Is Dublin worth a day trip?

Yes: 10.7 hours in Dublin, £92 for the whole day, 30 min into town each way. Enough for the main sights and a proper lunch without rushing.

How long do you actually get in Dublin?

About 10.7 hours in Dublin. Landing to take-off is 13.2 hours; the trip into town and back and the time at the airport come off that.

How do you get from Dublin airport into town?

Aircoach 30 min, €12 return. A day ticket on local transport is Leap card day cap €6. Cheaper option: The €8 Leap Visitor Card covers the 16/41 airport bus and all city travel, but those take 50-70 min each way.

What does a day in Dublin cost, not counting the flight?

About £46 a person for the day: local transport, lunch, dinner and a drink. Paid attractions are listed separately because most people do one or none, and an average that includes them is a number nobody actually pays.

Is the flight price on this page the one I will pay?

The fare shown is the cheapest recently seen on this route, not a live quote for these exact flights. Check the airline or the booking link for the price you will actually pay.

How early do I need to be back at the airport?

Leave the city by 20:25. That allows 30 min to get back to the airport and 90 min there, before the 22:25 flight home.

Will passport checks eat my day?

Ireland is not in the EU Entry/Exit System, so we allow no extra time for it. Bring your passport; the usual check on arrival is quick.

Day trip to Dublin.
From Cardiff, back by 23:25.

Ireland·Sat 31 Oct · 10.7 hours in the city

£92

the whole day

10.7 hours

in the city

23:25

back in Cardiff

Time in the city

10.7 hours

after transfersAfter transfers and airport time

Airport distance

10km

to the centreFrom Dublin centre (DUB)

Daylight

9.6 hours

07:21 to 16:56Sunrise 07:21, sunset 16:56

FlightAirport, immigration and transportIn the city

08:15
Leave Cardiff
Ryanair, direct
09:45
In the city
Lands 09:15, 30min from the airport
20:25
Leave the city
30min back, 90min at the airport
23:25
Back in Cardiff
Flies 22:25

Leave CardiffRyanair, direct08:15
Land in Dublin1h09:15
In the city30min from the airport09:45
Leave the city30min back, 90min at the airport20:25
Fly home1h22:25
Back in Cardiff23:25

How we'd do it

Open up the maps to see full detail.

09:4910 min thereOpens 10:00

6 min walk

10:055 min there

2 min walk

10:1220 min there

7 min walk

10:3960 min there

5 min walk

11:4420 min there

7 min walk

12:1130 min there

6 min walk

12:4745 min there

3 min walk

13:3545 min there

4 min walk

14:2415 min there

19 min walk

14:5820 min there

2 min walk

15:2060 min there

5 min walk

16:2560 min there

18 min walk

17:4360 min thereCloses 17:00

18:43Free timeuntil 19:58

about 27 min walk

20:25Runs 24/7

Aircoach 700 · 33 min

AirportFlight 22:25

On in Dublin that day

Myra's Story14:30
Gaiety Theatre · Theatre and arts

Only events that start while you are still in the city. Listings from Ticketmaster.

Also on in Dublin

Coming up in Dublin: Leopardstown Christmas Festival, 26 to 29 Dec

Things to do in DublinShow

Guinness StorehouseTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Jameson Distillery Bow St.Tickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Dublin Attraction PassesTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
EPIC The Irish Emigration MuseumTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link

All things to do in Dublin · Tiqets, affiliate link

With kids in DublinShow

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Day Trip Flight Details

How we'd do it

Open up the maps to see full detail.

09:4910 min thereOpens 10:00

6 min walk

10:055 min there

2 min walk

10:1220 min there

7 min walk

10:3960 min there

5 min walk

11:4420 min there

7 min walk

12:1130 min there

6 min walk

12:4745 min there

3 min walk

13:3545 min there

4 min walk

14:2415 min there

19 min walk

14:5820 min there

2 min walk

15:2060 min there

5 min walk

16:2560 min there

18 min walk

17:4360 min thereCloses 17:00

18:43Free timeuntil 19:58

about 27 min walk

20:25Runs 24/7

Aircoach 700 · 33 min

AirportFlight 22:25

What a day in Dublin costs

Flights and on-the-ground spend, per person.

£92/ all in, per person

Aircoach to city centre and back£10

Local transport£5

Lunch£12

Dinner£19

Beer calculator× 0£0

Entry fees, on top (optional)

Book of Kells£21 (€25)

Opening days vary, so check before you go.

National Museum, National Gallery, Phoenix ParkFree

On the ground£46

Prices checked 3 Oct 2026

Return flight from£46

Google Flights price. Checked 6 hours ago.

Getting to Cardiff

All in, per person£92

Estimated cost. Fares last checked 16 Oct, 20:01. Prices and availability change and are set by the airline or agent when you book.

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Built by Josh and Samar

£19 today for your first year, then £19 a year for as long as you stay.

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Getting to the airportShow

Getting to Cardiff

Per person. Not in the total above. Prices checked 25 Sept 2026.

Coach

First Cymru route 304 from Cardiff city centrePrice not published
Source

Parking at the airport

Paid drop-offfrom £3
Drop-off tariff (reproduced by SkyParkSecure from the airport's own page): first 10 min £3, 10-20min £4, up to 1hr £8, up to 2hrs £20, 3-24hrs £50, each extra day £50 Source

More parking

Car Park 1No same-day price
Source
Car Park 2No same-day price
Source
Express ParkNo same-day price
Source
Premium ParkingNo same-day price
Source

Parking nearby

No same-day price published. See multi-day prices

Highwayman Secure Parking (via SkyParkSecure)£47.99
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 7 min. Source
Highwayman Secure Parking (via APH)--
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 6 min. Source
Looking4Parking--
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Source

Costs people forgetShow

Costs people forget

Not in the total above. Worth a minute before you go.

Phone data. EE, Vodafone and Three charge about £2.75 a day to use your allowance in Europe. O2, Tesco Mobile and giffgaff include it free.
Card fees. Many cards add a foreign-exchange fee to every payment abroad. Check yours before you go, or take one that doesn't charge it.
Ryanair airport check-in. £55 per person, per flight, if you don't check in online. Without a paid seat, online check-in opens 24 hours before and closes 2 hours before. Ryanair, fees
Ryanair bags. One small bag (40 x 30 x 20 cm) under the seat is free. A 10kg cabin bag (55 x 40 x 20 cm) needs Priority & 2 Cabin Bags, £12.49 to £36 when booked. An oversize bag at the gate is refused or put in the hold for £70 to £75. Ryanair, fees

Ask about Dublin

Your hours, your budget, what you like. Answered from real costs and tips from people who have been.

Tips from day trippers

1 tip and 4 BudgetBro picks for Dublin. Tap a place on the map to add yours.

Day trip to Dublin.
From Cardiff, back by 23:25.

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Day trip to Dublin.From Cardiff, back by 23:25.

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Day Trip Flight Details

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Day trip to Dublin.
From Cardiff, back by 23:25.