is your cheapest option but make sure you are not paying more than €7.50 for a pint. And make sure you get buy your bottle store drinks in Dublin on St Paddy’s day as liquor stores are only open from 4pm-10pm.

Other Helpful Tips

  • Make sure you download the GNIB app to increase the likelihood of securing a INIS appointment

  • LiDL, tesco and Supervalu are some of the cheap, popular supermarkets

Annabelle Pearson

Annabelle is currently studying abroad in Dublin on exchange. She was born and raised on the beach in Sydney, Australia. She is currently studying Psychology and Business and wishes to pursue a career in management after exploring as much of Ireland and the rest of Europe as she can.

© 2023 Travel Dublin

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