Dublin Airport is the principal gateway to Ireland and the busiest airport on the island, handling around 33 million passengers a year across two terminals. T1 is the older facility (the iconic 'pier' building with circular gates) and T2 the newer flagship that opened in 2010 — Aer Lingus and most long-haul carriers operate from T2; Ryanair and most other short-haul use T1.

It's a strong long-haul hub for travellers going west — pre-clearance immigration for the United States is available, allowing passengers to clear US Customs and Border Protection before boarding and arrive as a domestic flight on landing.

For UK travellers, Dublin is often the cheapest jumping-off point for transatlantic and Caribbean routes thanks to Aer Lingus's pricing and the pre-clearance time saving on arrival in the US.

Getting to DUB

All the practical access info — by car, train, coach and otherwise.

By road

From the M1 northbound, take exit 2 (the airport is signposted). From central Dublin, allow 25 minutes off-peak; from Belfast, around 100 minutes via the M1.

By rail

There's no direct rail link to the airport. The MetroLink heavy-rail project is in long-term planning. The nearest station is Connolly in central Dublin, with onward bus.

By bus / coach

Dublin Bus's Airlink Express (routes 747 and 757) runs from O'Connell Street and Heuston Station every 15–20 minutes during the day. Aircoach and Bus Éireann run longer-distance services to Cork, Galway and the rest of Ireland.

Also worth knowing

From the UK, Dublin is also reached by ferry (Holyhead–Dublin Port) plus a short taxi to the airport — a useful option if you're travelling with a vehicle.

The parking landscape

How parking works at Dublin Airport

Official car parks are operated by daa (the airport authority) and graded Short Term, Express Red (long-stay value) and Express Green (long-stay premium). All are connected to the terminals by a free shuttle.

Off-airport park-and-ride and meet-and-greet is established and competitive — independent operators run from the surrounding villages, with shuttle intervals typically every 20–30 minutes.

Pro tips

Tips travellers wish they'd known

Pre-clearance for the US adds 30–60 minutes to your departure — arrive at least 3 hours before US-bound flights.
Off-airport park-and-ride is usually 30–40% cheaper than the airport's Express Red lot for stays of 4+ nights.
Confirm your terminal in advance — switching at last minute means a walk between T1 and T2.
Aer Lingus's transatlantic fares are typically lowest if booked from Dublin rather than from a UK airport — worth pricing both.

Frequently asked

DUB questions, answered

The questions our 24/7 team gets asked most about flying from Dublin Airport.

Which terminal does my airline use?+

Aer Lingus, American, Delta, United and most long-haul carriers operate from Terminal 2. Ryanair and most other short-haul European carriers operate from Terminal 1. Always confirm 24 hours before.

What is US pre-clearance?+

You clear US Customs and Border Protection at Dublin before boarding. On landing in the US your flight is treated as domestic — no immigration queue. Allow 30–60 extra minutes pre-departure.

How early should I arrive?+

Two hours for short-haul Europe, three for long-haul, three+ for US pre-cleared flights.

Are there direct buses from the UK?+

Yes via ferry — National Express runs coach-and-ferry combinations from London via Holyhead and Dublin Port. Taxi from the port to the airport takes around 25 minutes.