What is the cheapest way from Dublin Airport to the city centre?

Dublin Bus route 41 or 16 to O'Connell Street/Lower Abbey Street, about €2.00 with a Leap Card (€2.60 cash) and roughly 40–45 minutes — a fraction of the roughly €10 Airlink Express fare.

Where do I catch the bus at Dublin Airport?

From the Zone 15 stops outside the terminals, about a 5-minute walk from arrivals in either Terminal 1 or Terminal 2. Route 41 runs 24 hours a day; route 16 runs roughly every 10–15 minutes during the day.

Do I need a Leap Card, or can I pay cash?

A Leap Card gets you the €2.00 TFI 90 Minute Fare; without one, pay the driver €2.60 in exact coins, since no change is given. Leap Cards are sold at the Spar in Terminal 2 and WHSmith in Terminal 1.

Is the Airlink Express worth the extra cost?

Only if saving about 15 minutes and skipping a couple of stops matters more than price — it costs around €10, roughly five times the Dublin Bus fare for a similarly central drop-off near O'Connell Street.

How long does the trip take?

About 40–45 minutes on Dublin Bus route 41 or 16, versus roughly 25–30 minutes on the faster (and pricier) Airlink Express.

What is the best way from DUB to downtown Dublin?

For budget travellers the best way is the cheapest one: Dublin Bus route 41 (or 16) to O'Connell Street in the city centre, about €2.00 with a Leap Card and roughly 40–45 minutes.

How much is a taxi from Dublin Airport to the city?

About €30–€40 into central Dublin — versus about €2.00 on Dublin Bus route 41 or 16 with a Leap Card, or roughly €10 on the Airlink Express.

How to get from Dublin Airport (DUB) to downtown Dublin — the cheapest way

The cheapest way from Dublin Airport (DUB) to central Dublin is Dublin Bus route 41 (or route 16) to O'Connell Street/Lower Abbey Street: tap a Leap Card for about €2.00, or pay €2.60 in exact cash to the driver, for a ride of roughly 40–45 minutes. Route 41 runs 24 hours a day from the Zone 15 stops outside the terminals, about a 5-minute walk from arrivals. Don't default to the Airlink Express coach, which costs about €10 — five times the local bus fare — for a similarly central drop-off, though it is around 15 minutes faster if you'd rather skip the extra stops.

How to find it

AIRPORTDublin Airport
01From Terminal 1 arrivals, cross the road and walk through the terminal concourse to the Zone 15 bus stops outside (about a 5-minute walk); from Terminal 2, follow the 'Buses' signs to the same Zone 15 stop area, also a short walk from arrivals.
02Have a Leap Card ready (buy one at the Spar in Terminal 2 or WHSmith in Terminal 1) or exact cash of €2.60 in coins for the driver.
03Board the next route 41 bus towards Lower Abbey Street/O'Connell Street — it runs 24 hours a day roughly every 15–30 minutes — or route 16 towards Ballinteer, which also passes O'Connell Street, every 10–15 minutes during the day.
04Ride about 40–45 minutes into the city and get off at Lower Abbey Street or O'Connell Street, in the heart of Dublin, within walking distance of most central hotels and connecting to the Luas tram and DART rail.
CITY CENTREDublin

Ticket

Leap Card single fare (TFI 90 Minute Fare) on Dublin Bus route 41 or 16

Where to buy: A Leap Card can be bought at the Spar shop in Terminal 2 Arrivals or WHSmith in Terminal 1 before you reach the bus stop; top it up with cash or card at the counter. You don't need one at all — pay the driver in exact cash instead.

How to pay: Tap the Leap Card on the yellow reader as you board — the fare deducts automatically. Cash riders must have the exact fare in coins, as drivers carry no change and do not accept notes for this fare.

Local's trick: Route 41 is the only Dublin Bus service that runs right around the clock, making it the reliable, cheap option even on a late-night or early-morning landing when the premium coaches thin out. Tap a Leap Card for €2.00 instead of paying €2.60 in cash — buy one at the airport Spar (Terminal 2) or WHSmith (Terminal 1), or reuse one from an earlier trip; route 16 costs the same and also reaches O'Connell Street if it arrives first.

Trap to avoid: Don't default to the premium airport coaches — Airlink Express costs about €10, and Aircoach or Dublin Express run roughly €6–€9 one-way — three to five times the Dublin Bus fare for a similarly central drop-off; a taxi runs about €30–€40.

All ways to downtown, compared

Option	Price	Time	Ticket
BusCheapest route	€2.00	45 min	Leap Card single fare (TFI 90 Minute Fare) on Dublin Bus route 41 or 16
Bus	€10.00	30 min	Airlink Express single ticket (route 747/757)

Frequently asked

What is the cheapest way from Dublin Airport to the city centre?: Dublin Bus route 41 or 16 to O'Connell Street/Lower Abbey Street, about €2.00 with a Leap Card (€2.60 cash) and roughly 40–45 minutes — a fraction of the roughly €10 Airlink Express fare.
Where do I catch the bus at Dublin Airport?: From the Zone 15 stops outside the terminals, about a 5-minute walk from arrivals in either Terminal 1 or Terminal 2. Route 41 runs 24 hours a day; route 16 runs roughly every 10–15 minutes during the day.
Do I need a Leap Card, or can I pay cash?: A Leap Card gets you the €2.00 TFI 90 Minute Fare; without one, pay the driver €2.60 in exact coins, since no change is given. Leap Cards are sold at the Spar in Terminal 2 and WHSmith in Terminal 1.
Is the Airlink Express worth the extra cost?: Only if saving about 15 minutes and skipping a couple of stops matters more than price — it costs around €10, roughly five times the Dublin Bus fare for a similarly central drop-off near O'Connell Street.
How long does the trip take?: About 40–45 minutes on Dublin Bus route 41 or 16, versus roughly 25–30 minutes on the faster (and pricier) Airlink Express.
What is the best way from DUB to downtown Dublin?: For budget travellers the best way is the cheapest one: Dublin Bus route 41 (or 16) to O'Connell Street in the city centre, about €2.00 with a Leap Card and roughly 40–45 minutes.
How much is a taxi from Dublin Airport to the city?: About €30–€40 into central Dublin — versus about €2.00 on Dublin Bus route 41 or 16 with a Leap Card, or roughly €10 on the Airlink Express.

Last verified: Jul 2, 2026. Prices and timetables change — confirm at the official transport source.