Many of us will be relying on public transport to get out and about over the Christmas and New Year period. If you are hoping to avoid long delays and busy car parks, or to get home late after your Christmas parties, then read on for details of extra services and schedule changes for Dublin Bus, Luas, Irish Rail (including DART), Bus Éireann and Go Ahead.
Remember to check the provider’s website or app for specific times and routes before you travel, and to leave extra time for your journey during the busy holiday period.
IRISH RAIL
Irish Rail are offering late-night trains on several lines in the run-up to Christmas, and on New Year’s Eve, offering party-goers more options to get home.
Trains will leave Dublin city centre at 1:30am or later on commuter lines, plus the DART, on Friday 8th, Saturday 9th, Friday 14th, Saturday 15th, Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd.
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- Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd
- Normal service with late night trains
- Sunday 23rd
- Normal services on all routes, except for some alterations on Dublin/Cork, Dublin/Limerick and Dublin/Sligo services
- Monday 24th
- Intercity: normal service with some alterations and cancellations until approx. 8pm
- DART and Dublin Commuter: Saturday service until approx. 9pm (8pm for Heuston routes)
- Cork Commuter: Saturday service until approx. 6:30pm
- Christmas Day, Tuesday 25th and St. Stephen’s Day, Wednesday 26th
- No service
- Thursday 27th to Saturday 29th
- Intercity: weekday service with some alterations and cancellations.
- DART, Dublin Commuter and Cork Commuter: Saturday service
- Sunday 30th
- Normal Sunday service on all routes, except for some alterations on services from Dublin to Cork, Limerick, Galway and Sligo
- Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd
Public Transport on New Year Eve
- New Year’s Eve, Monday 31st
- Intercity: normal service with some alterations and cancellations until approx. 8pm.
- DART and Dublin Commuter: Saturday service until approx. 9pm (8pm for Heuston routes)
- Cork Commuter: Saturday service until approx. 6:30pm
- New Year’s Day, Tuesday 1st
- Heuston Intercity: revised service – check times before travel
- Sligo and Rosslare Intercity: Sunday service
- Belfast Enterprise: limited Sunday service with some cancellations
- DART: Sunday service.
- Dublin Commuter: Sunday service with some alterations
- Cork Commuter: hourly service between Cork/Cobh, and Cork/Midleton
- Wednesday 2nd
- Normal schedules resume
DUBLIN BUS
Dublin Bus’s late-night Nitelink service has been expanded over the Christmas and New Year period.
Christmas party-goers will be able to get home from Dublin city centre between midnight on the following dates and 4am the next day:
- Thursday 13th, Friday 14th, Saturday 15th
- Wednesday 19th, Thursday 20th, Friday 21st, Saturday 22nd
- Friday 28th, Saturday 29th, Monday 31st (New Year’s Eve)
More details here.
There will be a number of diversions between Saturday 29th December and Tuesday 1st January, with Custom House Quay and George’s Quay closed for the New Year Festival. Full details here.
- Monday 17th and Tuesday 18th
- Normal weekday service. No Nitelink.
- Wednesday 19th to Friday 21st
- Normal weekday service, plus Nitelink.
- Saturday 22nd
- Normal Saturday service, plus Nitelink.
- Sunday 23rd
- Normal Sunday service. No Nitelink.
- Christmas Eve, Monday 24th
- Saturday service with last departures at approx. 9pm. No Nitelink
- Christmas Day, Tuesday 25th
- No service.
- St. Stephen’s Day, Wednesday 26th
- Sunday service. No Nitelink.
- Thursday 27th
- Saturday service. No Nitelink.
- Friday 28th
- Saturday service, plus Nitelink.
- Saturday 29th
- Normal Saturday service, plus Nitelink. Diversions for the New Year’s Eve Festival – click here.
- Sunday 30th
- Normal Sunday service. No Nitelink. Diversions for the New Year’s Eve Festival – click here.
- New Year’s Eve, Monday 31st
- Saturday service with last departures at approx. 10pm. Nitelink will operate. Diversions for the New Year’s Eve Festival – click here.
- New Year’s Day, Tuesday 1st
- Sunday service. No Nitelink. Diversions for the New Year’s Eve Festival – click here.
- Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd
- Normal weekday service. No Nitelink.
- Friday 4th
- Weekday service. No Nitelink.
GO-AHEAD
- Christmas Eve, Monday 24th
- Normal weekday service finishing at approx. 9pm
- Christmas Day, Tuesday 25th
- No service.
- St. Stephen’s Day, Wednesday 26th
- Sunday service.
- Thursday 27th
- Normal weekday service.
- Friday 28th
- Normal weekday service.
- Saturday 29th
- Normal Saturday service.
- Sunday 30th
- Normal Sunday service.
- New Year’s Eve, Monday 31st
- Weekday service.
- New Year’s Day, Tuesday 1st
- Sunday service.
LUAS
- Christmas Eve, Monday 24th: services end at 8pm
- Christmas Day, Tuesday 25th: no service
- St. Stephen’s Day, Wednesday 26th: Sunday services from 9am to 11pm
- Thursday 27th – Saturday 29th: Saturday service
- Sunday 30th: Normal Sunday service
- New Year’s Eve, Monday 31st: Saturday service plus Night Luas
- New Year’s Day, Tuesday 1st: Sunday service
There are also special Night Luas services on Friday 14th, Saturday 15th, Friday 21st, Saturday 22nd and New Year’s Eve, Monday 31st. The last departures will be from the city centre. Times each night will be as follows:
- Red Line Westbound (The Point to Tallaght): 1am, 2am and 3am
- Red Line Westbound (The Point to Saggart): 1:30am and 2:30am
- Red Line Eastbound (Tallaght to The Point): 1am and 2am
- Red Line Eastbound (Saggart to The Point): 12:30am and 1:30am
- Green Line Northbound (Brides Glen to Broombridge): every 30 mins from 12:20am to 2:50am
- Green Line Southbound (Broombridge to Brides Glen): every 30 mins from 12:36am to 3:06am
On all other dates, the last trams are as follows:
- From The Point: 12:30am Monday to Friday, 12:30am Saturday and 11:30pm Sunday
- From Connolly: 19:31pm (but later trams serve Busáras nearby)
- From Saggart: 11:52am Monday to Saturday and 10:51pm Sunday
- From Tallaght: midnight Monday to Saturday and 11pm Sunday
- From Broombridge: 12:17am Monday to Saturday and 11:17pm Sunday
- From Brides Glen: midnight Monday to Saturday and 11pm Sunday
BUS ÉIREANN
There will be a number of changes to Bus Éireann services over the holiday period:
- Christmas Eve, Monday 24th
- Normal weekday schedule on city/town, local, rural and commuter services, though all will finish early with last departures between 9pm and 10pm depending on the route.
- Most Expressway services will have an earlier last departure time: see here for a full list.
- Eurolines services cancelled.
- Christmas Day, Tuesday 25th
- No services
- St Stephen’s Day, Wednesday 26th
- Sunday service on Expressway (except Belfast/Newry services) city/town, local, rural and commuter services.
- Belfast/Newry times and first departures can be found here
- Eurolines services cancelled
- Thursday 27th
- Normal weekday service
- The first bus from Belfast to Dublin will depart at 4:45am
- Friday 28th
- Normal weekday service
- Saturday 29th
- Normal Saturday service
- Sunday 30th
- Normal Sunday service
- New Year’s Eve, Monday 31st
- Normal weekday service
- Eurolines services cancelled
- New Year’s Day, Tuesday 1st
- Sunday service on all routes
