Public transport operators in Dublin

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Many companies operate public transport services in Dublin, most of which are state-owned or semi-state-owned.

Contents

LUAS tram at Green Line terminus in Sandyford SandyfordLUAS 4075w.JPG
LUAS tram at Green Line terminus in Sandyford
Dublin Bus double-decker in Dun Laoghaire Bus111DunLaoghaire 2019w.jpg
Dublin Bus double-decker in Dún Laoghaire
DART trains at Bray Railway Station DARTBray 1158w.jpg
DART trains at Bray Railway Station

Rail

Light rail

Bus

Historically, bus services in Dublin were operated mainly by the Dublin United Transport Company, which was incorporated into CIÉ in 1945.

Today, two subsidiary companies of state-owned Córas Iompair Éireann operate most of the bus services in and around Dublin but many other private companies also provide services.

Most routes are awarded to the state-owned firms by non-tendered direct award [1] (with the exception of Dublin Bus Airlink and Bus Éireann Expressway services, which are entirely commercial); but recently a portion of both firms routes were offered for public tender. Neither firm retained these routes, with Go-Ahead Ireland winning both contracts [2] [3]

Some additional routes are tendered where a need is identified by the National Transport Authority. These are public service obligation routes and occasionally replace sections of withdrawn or altered Bus Éireann Expressway services.

City and local services

State-owned

  • Dublin Bus operates the vast majority of bus services in Dublin, including night services on Fridays and Saturdays and some limited 24h services.

State-tendered

Private

  • Aircoach operates 3 express routes from Dublin Airport in the Dublin area, including the city centre as well as other destinations which connects with many of Dublin's major hotels.
  • Airport Hopper operate two services between Tallaght [6] and Maynooth [7] and Dublin Airport
  • Ashbourne Connect operate services between Ashbourne & Ratoath and the city [8]
  • Balbriggan Express operates between Balbriggan and the city [9]
  • Dublin Coach operate between Dundrum and Dublin Airport [10]
  • Express Bus operates various routes, primarily connecting business parks including Park West to the city or public transport nodes. [11]
  • Fingal Express operate services between Rush, Lusk, Skerries and Portrane and the city [12]
  • Finnegan's operate a local service in Bray, County Wicklow Route 711 from the southern cross road to Bray DART station and main shopping areas of Bray, and another route from Route 722 Bray Southern Cross via Shankill, Loughlinstown, Cherrywood, Cabinteely bypass, Foxrock to Sandyford LUAS terminus [13]
  • Nolan Coaches, provides transfers between Heuston railway station and the Dublin Port for ferry foot passengers on behalf Stena Line and Irish Ferries. [14]
  • St Kevin's Bus Service operates a 7-day service between Glendalough, County Wicklow and Dublin city centre.
  • Swords Express Between Dublin City Centre and Swords Manor via Applewood, Pavilion Shopping centre Swords, River Valley, Boroimhe using the Dublin Port Tunnel. [15]

Longer distance and express services

State-owned

  • Bus Éireann operates many long-distance and express services to/from Dublin.

State-tendered

  • Go-Ahead Ireland won a competitive tender to take over a group of services from Dublin to the County Kildare area from Bus Éireann which began operations between 1 December 2019 and 19 January 2020, replacing Bus Éireann on these routes [16]
  • Bernard Kavanagh & Sons operate a National Transport Authority PSO service between Kilkenny and Dublin [17]

Private

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

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  3. "NTA announces preferred bidder for bus services on Kildare commuter corridor". 16 March 2018. Archived from the original on 18 October 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
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  12. "Routes | Fingal Express". Archived from the original on 18 October 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  13. "Coach Hire & Minibus Hire - Scheduled Services". Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  14. "Mortons Coaches". Mortons Coaches. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  15. "Timetable | Swords Express". Archived from the original on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  16. "Transport For Ireland - Major Jobs Announcement for Naas as Go-Ahead Ireland Gears Up to Operate Routes on the TFI Network -". Archived from the original on 18 October 2019. Archived 18 October 2019 at the Wayback Machine
  17. "Kilkenny – Dublin (Route 817) - National Transport AuthorityNational Transport Authority". Archived from the original on 30 April 2019. Archived 17 July 2019 at the Wayback Machine
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