Car Hire Dublin Airport

Car Hire

The largest and busiest airport in Ireland sits just over six miles from Dublin’s city centre, offering easy access to this lively city and all of its top attractions. Local and express airport buses connect the airport and Dublin, while coaches operate between the airport and other cities such as Swords, Beaumont and Portmarnock. The fastest and most convenient way to travel to the city is with car hire in Dublin Airport; trips by car take anywhere from 12 to 22 minutes.

Who to Book With
International agents such as Avis, Europcar and Sixt, and Irish firm Dan Dooley offer car rental at the airport. Suppliers have counters at Terminal 1, though vehicles are picked up from the multi-storey car park at Terminal 2. A covered walkway connects terminals 1 and 2, while another walkway then connects passengers with the car park.

Need to Know Essentials
You will need to show the following documents at vehicle collection:

- Driver’s license issued two years prior to rental date (two parts)
- Credit card with driver’s name on it
- Booking voucher

For more info read our FAQ's.

Driving
Traffic in the city centre during certain times of the day can be horrendous. On-street parking is available for short-term stays, with long-term multi-level car parks being the better option. If you park over the maximum limit at an on-street meter, expect to come back to a clamp. There is ample free parking outside of the city centre at ‘Park and Ride’ stations. Petrol stations accept both credit cards and debit cards for payment, though debit cards need to be Irish Laser Cards, Maestro, MasterCard or Visa Debit. The Westlink Bridge along the M50 is a toll bridge and fees must be paid by 20:00 the following day through the internet, telephone or at a designated shop.

See our Ireland guide for more information on driving here.

Transport

Self-drive is by far the quickest way for arriving passengers to enter the city centre. Express buses reach the city in around 30 minutes, while slower local buses make the trip in approximately one hour. Buses stop running at 23:30, so passengers arriving late have to use a taxi to access the city.

Trains
There are currently no trains from the airport to the city, though there are plans to extend the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART) to the airport. Buses connect the airport with Dublin Heuston and Dublin Connolly stations in the city centre, which both run inter-city and suburban rail links.

Taxis
Taxis depart from the forecourts outside of both terminals. Be careful not to accept a taxi at bus stops, as they are forbidden to be there.

Taxi prices:
Dublin Airport to Dublin city centre costs between £15 and £25.

Buses
Express coach services are available 24 hours at both terminals through Air Coach, which costs around £6 for a single trip. Local Dublin Bus buses also provide service to the city centre, but are much slower. Bus number 16 takes passengers from the airport to O'Connell Street, while the number 41 stops at O'Connell Street and the Dublin Bus Station. The speedy Air Link bus number 747 goes directly from the airport into the city centre and stops at a number of key locations before terminating at the Heuston Rail Station. This bus costs around £5. The three-day ‘Freedom Ticket’ for travel within Dublin costs around £23 and includes the Air Link bus.

Facilities

Terminals
The two passenger terminals at Dublin Airport are connected by a covered walkway. Terminal 1 is the larger terminal and handles all short-haul flights, while Terminal 2 handles all long-haul flights as well as all flights served by Aer Lingus. Together they have an annual passenger throughput of over 18 million.

Parking
Over 22,000 parking spaces are spread across the airport’s eight car parks, three of which are at Terminal 1, another three at Terminal 2, and two being long-term car parks that are accessible to both terminals via shuttle bus. Prices per day range from around £5 to £24 depending on the chosen car park.

Wi-Fi
Terminal 1 offers complimentary wireless internet in all areas, as does Terminal 2. There are also internet kiosks in both terminals that cost around £0.10 per minute.

Information Services
There are two information counters at the Terminal 1 Arrivals Meeting Point.

Useful Numbers
Switchboard: +353 1 814 1111
Customer Service: +353 1 814 4717

Accessibility
The airport provides accessibility to passengers with reduced mobility, and assistance is available at both terminals. On arrival, passengers can get aid at a Help Point Location in Terminal 1 or through the One Complete Solution (OCS) Reception Desk in the check-in hall of Terminal 2. There are dedicated car parks for those with reduced mobility that are just a few metres from both terminals.

Restaurants and Bars
Both terminals have a variety of restaurants, with Upper Crust (Terminal 1) serving baguettes, Chocolate Lounge (Terminal 2) serving all things chocolate and Diep Le Shaker (Terminal 2) focusing on Thai cuisine. Both terminals also have plenty of fast-food counters and coffee shops. In addition, Terminal 1 has two bars and Terminal 2 has one.

VIP Lounges
Terminal 1: Executive Lounge

Terminal 2:
Executive Lounge

Money and ATMs
In the Atrium and arrivals hall of Terminal 1, and at the short-term car parks you will find the ATM's, while Terminal 2 has a cash machine in the Arrivals hall. There are bank branches and currency exchange kiosks in Terminal 1 as well as a currency exchange kiosk in Terminal 2.

Shopping
There is plenty of shopping in both terminals, with stores offering everything from high-end fashion to souvenirs. Duty-free cosmetics, perfume, tobacco and whiskey are available in Terminal 1 at The Loop. Pharmaceuticals can be purchased at Boots in Terminal 1 and Pure at Terminal 2, while cosmetics can be had at MAC (Terminal 1). Food lovers can purchase wild Irish smoked salmon at Wrights of Howth, while fashionistas will find brand names such as Kurt Geiger, Hugo Boss, LK Bennett and Longchamp in Terminal 2.