Advice re flying from Canada to Dublin then getting the Holyhead ferry?

Fogmatic

Asking on behalf of a relative I'll call Mary, who moved to Canada 25 years ago, and is used to visiting her father in Anglesey.  Thus far, she's flown to somewhere in the UK (e.g. Manchester, at least once), then I presume getting a train(s), to Bangor perhaps.

Mary's father recently moved from a remote area to Holyhead, where she and her husband plan to visit him this autumn (though it could become urgent at any time, with his health issues).

They're now considering flying to Dublin, then getting a ferry to Holyhead, and she asked if I had any tips about the ferry.  (I've been on it multiple times, though not as a foot passenger, and am a lot more used to finding info online then they are).

I think it would add quite a lot of interest to their journey (especially with the glimpses of Dublin between airport and ferry), but I think there's a bit more to planning it than the ferry part!

It's no problem for me getting the ferry schedules, which ones take foot passengers, some prices etc (I even know what it's like hanging around for hours at the Dublin terminal at night, thanks to an unfortunate experience recently!).  Though I haven't yet found out whether booking can be done from Canada, and/or by me on their behalf.  (I know people often just turn up and pay at the terminal, but the more uncertainties eliminated the better!).

I'm also quite familiar with Dublin airport, both terminals (and at least roughly with the latest customs restrictions when setting foot on Irish soil).  But only as a Brit resident in Ireland travelling to & from London.  I've no idea how long it takes Canadian residents to clear customs, reclaim baggage etc?  (That could be important re matching a flight to a ferry sailing).

I'm also not familiar with Dublin itself, and can't seem to find an overview of the public transport.  All I've been able to find out so far is that is that there are buses from the airport to Busaras, but not all the way to the ferry terminal; I don't know if any buses go there, or if Dublin buses operate at night, or how much taxis cost, or what the payment options are for anything.  Maybe best to get a bus to Busaras, then a taxi to the ferry?

Any thoughts on these things much appreciated!

gipi

There is a bus service from busaras to the port for the ferry services.

Found this online, you might get more info on Dublin bus or bus eireann websites.

https://www.dublinpublictransport.ie/dublin-port-bus

deisemum

Allow plenty of time in case flight is delayed. I flew from Vancouver in April and the flight was delayed over 3 hours. I think the easiest thing is to get a taxi from the airport to the ferry unless there's a long time to kill.

EchoIndia

I agree re a taxi. The Dublin Port Tunnel effectively links the airport and port and the journey time using the tunnel shouldn't be much more than 20 minutes. The toll is 10 euro during the day but to go via any alternative route would probably add that amount to the fare payable anyway.

Fogmatic

Many thanks all for your input.

Sounds as if a bit of playing it by ear will be in order! (Especially as they'll want to disrupt her father's sleep pattern etc as little as possible).

They're in Ontario, and I think Toronto is their nearest place to fly from. It happens to be the only long haul place I've flown to (thanks to a competition prize), and it took about 5 hours (from Birmingham - UK based competition - but we very soon doubled back over our Donegal place!). Add the 3 hour time difference to British/Irish time, and it looks as if a night flight will be the thing , if there is one to Dublin.

If there is, once they know the projected arrival time it should be fairly easy to choose a ferry time (allowing plenty of time for some flight delay plus whatever time fot getting through customs, baggage reclaim etc). Dublin transport looks easier in the morning than the evening. With any luck they'll have enough time to see Dublin a bit, via bus to Busarus (and maybe a stroll round that area), and a bus to the ferry port. It's good to know about the taxi option from the airport via the tunnel if time turns out short. And if things go pear shaped, Jacob's Hostel (or whatever it's called now) near Busaras will probably have a bed for the night. (As I discovered in both directions when trying Sail & Rail for getting to London!).

The Dublin info is useful for me as well. For the first time in 30 years of living in Ireland, I'll be able to see a relative who's not in London without the expense and stress of taking the car. (And having a train station in Holyhead should enable seeing some others).

I'm only trying to find a couple more details now to complete the jigsaw; how long.it's been taking Canadian citizens lately to get out of Dublin airport after landing (they're in a slightly remote area, where they might not know anyone who's been to Ireland).

Re buses, the website says they'll be able to buy Visitor Leap Cards at the airport, from "Wrights Convenience Store". Do they mean Wrights of Howth, or Wrights Food Fayre? Presumably I can then check the opening hours. (I've run into that same ambiguity before, but can't remember the answer!).

And can foot passengers simply turning up at the port usually get a place?

L1011

It's the Food Fayre in the T1 short stay parking structure. I have seen them have signs up stating they were out of stock of Leap cards at one stage, so they won't always have them.

INIS could always have a bad day but it would be rare for the immigration queue to take much longer than the bags at the time of day that Canadian flights usually arrive at

munchkin_utd

there seems to be 2 direct flights from Toronto with Aer lingus getting in at 5.30am and the air canada at 8am.

If they took the early flight, it would connect to the first ferries which all leave at around 8am with the latest being Stena at 8.15am and with checkin closing 40 min before, thats a target of 7.35. Making that would be quite tight so probably best just buy the ticket at the ferryport. The ferry can hold a couple of thousand people but normally only has a few 100, so no issue buying a ticket on the spot.

If they got that earlier flight, surely they'd be through immigration and out of security by 6.30am. If they got a taxi its just 15 minutes to Dublin port so thats them at the port shortly before 7am.

For the later flight with Air Canada, you'd be out of the airport a little after 9am and the next ferry is the fast ferry with irish ferries departing at 1.50pm, so checkin closing shortly after 1pm. For that you'd be best head into town, grab a coffee/ breakfast/ lunch/ sightsee for a couple of hours before heading out to the port on the 11.54am nr 53 bus from OConnell Street. Im not sure a visitor leap would be any use to them except it just takes the thinking out of getting public transport. It doesnt cover the express bus from the airport any more so you would be as easy just pay as you go in cash, or buy the airport to city express in advance and pay the shuttle bus to the port in cash.

Fogmatic

Thanks LL1011. (I'll put my notes where I can find them this time)! Even if they don't use Leap cards on this occasion, it's useful to know re my own travels.

And thanks munchkin - with all those details, I think we now have all the info we need! I can probably add one or more maps from my little collection (I know free tourist ones of the very centre are widely available, but I generally find back streets more interesting architecturally, and it may run in the family!).

Ronald Binge Redux

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120756943#Comment_120756943

In sight of Busaras, not busaras itself. Thanks to some clype some years ago, who dobbed in Dublin Bus to TFI enforcement, instead of the once reliable 53B from Busaras, the frankly sh*t Nolan Coaches service runs from the front of the Customs House to the Ferryport. Get a taxi from the Airport to the Ferryport instead.

munchkin_utd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120772716#Comment_120772716

The bus 53 is now regular every hour all day with less services on a Sunday, timetable here https://www.dublinbus.ie/getmedia/fefbb979-f4c8-4088-8170-4dc10a670272/Route_53_Both.pdf?ext=.pdf

Fogmatic

Thanks, Ronald!

And munchkin! Re the 53, can I just ask where the Tara Street stop is? Tara Street looks to be south of the river (like a continuation of Butt Bridge). I wondered if it could be that it also continues a bit north of the bridge? That little bit of street isn't named even on the 11" to the mile map I have (though I haven't yet got out my enormous Dublin map that could do with a chart table!).

LXFlyer

To be clear there are two bus routes to the Ferry Port:

Route 53 operated by Dublin Bus

Stops at bus stop 496 outside Busaras on Beresford Place.

LEAP cards are valid on this bus.

The timetable is here:

https://www.dublinbus.ie/getmedia/fefbb979-f4c8-4088-8170-4dc10a670272/Route_53_Both.pdf?ext=.pdf

Route 853 (Ferrylink) operated by Nolan Coaches

Stops at bus stop 135271 on Custom House Quay**

Fare is €3 each way - they do not accept cash. Book online or pay by debit/credit card on the bus only.

Timetable for connections into Stena Line ferry departures:

https://nolancoaches.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Stena-Line-Shuttle-Bus-Timetable-01.06.2023.pdf

Timetable for connections into Irish Ferries ferry departures:

https://nolancoaches.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Irish-Ferries-Timetable-V2.pdf

**Exception: Departure point for Route 853 connections into the Irish Ferries SWIFT sailings is bus stop 135111 on George’s Quay - they do NOT serve Custom House Quay

TranslatorPS

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120775349#Comment_120775349

The 53 doesn't serve Tara Street at all, it stays completely north of the river.

This is the Monday-Friday routing out of the city centre. On weekends it goes straight from Talbot Street to stop 496 at the Busaras (the one below Talbot Street).

Fogmatic

Thank you LX Flyer for all those details; it's much appreciated.  And the bus stop numbers were a bonus, enabling me to locate them on a map.

And thsnks, TranslaterPS - sorry about that!  My note about the Tara Street stop must have been from some page with errors or out-of-date (I can't remember the one to avoid in future!).

Thank you for clarifying the route - it's the kind of visual info I haven't been able to find enough of.

We moved from London to Donegal 30 years ago, and still just about all we know of Dublin is from rushing through it to and from the ferry (with no chance to shop for a decent map of it!).

I had a similar puzzle a year or two back when my husband had an operation for which we had to get the bus to Dublin.  I found that the hospital was in north Dublin, so was able to book us online at a hotel that was somewhere in the same half of Dublin, but otherwise we were at sea geographically; off the tourist maps, and road atlas city ones too small.  And "How to find us" web pages aren't much help if you don't already know the whereabouts of the district names, or of more than a very few streets and features.

In the taxi from Busaras to the hotel I tried to spot some street names at junctions to google later, but they seemed elusive.  (And wrong weather for much help from the sun).

I had a bit of time free during our stay to have a walk and explore the area,  I first went online to see if turning on my phone location would help find a promising direction (maybe even a bus map, usually the only kind I need when I'm in London), but no dice.  I still couldn't find any overview, then stumbled on a probable reason; unresolved complications about providing maps for transport and other purposes.  I can't remember the details, but the Ordnance Survey of Ireland was one of the parties.  (It could explain why I could never seem to find a map of our local towns resembling reality).

Serendipity came up trumps though while just following my nose from the hotel, in the form of the aforementioned enormous Dublin map; a lone copy in a rather sad convenience store; obviously old stock (but not too old for much to have changed).  It covers the whole city, but also possibly every street (with an index to match).  I suppose it was published before the Irish OS changed their distribution system to online only.

I'd discovered that during an attempt to update from our first edition of a paper OS street map of Letterkenny dated 1999, before the area beyond the lower road got built up.  (That experience started with years of the shop being led to expect a second edition was imminent, and continued in a similar spirit - but I'm getting too off topic!).