In May 2025 I’ll be in Galway with a 1500 Dublin flight departure to Minneapolis. It’s a Friday if that matters. Can I reliably get to the airport in time using the bus or train (no car), or should I stay overnight near the Dublin airport the night before the flight?
Posted by
martinez, ca, usa
2429 posts
hey hey barbj
spend the night near airport. we always stay in city we fly out of with no stress. find hotel with shuttle to airport, get to airport early to check in bags, have lunch near gate and people watch.
never know what may happen with disruptions on the bus or train since it's at least 3 hours away. don't want to be missing that flight back to minneapolis.
aloha
Posted by
1630 posts
You pre-clear US immigration in Dublin which means needing to be at the airport by noon for your 1500 flight. That means leaving Galway by 9.00 AM at the latest. Personally, I would have heartburn even before I ate any airplane food.
Posted by
Downingtown, USA
2481 posts
Agree totally to be there the night before. Never can tell about traffic and immigration can take minutes or a couple of hours.
Posted by
OP
8 posts
Thanks all. Pretty sure my gut was telling me not to risk it. I’ll stick to my original plan.
Posted by
Mountains of S. Oregon
814 posts
Since it's Dublin, I might consider returning to the city and enjoying a last night of Guinness and music. Staying near the airport for a 1500 departure is giving up a full day of vacation.
Posted by
Colorado Springs
3043 posts
I agree - you don't necessarily need to stay at the airport.
Staying in the city would give you an extra afternoon/evening to enjoy Dublin while still leaving plenty of time the next morning to make it to the airport on time.
Posted by
Paris
10394 posts
Yeah i don't see that you need to stay at the airport, but I would definitely make sure I was in the Dublin vicinity and not on the west coast the night prior to my outbound flight
Posted by
OP
8 posts
What about staying in Malahide the last night? Best way to the airport from there?
Posted by
Citizen of the World
2176 posts
If you fancy Maladhide, it’s only a 10-minute taxi ride to DUBlin Airport from there. The alternative bus takes a painfully slow 40 minutes.
Slainte!
Posted by
Colorado Springs
3043 posts
Sure, Malahide would work.
So would the seaside suburb of Howth that many here love.
Either way it would be a very short drive to the airport in the morning or, as has been suggested, you could drop the car the afternoon before and just catch a taxi to and from your accommodation in either town. The 10-15 minute taxi rides would probably cost less than the extra day with the car, and doing it that way would save a step the next morning since the car rental lot at DUB is remote from the terminal area ... maybe a half mile away requiring a shuttle bus to return to get back to the airport.