Book Ireland Coach

Coach Hire Dublin

In Dublin the coach day is decided by where the vehicle is allowed to stop. Set-down points, coach bays and the central bus gates matter more than distance, because most of what a group wants to see is close together.

Set-down stops and coach bays are different things

Dublin City Council runs 67 on-street coach parking spaces across 19 sites, among them Western Way, Victoria Quay, Cardiff Lane, Merrion Square South and Grand Canal Place. The maximum stay is two hours and payment goes through Parking Tag. Those bays are for parking. Passengers may not board or leave the coach there.

Drop-off and pick-up happen at the signed city-centre coach stops, such as Nassau Street. So the group steps off at a stop, the coach parks in a bay, and it returns to a stop at the agreed time.

Full-size coach interior with reclining seats and aisle
Full-size coach interior with reclining seats and aisle

Long waits in the Docklands

When the coach has hours to fill, for a conference at the Convention Centre Dublin or a show at the 3Arena, the NTA Docklands Coach Park has 50 off-street bays. The entrance is via Park Lane off North Wall Quay, and parking is paid through NTA Cashless Parking. Tell us how long each wait is so the operator can plan where the vehicle spends it.

Airports serving Dublin

Stadiums and grounds

  • Croke Park — GAA headquarters; All-Ireland hurling and football finals, concerts
  • Aviva Stadium — Ireland rugby and football internationals, Leinster Rugby big games, concerts
  • 3Arena — Indoor concert arena at North Wall Quay
  • RDS Arena — Leinster Rugby, concerts, show jumping
  • Tallaght Stadium — Shamrock Rovers football
  • Bord Gáis Energy Theatre — Musicals and touring shows, Grand Canal Dock

Day trips from Dublin

  • Powerscourt Estate (Enniskerry) — about 25 km, about 35-45 min
  • Brú na Bóinne (Newgrange and Knowth) — about 50 km, about 45-60 min
  • Glendalough — about 55 km, about 1 h
  • Kilkenny — about 125 km, about 1.5 h
  • Belfast (Northern Ireland) — about 165 km, about 2 h
  • Giant's Causeway (Northern Ireland) — about 270 km, about 3.5 h

Coach rules and practicalities in Dublin

  • Dublin Airport is about 10-12 km north of the city centre, about 20-45 min by road depending on traffic.
  • Dublin City Council has 67 designated on-street coach parking spaces at 19 sites (e.g. Western Way, Victoria Quay, Cardiff Lane, Merrion Square South, Grand Canal Place and Bellevue near the Guinness brewery); maximum stay 2 hours, paid through Parking Tag.
  • Coach parking spaces are not for loading or unloading passengers; use the signed city-centre coach stops for drop-off and pick-up only (e.g. Nassau Street).
  • Merrion Square South has a drop-off/pick-up point for cruise ship shuttle buses.
  • NTA Docklands Coach Park: 50 bays for off-street coach layover, entered via Park Lane off North Wall Quay; pay through NTA Cashless Parking.
  • Since August 2024 bus gates on Bachelors Walk and Aston Quay (7am-7pm daily) remove through traffic from the central quays; College Green bus gate runs 24 hours. Plan coach routes and set-down points around them.
  • M50 toll between Junction 6 (Blanchardstown) and Junction 7 (Lucan) is barrier-free: no booths, pay by 8pm the next day at eflow.ie unless the vehicle has an account or tag.
  • Dublin Port Tunnel is toll-free for buses and coaches with seating for more than 25 passengers.
  • Brú na Bóinne (Newgrange, Knowth) is reached only by shuttle bus from the visitor centre; groups of 15-30 must pre-book a group time slot.

Bus gates on the quays and College Green

Since August 2024, bus gates on Bachelors Walk and Aston Quay have taken through traffic off the central quays from 07:00 to 19:00 every day, and the College Green bus gate applies at all hours. Routes and set-down points are planned around them. A stop that looks obvious on a map may not be reachable, so leave the approach to the operator.

The airport, the Port Tunnel and the M50

Dublin Airport is about 10 km north of the centre, roughly 20 to 40 minutes by road depending on traffic. The Dublin Port Tunnel is toll-free for coaches seating more than 25 passengers. The M50 toll between Junction 6 at Blanchardstown and Junction 7 at Lucan has no booths: unless the vehicle has an account or tag, it must be paid by 20:00 the next day. Mention any M50 legs when you ask for a quote.

Day trips that need a booked slot

Brú na Bóinne, home to Newgrange and Knowth, is 45 to 60 minutes away by road. The monuments are reached only by shuttle bus from the visitor centre, and groups of 15 to 30 must pre-book a group time slot, so build the day around it. Powerscourt is 35 to 45 minutes out and Glendalough about an hour. The Giant's Causeway, about 3.5 hours each way, is a long day; talk through driver hours before you commit to it.

Questions

Where can the coach wait near the Guinness Storehouse?

Parking on Market Street is reserved for coaches, and Bellevue, near the brewery, is one of the council's coach bay sites.

Where do cruise passengers meet shuttle coaches in the city?

Merrion Square South has a drop-off and pick-up point for cruise ship shuttle buses.

Can the coach drop us on the quays beside Temple Bar?

Expect a short walk. The quay bus gates run from 07:00 to 19:00, so the operator will choose a set-down point that works with them.

Trips we arrange

Vehicles