Since I live on campus at UCD, I walk to class and it generally takes about 5-15 minutes to get to class. However, the majority of students do not live on campus. It’s common to see students driving to school or riding a bike. Many students also utilize Dublin’s transportation system. Dublin does have a commuter rail, the Dart, the majority of students take the Dublin bus to class.
The Dublin bus is a fairly extensive system, since Dublin does not have any subways systems to supplement. The bus charges by distance and rides vary from €1.40 to €3.50. While you can pay with coins, fares are cheaper if you use a leap card. A leap card is the Dublin equivalent of the Charlie Card and can save you quite a lot of money. For reference, a bus trip from UCD to city centre (the most likely destination in Dublin) is a 9 stage bus trip, which costs €2.70 with cash but only €2.05 with a leap card. Leap cards are also useful because you can reload them using cash or credit card. Also the Dublin bus does not give change, so If you do not have exact change you will receive a receipt detailing the change you are owed. Supposedly you can trade use these receipts for cash, but most people do not have the patience to hold onto pieces of paper worth 10 cents. Most Dublin bus stops have electronic signs with updates on when the bus will arrive. While they are usually accurate, don’t count of them during rush hour.
As for the buses themselves, they are double decker buses. The buses also have their own lane, an attempt to keep them timely. I suggest sitting on the upper level to get the full the experience. Dublin roads can be narrow and winding, so driving the bus is an art form and riding up top adds a certain thrill. As another student put it, “It’s the closest were going to get to riding the Harry Potter Knight Bus”.
