Getting to Dún Laoghaire
How to reach Dún Laoghaire by DART, bus, or car.
DART
Dún Laoghaire is on the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) electric commuter line between Howth/Malahide in the north and Greystones in the south. The station, Dún Laoghaire Mallin, is in the centre of town on Crofton Road, two minutes from the seafront. Trains every 10-15 minutes through the day, roughly every 20 minutes on Sundays.
- From
- Dublin Connolly Station
- Duration
- 25 minutes typical
- Frequency
- Every 10-15 minutes Mon-Sat; every 20 minutes Sun
- Fare
- Adult single €3.30 cash, €2.30 Leap Card; Leap 90 cap €8.00/day
- Station
- Dún Laoghaire Mallin Station, Crofton Road, Dún Laoghaire
- Note
- Sandycove & Glasthule (SCOVE), one stop south, is the closer station for the James Joyce Tower and the Forty Foot. Salthill & Monkstown (SHILL), one stop north, is the closer station for the West Pier.
Tips
- •Leap Card is cheaper than cash and works on every DART, bus, and Luas in Dublin.
- •Use Sandycove (SCOVE) for the Forty Foot and the Joyce Tower rather than walking down from Dún Laoghaire.
- •The southern line continues to Bray and Greystones with views across to Killiney and Bray Head; sit on the left southbound.
- •Live departure board: irishrail.ie or the DART app.
🚂 DART from Dún Laoghaire
All trains towards Dublin
Dún Laoghaire station. Updates every minute
Bus
Dublin Bus runs frequent services from the city centre. Routes 7 and 7a serve Dún Laoghaire along the coast via Blackrock; 46a comes from the city centre via Stillorgan; 8 connects Dalkey and Killiney. Bus Éireann's Aircoach 703X runs direct from Dublin Airport.
- From Dublin
- Dublin Bus 7 or 7a from city centre (~50 minutes)
- From Airport
- Aircoach 703X direct from Dublin Airport (~70-75 minutes)
- City Services
- Routes 7, 7a, 8, 46a, 75, 111 serve Dún Laoghaire
- City Fare
- Adult single €2.00 Leap Card; €2.60 cash
Tips
- •Leap Card works on every Dublin Bus route and is cheaper than cash on every ride.
- •Route 7 is the most useful coast route between the city and Dún Laoghaire.
- •Aircoach 703X drops at Marine Road, a two-minute walk from the seafront.
Driving
Dún Laoghaire is about 12 km south of Dublin city centre, off the N11. Driving takes 25-35 minutes off-peak, longer during morning and evening rush. Parking in the town centre is paid; the Bloomfields Shopping Centre car park and the harbour car park are the largest and closest options.
- From Dublin
- ~25-35 minutes off-peak via N11 and Rock Road
- From Airport
- ~45-50 minutes via M50 and N11
- From Bray
- ~15 minutes via the N11
- Parking
- Pay-and-display in town and on the seafront; Bloomfields Shopping Centre (€1.50/hour) is the largest covered car park
Tips
- •On-street parking is largely metered; bring coins or use APCOA Connect.
- •Free parking on side streets in Glasthule and Monkstown is increasingly metered too.
- •Avoid the N11 between 16:30 and 18:30 on weekdays inbound from the city.
From the Airport
Live options for reaching the village from the nearest airports. Times and fares are a guide and can change with traffic or operator schedules.
Dublin AirportDUB
22 km away- Duration
- ~70-75 minutes
- Cost
- Adult single from €12
Direct from Dublin Airport via Stillorgan to Marine Road, Dún Laoghaire. Roughly every 60-90 minutes through the day.
Operator: Aircoach
- Duration
- ~60-75 minutes
- Cost
- €7 Airlink + €2.30 DART (Leap)
Airlink 747 from the airport to Connolly Station (about 35 minutes), then DART to Dún Laoghaire (about 25 minutes).
Operator: Dublin Bus + Iarnród Éireann
- Duration
- ~35-45 minutes
- Cost
- €45-€60 depending on time
Fixed-fare options at the airport taxi rank; FreeNow operates across Dublin including the airport.
Operator: Dublin taxi rank or FreeNow app
- Duration
- ~45-50 minutes
- Cost
- Car hire from ~€35/day plus M50 toll €3.50
M50 south then N11 to Dún Laoghaire. The M50 has a barrier-free eFlow toll (€3.50); pay online by 20:00 the next day.
Operator: Car hire desks in airport arrivals
EV & Essentials
Practical infrastructure on the ground: charging, water, and accessibility facilities worth knowing about before you arrive.
Accessibility Facilities
Dún Laoghaire DART Station
Ramp access · Crofton Road, Dún Laoghaire
Step-free access from the entrance to both platforms. Ramp boarding can be pre-arranged with Iarnród Éireann (1850 366 222).
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Accessible toilet · Haigh Terrace, Dún Laoghaire
Lift access between all floors; accessible toilets on every level.
East Pier
Ramp access · East Pier, Dún Laoghaire Harbour
Granite-paved promenade is wheelchair-accessible end-to-end; public toilet near the bandstand is accessible.
Leap Card
Ireland's national reusable transport card. Works on the DART, Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann, Luas, and Iarnród Éireann commuter services. Cheaper than cash on every Dublin journey and the only practical way to use the 90-minute multi-mode cap.
- Cost
- €5 for the card + credit top-up
- Savings
- Adult DART single €2.30 vs €3.30 cash; Dublin Bus €2.00 vs €2.60 cash
- Purchase
- Newsagents across Dublin; Dún Laoghaire DART station ticket office; online at leapcard.ie
Parking
Parking options in and around Dún Laoghaire. On busy weekends, arriving early or taking the DART is recommended.
Bloomfields Shopping Centre Car Park
€1.50/hour, max €10/day. Largest covered car park in town. Two minutes from the DART station and the seafront.
Harbour Car Park (West Pier)
€1.20/hour. Operated by Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company; closest car park to the West Pier and the seafront promenade.
Marine Road on-street parking
€1.50/hour, max 3 hours. Limited short-stay parking along Marine Road. Pay via APCOA Connect or the on-street meter.
Planning the wider trip?
Our country-level primer covers national rail, intercity buses, airports, the Leap Card, and whether you actually need a hire car for your trip around Ireland.
Getting Around Ireland →Top Tip
The DART is the best way to get to Dún Laoghaire. You arrive right in the heart of Dún Laoghaire, there’s no parking hassle, and you can enjoy a meal and a drink without worrying about driving home.