Hi Everyone, My fiancee and I are planning our honeymoon for June 2014, and it seems that most of the flights we're considering include a 6-8 hour layover in Dublin, either on the way there, or the way home. We have done layover tours in Frankfurt and London on previous trips and were hoping to do the same in Dublin this time around. With actually departing the plane, getting through customs and then getting back within 1 hr 45 min of the next flight, we would probably have 3-5 hours depending on whether the layover was 6 or 8 hours. Is it too ambitious to see a few sites in Dublin for a couple of hours? Is there perhaps somewhere closer to the airport where we could get a nice Ireland experience for a few hours instead of staying in the airport? Thanks!
Posted by
San Diego, CA, USA
237 posts
I won't comment on whether you have enough time for a trip from the airport - that's up to you - but Dublin is a good city for it. I'd take the Dublin Airlink Bus - it's 10 euros a person round trip and and about 20 minutes into the center of the city. http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Your-Journey1/Timetables/All-Timetables/7471/ You will get a decent tour of the city on the bus and getting off at Temple Bar/Trinity College will put you in the modern heart of Dublin. You could do a walk of Trinity college, Temple bar are and maybe St. Stephens green, the mall next to it with the bruskers and music or the Archeology Museum (it's great and free so a short visit is doable). I don't think there's much around the airport that's quaint or Irish. The area is called Swords and it has some malls and outlet stores. Good luck,
=Tod
Posted by
OP
Warminster, Pennsylvan, United States
13 posts
Thanks, Tod! Knowing it would be about 20 minutes to/from the airport helps a lot. I figure if it takes an hour to get through customs and we want to be back two hours before flight time, that would leave us 3.5 hours on the 6.5 hr layover, or 5 hours on the 8 hr layover. Add 40 minutes for the Airlink, and we would still have a decent enough amount of time to do some sightseeing. Certainly more interesting than sitting in an airport.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9363 posts
You could also jump onto a hop-on, hop-off bus for a narrated 90 min. tour of the major sites. No need to buy tickets ahead, just pay the driver. I haven't done the Dublin one in over 10 years, but in Madrid last year it was about 20€.
Posted by
Kansas City
265 posts
We are flying home from Dublin in a couple weeks. Be aware that American Airlines recommends being at the airport 3 hours before departure when leaving from Dublin.
Posted by
OP
Warminster, Pennsylvan, United States
13 posts
Kathy, Interesting - thanks. I wonder why they recommend such a lengthy check-in range.
Posted by
West Islip, New York, USA
26 posts
We flew home in June on Aer Lingus to NYC. We were told to be at the airport 3 hours before flight time, but no explanation was given. I thought that was a ridiculous amt of time but found out we had to go through US customs there instead of NY. Never had this in any other overseas trip I have been on. So find out exactly how early you need to be at the airport.
Posted by
OP
Warminster, Pennsylvan, United States
13 posts
Debbie, What was your experience like? Did it really take that long?
Posted by
Long Beach, USA
252 posts
6 hours would be quite tight...if you can have 8 hours it would make a huge differenca. I would suggest buying the Airlink and Hop on Hop off at the airport. It turned out cheaper to buy it all from the same person...as you exit the airport, it is very well indicated..or at least I thought so. Maybe you can get a Guiness and some Irish stew in the Temple Bar area and have a quick stroll near the water. There is a 6 euros tour of the Kilmainhaam Gaol (prison) if you are interested in history or that type of thing. Bon voyage!
Posted by
OP
Warminster, Pennsylvan, United States
13 posts
Thanks! Definitely very helpful. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. I just hate the idea of sitting in an airport in a foreign land!
Posted by
OP
Warminster, Pennsylvan, United States
13 posts
Just posting back with an as I've done some more research and spoken to airline and tour company. Perhaps this could help someone else down the road. Looks like the standard arrival time pre-flight, for international flights, is 3 hrs, because like Debbie said, the passport control part is handled in UK not the US. However, for domestic flights, IE from Dublin to Amsterdam like for our trip, 1.5 hours pre-flight is fine for arrival. We can get good 3-4 hour layover tour out of a 6.5 hour layover as long as we do it on the way TO our honeymoon destination and not on the way home.