Hopping On and Off Dublin Bus: The Best Way to Explore the Amazing City

First time in Dublin? No need to think a lot about where to start and where to end. Hop on a city bus tour for the best and easiest sightseeing experience you can ever have from your seat and at your own pace.

You are in Dublin; you have your itinerary covered. Believe it or not, Dublin bus tours are something the Irish capital is famous for. It is one way to travel easily around the city and follow your plan.

When You Are in Dublin, Do as Dubliners Do

Take the bus! Since there is no subway system in Dublin, then a bus would do. Buses are the most common transport means in the Irish capital and the best way to get around the city.

Bus tours are designed to make your vacation in Dublin the best it could be. With a tour operator on board, you need not worry about missing out on any of the city’s attractions. They have a route to follow and specific stops to make. Besides, bus groups are mostly given priority in lining up to the city highlights. 

All you have to do is to check the bus tour timetable and choose a suitable ride. Once you are on, let the coach take care of everything. So relax and unwind!

DoDublin Bus Tours

In the sightseeing business since 1988, DoDublin has been operating tours of the Irish capital, showing visitors the best of the city on their famous green hop-on hop-off buses.

A trip by DoDublin is not only architected for you to visit tourist attractions. It is a good chance for tourists to mingle with native guides who insert bits and pieces of their everyday rhetoric into their presentations. That’s what’s good about a trained guide.

Besides the live commentary by the coach, another feature of the ride is the pre-recorded tours in different foreign languages: French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Polish, Japanese and Chinese.

The buses first operated in 1988 under the “Grand Dublin Tour”. Back then, only one bus was in this service and offered a three-hour tour of Dublin twice daily. Now, DoDublin’s fleet consists of 23 double-decker buses, three coastal tour buses and two ghost buses. They depart every 30 minutes, so make sure you catch one!

Daily coastal tours allow passengers to visit Howth and Malahide Castle to the North of Dublin and south of the city to Powerscourt Gardens and Glendalough. Two night tours on ghost buses are offered on Fridays and Saturdays.

The hop-on hop-off tour, however, is the most famous among visitors to Dublin City. The bus tour makes 25 stops, allowing passengers to visit major attractions in the Irish capital. It is by far the best way to view Dublin!

Hop On, Hop Off

This is the most flexible you can get on your city bus tour in Dublin. You decide which destinations you want to explore, hop off the bus and get firsthand information about the city’s landmarks. You can hop on another bus anytime again after you have grasped and Instagrammed it all.

Dublin’s hop-on hop-off bus tours are meant to give you a good idea about the history and culture of the Irish capital through their all-in-one cruises. To put it short and to the point, you hop on the bus to discover and hop off it to explore.

Hop off at Dublin Zoo

While visiting the Irish capital, you can add some animal-themed fun to your itinerary. We recommend that you stop for a family day out at Dublin Zoo, which is home to more than 600 animals.

This historical zoo is one of the oldest in the world and opened its doors to the public in 1831. Yes, it is that old! But its design is not. Having undergone remodelling in recent years, Dublin Zoo is now considered a safe environment for animals and people alike.

Extending over 28 hectares in Phoenix Park, Dublin Zoo has vast gardens and lakes, making it a perfect place for relaxation and a good journey for learning about wildlife.

This biggest family attraction lures more than one million visitors every year to see the African giraffes, rhinos and zebras, and the Asian elephants, lion cubs and tigers, as well as monkeys and gorillas—all in one place. Having explored it and taken pictures of it all, you can hop on the bus again to take you to another sightseeing in Dublin City.

Hop off at Guinness Storehouse

Interested in knowing a little about Ireland’s most famous attraction? Hop off at the Guinness Storehouse. You can learn about Irish history there, for this place has been serving beer since 1759.

This globally recognised storehouse tells the story of Guinness while allowing you to eat some fine food and taste the products. It is highly recommended that you stay there for at least 90 minutes to be able to explore all seven floors of the Guinness Storehouse.

Located at St James’ Gate in Dublin, the Guinness Storehouse also offers its visitors 360-degree views of the Irish capital from its Gravity Bar, one of the city’s highest vantage points. The Wicklow Mountains, where fresh water is sourced for brewing, can be seen to your right, while the Wellington Monument and Phoenix Park can be spotted to your left.

Once a fermentation plant of the brewery, the Guinness Storehouse is now considered the heart and soul of one of the most famous beers in Ireland. Having listened to the whole Guinness story, hop on the bus again to explore another city attraction. 

Hop off at Trinity College

Visiting Trinity College is a must-do during your vacation in Dublin. Get ready to explore the gems of Ireland’s oldest university and marvel at one of the world’s most beautiful libraries.

Once here, you will feel immersed in history in every sense of the word. Old books and rare and ancient texts, including the four Gospels in Latin, are sheltered here. But what is really breathtaking is the Book of Kells, whose medieval manuscripts are known for their intricate and detailed illustrations.

This cultural treasure is preserved at the Long Room. It is a 65-metre-long area that constitutes the main chamber of the Old Library. You need a day-long visit to explore the Long Room, which has more than 200,000 books in its lofty vaults.

The Old Library was built in 1732. Besides books and manuscripts, it features gleaming marble busts of renowned Irish writers and philosophers. The double-height gallery bookcases and the vaulted ceilings were completed by 1860. It maintains this form to this day.

Visiting this impressive library at Trinity College will be like having a blast from the past! Back to the present, you need to think about which stop you want to hop off at next in Dublin City.

Hop off at Dublin Castle

Welcome to the once headquarters of the British administration in Ireland! Welcome to Dublin Castle! Standing on the site of a Viking settlement, Dublin Castle is a manifestation of 13th-century architecture. This must-see castle is famous for its amazing State Apartments and Chapel Royal, so get off the bus and explore this Irish attraction.

Dublin Castle also features a 13th-century tower and some medieval structures, making it one of the most important landmarks in Irish history. It lies in the heart of historic Dublin, and it is worth a visit before you hop on the bus again for another stop.

Hop off at St Stephen’s Green

This journey will only be complete with an enjoyable shopping day in St Stephen’s Green Square. Disembark the bus and have a stroll inside Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre.

Standing at the south end of Grafton Street in the city centre, Stephen’s Green has more than 100 outlets, selling almost everything you might need. Besides a wealthy selection of stores, this shopping centre also includes excellent eateries, so go ahead and dip in!

This premier centre is open all days of the week so that you won’t be short of shopping, that’s guaranteed. It is named after a city park found across the road—St Stephen’s Green Park.

Spreading over 11 hectares, St Stephen’s Green is a Victorian park located in the city centre near Dublin’s prominent shopping area. You can get there from its main entrance through the Fusiliers’ Arch on Grafton Street.

Take some time out of the bustling city and breathe fresh air as you explore this historic park and garden. Walking around the park, you will come across many sculptural monuments and different species of birds and plants. Your children can also have fun in the playground, one of the public facilities at St Stephen’s Green Park. It is the best place to end your cruise around Dublin after you have got a whole city experience.

DoDublin is the Best Way to Explore Dublin

What’s better than to explore Dublin City from its green Hop-on Hop-off bus? The tour is characteristic of the Irish capital, which has been in service for more than 35 years.

DoDublin double-deckers operate all days of the week. The trips start at 9:00 a.m. and continue until 5:00 p.m. in the winter and until 7:00 p.m. in the summer. With 25 bus stops positioned near top tourist attractions, passengers will find it easy to hop on and off along a closely connected route that covers the entire city centre.

DoDublin buses arrive every 30 minutes, so you won’t need to wait for a long time for the next double-decker to hop back on. They also offer 24-hour and 48-hour tickets for visitors to sightsee and explore.

The hop-on hop-off tour takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes. It starts and finishes on Dublin’s O’Connell Street. Travelling could not be easier!