I have a seven hour layover in Dublin coming up and I’d like to take some time to see what little of the city I can. I have questions though. Flying in from the US, can I leave the airport and return easily enough? I am flying on to Berlin from there and have flights booked all the way through for later the same day. Thanks!
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Flying USA --> Ireland --> Germany, you do not have to go through immigration (passport control) at Dublin. Ireland IS NOT in the Schengen Area. You will go through immigration for entering the Schengen Area in Berlin. You would stay "Airside" within the airport at Dublin and avoid Irish immigration.
Therefore, if you decide to leave the airport in Dublin, you would need to allow time after landing to go through Irish immigration, and again when you return allow time to go through security and exit passport control.
Posted by
Portsmouth
5540 posts
There are many factors which will determine how viable this is. First, your flight may be delayed which will impact your arrival time. You will have to clear immigration if you are going to leave the airport and as anyone will tell you, there's no way of estimating how long this will take. You will then need to decide on transport to Dublin city centre, both the public bus and Airport bus take about 40 minutes to an hour depending on traffic, the airport bus is more expensive. A taxi will be quicker but more expensive, about ten times more than the public bus. Bearing in mind that you will need to be back at the airport at least two hours before your flight you will probably have spent five hours travelling to and from and within the airport, two hours in Dublin is pointless and really not worth the effort or the worry about getting back in time for your flight.
Posted by
Kansas
169 posts
The airport in Dublin is fairly easy to navigate and get out of. You would need to plan for an hour each way from the Airport to Dublin, that is with public transit. It will be faster with a taxi but I am not sure on the price. With that and getting back at least an hour and a half before you board you will have 3 hours in Dublin. I would plan on seeing one thing. Maybe doing a Guinness tour if that is your thing, the view from the top of the building is nice. Or you could go to Trinity College and see the Book of Kells. You may have time to go to Dublin Castle and just look around the outside but it will be tight. You could also go to Dublina Museum. It is pretty cool. Look at the attractions in Dublin, settle on one, and then map it out. Google maps does have the ability with Dublin to consider public transit.