Frequently Asked Questions 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Need some advice & help before booking your tour?

Here you’ll find some questions that travellers often ask regarding: information on the tours, the booking process, and visiting Dublin. Here you’ll find some questions that travellers often ask regarding: information on the tours, the booking process, and visiting Dublin.

If your question is not here, please get in touch.

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Before Booking

  • Instant booking - Is my booking confirmed instantly?

    Yes. If you have booked online at least 48hrs in advance, your tour is confirmed and we will email you all the details you need for your tour, including the tour start point, the guide’s name, number and email. You will receive an email from our booking engine confirming your payment. If you do not receive this within 30 minutes, check your spam folder. If you have not received it, odds are the payment was not processed. Please try again or phone us if you’d like to double check.

  • Last minute tours - Can I book a last-minute tour?

    If you want to book less than 48hrs before the tour start time, you must call us (+353 86 30 444 33) beforehand to confirm guide availability. Do this before submitting payment. This is particularly important during the high season (May-September).

  • Group size - What is your max/min group size?

    Maximum – For groups (students, corporate), 25pax or fewer is ideal. If your group is more than 30 pax, we will recommend that the group be split, requiring two guides. There are several reasons why we have these limits:

    • Safety – the bigger the group, the more it becomes an exercise in logistics rather than tour guiding as the guide will need to both maintain the trajectory of the group whilst ensuring their safe road crossing at the same time. Big groups are more likely to get injured by road or pedestrian traffic, as well as more likely to become the victims of pickpockets.
    • Tour Experience – the further you are away from the tour guide’s head, the less likely you are to hear or see them. If you miss one phrase or word, you might become lost for the entire segment.
    • Comfort – crowding closer together to hear the tour guide, or to avoid pedestrian traffic means that participants won’t have an ideal amount of personal space.
    • Convenience – we always have a break every 90mins on our tours. Finding a place with enough coffee or toilet facilities to accommodate a large group within 15mins is difficult. Visiting attractions is also quite difficult.
    • Etiquette – Big groups block footpaths, hindering pedestrians. This annoys locals who become evermore impatient with any large groups.

    Minimum – We can, and often do, take one person on tours of Dublin. Our more common group size is 2pax. We prefer guiding these smaller groups as we feel it enables the ideal touring experience. This is why our pricing is structured to encourage small groups – we have the same price for 1-5pax.

  • Group Size - What is your max/min group size?

    For a private tour, there is no minimum (Dubliners have spotted me talking to myself!). I can, and often do, take one person, but the pricing has a minimum. It varies by each tour, but it reflects the duration and, therefore, the price per hour. My favourite tours are the small, intimate ones where I have a family, for example, but I do enjoy the bigger groups from time to time as it involves a more theatrical approach. I strongly advise against booking a tour and then adding more people, for example, from your cruise ship. The purpose of a private tour is to create a personalised experience for a group of friends/family who already know each other and their travel needs – this might be more complicated if you invite a group of strangers where everyone wants to do their own thing.

    For groups (students, corporate), 25pax or fewer is ideal. If your group is more than 30pax, however, it is preferable for all parties that the group be split and an extra guide (one of our Dublin Tour Guides) supplied.

Payments

  • Can we pay in cash?

    In order to secure your tour booking, all payments must be made in advance through our website. We do not accept cash payments on the day of the tour. Payments can be made by credit/debit card or, in certain circumstances, by bank transfer, provided the funds reach our bank account before the tour start date.

    In exceptional cases, payment in cash may be accepted, at our discretion.

  • Credit card - How do I pay for the tour?

    By default, if you book a tour on our website you are offered to pay by credit card. All payments by credit card are processed by our secure third-party booking engine, therefore they will handle all your payment information. 

    For customised tours, you can also pay by bank transfer – let us know and we will prepare an invoice for you

  • Can I pay a deposit or do I have to pay the full amount?

    We require the full amount to be paid at the time of booking. This is partly because we are certain that your tour will be delivered, whether that be as scheduled or postponed (thanks to our generous ‘free postponement’ policy) for a few months. The advantage of this for you is that you only need to make one payment rather than two. You won’t need to worry, a few days before your flight, if you have, for example, paid the outstanding balance in time. It also makes you eligible for our refund policy – see Terms & Conditions.

    If you still prefer to pay a deposit, it means that you aren’t yet completely convinced. Our company has been operating as Dublin Tour Guide since 2014 (registered with CRO.ie) and as a limited company GPR Tours Ltd., trading as Dublin Tour Guide since 2017. Probably the most convincing evidence of our trustworthiness is the 750+ reviews on TripAdvisor. 98% of those reviews are 5/5, so you can book our tours with confidence.

  • Can I buy a gift card for myself or a friend? How does it work?

    Yes, when you book a tour in Fareharbor, there is an option to buy a gift card. When you select this option, you will be asked to choose the amount on the gift card (or enter a custom amount) and include a recipient name and email address. After completing the purchase, you will be taken to a confirmation page, where you can add a personal message and send your gift card. You’ll also receive an email copy of the order confirmation. This is useful if you don’t want to send the gift card right away. Once the digital gift card has been sent, the recipient will receive an email with their card details and personalized message. The gift card will have a unique alphanumeric code that they can use toward a purchase with our tours.

    When a gift card recipient makes a booking on the website, they can apply the gift card toward their purchase using the “Apply a gift card” option, located next to the booking total. The full amount of the gift card will automatically be applied toward the booking price and tax. If there is still payment owed on the booking, the customer will need to pay the remaining amount with a credit or debit card. If the booking total is less than the amount on the gift card, the customer will be able to apply the remaining amount toward a future booking. Gift cards cannot be made redeemable for certain items only. However, FareHarbor also has gift certificate and gift card/voucher hybrid options that allow you to offer voucher-style gift items. These options can be applied toward a specific item or activity.

  • Cancellation - What is your cancellation policy?
    • If you can no longer do the tour on the date you booked, we will do our best to reschedule. Keep in mind that it may not always be possible due to guides’ busy schedules. The amount of the refund depends on when you cancel the tour. Unless stated otherwise in your booking confirmation, this is our general cancellation policy:
    • 15+ days before : 80% refund (we retain 20% to cover admin costs)
    • 14-8 days before : 50% refund
    • 7-0 days before : 0% refund
    • All cancellations must be discussed via email or phone. Booking fees are non-refundable.
    • If we have to cancel the tour – and we will only do this in extreme circumstances – you will get a full refund.
    • For further details, please see our Terms & Conditions

Tour Information

  • Why should I choose Dublin Tour Guide? We are undecided. What makes your tours unique in Dublin?

    All our tours are private and tailored exclusively for your group. Why? Because every group is different. And we’ve done so many tours all over Dublin that you can put us anywhere and we’d show you something interesting. Think of the tour as a conversation rather than a script. If we were doing a scripted tour like so many, we’d lose enthusiasm for it after a while. So by making each tour unique, it becomes a challenge for us, and it keeps us enthusiastic and energetic about showing you the great city of Dublin.

    All of our guides are chosen not just for their knowledge, experience and skills, but for their personality and ethos. Each of our tour guides wants to give you the best tour you’ll ever have. And we deliver – read some of the 550+ reviews on TripAdvisor. 98% of those reviews are 5/5, so you can book our tours with confidence.

  • Quality - How do I know your guide can provide a 5-Star experience?

    We don’t just work with any good guide. We find the best guides in Dublin, then determine which ones are a cut above the rest. We ensure that they have a proven track record of consistently delivering 5/5 reviews. Then we train them in the mindset required to exceed your expectations every time.

    Our guides are masters at learning about your personality and needs and then tailoring their content and tour to suit you.

    If you’re still not convinced, check out our reputation on TripAdvisor, where we currently maintain a 98% success rate at achieving 5/5 reviews.

  • What languages do you offer tours in?

    At present, we mainly offer tours in English. But we can source external guides who can do tours of Dublin in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and Polish.

  • I’ve seen mention of some tours that have no tour descriptions. Where can I find out about these tours?

    Sometimes we have new tours or custom-made tours that are not yet suitable for the website. If you’re interested in a tour but need more information, please call us and we’ll tell you about these tours.

    It might be the case that some of these tours may only be open to travel agents. We believe that travel agents provide a service that cannot be replaced by OTAs like Expedia, Viator or TripAdvisor. We work with many travel agents around the world and we encourage you, traveller, to get in contact with your local travel agent to book our tours. They will not be more expensive. They will be the same price, if not cheaper.

  • Should I bring anything for the tour?

    A working phone number. The guide might need to contact you if there are any last-minute changes.

    See section below concerning the Irish weather.

    Comfortable shoes. We won’t be covering a huge amount of distance, so it feels like there is more standing than walking on the tour. Consider that when choosing your footwear.

    A sense of wonder, adventure and openness.

    If you’ve made a lot of changes or requests for the tour, we’d suggest bringing a printed copy of the correspondence, or at least be aware of our most recent correspondence. The guide should always have a copy of all correspondence anyway.

  • How much walking do the tours involve?

    Our 3-hour tours usually involve around 3km (2 miles) of walking.

    Full day tours can cover around 7km (4.4 miles) of walking.

    All tours usually include a coffee break, full day tours also include a lunch break, so there is plenty of chance to rest your feet along the way, and break up the walking.

    Of course, as it is a completely private tour, you can go at your own pace, and request to stop whenever needed.

    If needed or if we see that the tour pace is too slow for your requested itinerary, we could order a taxi or use public transportation.

  • I have a mobility concern - issue with walking/standing/wheelchair

    You or one of your party may need frequent rest stops to sit down. We can easily accommodate this on every tour.
    If, for example, you’re concerned that a slowed pace will preclude some of the sites on the 3hr tour, we’d recommend the 5hr tour. Just because you’ll be sitting down with the guide doesn’t mean that you won’t be learning about Dublin and Ireland. In fact some subjects, like the Irish Language and Northern Ireland require a break stop since they take several minutes to properly explain.

    Because of a health issue, the main concern during a tour may be walking too much. It could also be standing too much, which happens a lot during a tour. Walking might be perilous for you and so cobblestones (Temple Bar, Dublin Castle) and steps might be the factor that should be limited. As you can see, it is important to consider these factors for your group, and then inform us so that the guide will know how to deliver the tour with minimal discomfort.

Tour Customisation

  • Sightseeing Tours - Can we add entry to St. Patrick's/Christchurch Cathedral or another attraction?

    Yes, of course you can! We’d recommend St. Patrick’s Cathedral as it’s the National Cathedral and there’s a few more interesting artefacts inside compared to Christchurch.

    We’d be delighted to create a custom tour for you. Keep in mind, however, that we have carefully crafted our tours over the years so that they can deliver an amazing tour experience. Route changes and a small bit of swapping in and out attractions and sites is normal for us. If you request an itinerary that is substantially different from our usual sightseeing tours, we will happily deliver it and try our best to ensure the utmost satisfaction, but it is going to be less likely than normal. Just so you know the risks.

  • Pub Tour - Will this tour take us to unique and authentic Dublin pubs with interesting history and charming interiors, not just the usual tourist spots?

    Absolutely! Dublin is filled with pubs that have fascinating stories to tell and amazing interiors to enjoy.

  • Pub Tour - Can we add dinner onto our Pub Tour?

    Since we tend to start our Pub Tour at 6pm or 7pm, that doesn’t leave much space for dinner. What we suggest is to either have dinner before the pub tour and start at the first pub at 7pm or we can book a table for you at the first pub, where you can eat an impressively delicious meal AND have your first drink. The guide can meet you at your table when you’re predicted to have finished your meal, or you can feel free to invite  the guide to dinner.

    Although not impossible, it is much more difficult to book a table for dinner later than this. It will also break up the flow of the tour and, therefore, compromises the experience. The later the dinner, the slower the service will be.

  • I have a special diet; will I be able to find places to eat?

    You must inform us of any possible allergic reactions or religious-based aversion to food or beverages or other health concerns at least 14 days before the tour date.

    Gluten-free – Dublin is nowadays, thankfully, a very cosmopolitan and modern city so there are many cafés, restaurants and pubs that offer gluten-free options. Ireland has one of the highest rates of gluten-sensitivity and coeliac disease in the world so there is more awareness of the need for gluten-free options in Ireland than in most other European countries.

    Dairy-free – Nearly all cafés have plant-based milks as an alternative to dairy for their coffees. Unfortunately, this doesn’t translate to the menus you’ll see in pubs or restaurants.

    Halal, Kosher, Shellfish – There is a wide choice of Middle-Eastern restaurants in Dublin city centre. If you are allergic or averse to shellfish, keep in mind that one of the beers made by the Porterhouse brewing company uses oysters. This beer is generally only sold in their brewpubs (Porterhouse Central, Porterhouse Temple Bar).

Services &
Inclusions

  • What is included in your private tours?

    Visiting the attractions stated in the itinerary or an agreed upon itinerary that you and the guide have made.

    Entry to any museums, sites or attractions stated in the tour description. In general, as long as the guide can grant you access to the site for free, it can be included in the itinerary.

    Entry to paid attractions, provided that the appropriate add-on has been purchased during the tour booking.

    Food and drinks, provided that the appropriate add-on has been purchased during the tour booking.

    The undivided attention of your tour guide for the duration of the tour. This means you’ll be sharing a coffee break and a lunch break together, if relevant.

    The opportunity to ask for our expert advice, with ANY questions you might have about Dublin and places we will visit.

  • What is NOT included in the tour price?

    Entrance fees to the places visited on the tour, unless the tickets were included on the total tour fee paid. For example, we visit Dublin Castle on many of our tours. This visit includes an exploration of the exterior of the buildings, going from the upper courtyard, lower courtyard to the Dubh Linn gardens at the rear. Dublin Castle offers tours of the interior of the complex, but these are by the site’s own OPW tour guides. They are run at regular intervals and are ticketed.

    The cost of any food or drinks you consume during the walking tour, such as at coffee or lunch breaks, unless your tour specifically includes food and drinks. Most of our tours do not.

    Additional transport that you require.

  • What is tipping etiquette like in Ireland? Do I need to tip my guide?

    Tips are always welcome at the end of the tour. In Ireland, tipping is normally expected in the service industry, including tour guiding.

    For tour guides, the tip is normally 15-30%

  • Are tips included in the tour price?

    No. We do not include the price of tip in the tour price. This is because we believe that tips should always be voluntary and should be paid for as a token of appreciation for the service you have just received. The tip must go directly to the tour guide.

    If you have arranged a group tour, you should consider the tip tiers before the tour starts. You might decide to each tip the guide individually and determine (as an example) €10 for ‘good’, €15 for ‘very good’ and €20 for ‘great’. Alternatively, if you want to tip as a group, you should assign funds beforehand. And, depending on the feedback of the participants during the tour, decide whether to tip ‘some’, ‘most’ or ‘all’ of the budgeted tip.

    Tips help our guides understand how happy you are with the experience that they have delivered for you.

Itinerary

  • What are the sites/attractions that we will visit during a tour?

    The sites visited during a tour depends on which tour you book. If it is a themed tour, the sites might not be listed as they are accidental to the delivery of the tour. However, if it’s a sightseeing tour, the sites will be listed in the itinerary of each tour.

    If you select the page for a specific tour, you’ll find the list of sites/attractions included in the tour. Your tour guide will tailor the tour for you on the day, which might mean including something else in the itinerary just for you. This would most likely mean that one or more sites listed will not be visited. If there is something that you really want to visit, make sure to mention that to us before your tour date.

    We don’t believe in racing you from site to site just so you can take a photo and tick it off a list. We believe in spending as long as is necessary in the important sites so that you will not only know what the building means, but you’ll feel it. And you’ll remember that feeling for decades to come. That’s what we believe real travel is all about.

  • I am not exactly sure what I want to see in Dublin. Can we pick the route as we go?

    If you are not sure now, we can change the plan on the day! The only constant of the tour is duration, and what you see on the website are general guides. The route, sites, themes, topics, content is all customisable.

    If you already visited the National Museum or Book of Kells, we could replace it with a more off-track attraction.

    For example, we could go to real local pubs with a literary/musical connection that will be pleasantly quiet during the day, or we could go to centrally-located pubs that have great music and atmosphere during the day. Take your pick.

  • Breaks - Do we get to take a break during the tour?

    Rest stops are essential. We stop every 1.15 to 1.45 hours. They normally take the form of a coffee stop (late morning), meal stop (around 2pm) or a beer stop (anytime in the afternoon)

  • Trinity College Campus - can you guide inside?
    • Since 2022, Trinity College Dublin has introduced a policy of restricting tour guiding on campus. This means that only tours offered by the university’s company are permitted to explicitly offer a campus tour. The point of this is to limit the number of large groups on campus, and thus preserve the ambience as one of scholarly pursuit, as opposed to one of tourist attraction.
    • Large groups – As a result of this policy, it is not possible for our guides to bring groups of ca. 6 or more on campus with a view to giving them a tour. This means that the guide can bring the group to the Book of Kells exhibit (in the Old Library), but cannot otherwise stop to explain the history of Trinity nor point out key sites on campus.
    • Small groups – It is easier to bring in smaller groups onto the campus grounds and guide them. This must be done as inconspicuously as possible so as to not disturb other campus users, e.g. students. The campus authorities do officially discourage all non-official tours of the campus but are more lenient towards the less obstructive/intrusive small groups compared to the big groups.
    • Your guide might avoid the campus altogether, or explain the history outside the campus and stroll with you through the campus, or explain the history outside and give you a few minutes to experience the campus by yourself. All of this is at the discretion of the guide, and depends on the policy of Trinity College, which is subject to change.
  • Book of Kells, Old Library of Trinity - can you guide inside?
    • Since 2022, Trinity College Dublin has introduced a policy of restricting tour guiding on campus as well as inside the Old Library where the Book of Kells exhibition and Long Room Library are hosted.
    • Large groups – It has never been advisable to guide large groups inside the building. It is partly due to inconsiderate tour operators (inconsiderate to other visitors as well as staff) that this policy has been officially introduced. Tour guides can now, therefore, not guide inside at all, at any part of the visit.
    • Small groups – Guards have been advised to instruct any tour guide seen guiding to desist immediately. Our tour guides have noticed increased hostility from the guards. As our groups are normally 2-4 people, we aim to enhance the visitor experience, but must do so nowadays with increased vigilance. Unfortunately, this has led to an increase in anxiety for the guide and our clients, which, naturally, has reduced the quality of the overall experience for our clients.
    • Most of our guides prefer to bring visitors to the National Museum of Archaeology & History where the experience is just as memorable.
  • Dublin Castle - can you guide inside?
    • Since 2022, Dublin Castle has introduced a policy of restricting tour guiding in the Upper Yard. This has a minor impact on tours. As the Castle is run by the OPW (Office of Public Works), access to the interior has always been off limits for non-OPW guides. However, the rest of the Castle grounds, i.e. the upper and lower yards, and the Dubh Linn Gardens used to be accessible for all groups, regardless of size. Nowadays, guiding in the Upper Yard (and thankfully only there) is restricted.
    • Our tour guides have noticed increased hostility from the guards recently. This means that some guides may choose to avoid the upper courtyard.
  • Cruise - I'm arriving on a cruise ship. Which tour could be the best for me?

    1 day in Dublin – If you are only in Dublin for 1 day, you must do the Ultimate Day in Dublin tour. Click here

    2 days in Dublin – If you have 2 days in Dublin, I’d suggest a mix of urban and rural. Explore a day trip to Co. Meath and the Boyne Valley or Co. Wicklow and Glendalough on your first day – email us for details. Then enjoy one or more of our tours on your 2nd day, e.g. ‘(Nearly!) All of Dublin in 5 hours’

  • Can you guide inside Jameson Distillery or Guinness Storehouse for our group?

    Some attractions like the Old Jameson Distillery have their own tour guides and, therefore, cannot permit other tour guides to deliver tours.

    Other attractions like the Guinness Storehouse do NOT have tour guides. The tour is self-guided. We can guide inside provided the group is small enough.

After Booking

  • I’m going to be late for the tour. Who should I contact?

    Call +353 86 30 444 33 immediately unless you have the guide’s phone number handy.

    Once you have booked the tour, and we have introduced you to your tour guide, they will become your main point of contact for anything related to the delivery of the tour. If you have a rescheduling request, cost, group size or similar issue, email us directly. But if it’s something like you’re going to be late for the tour, you’d like to start at a different start point or time, you’d like to visit something different or a similar issue please call (it will likely be too late for email) the guide directly.

  • Can I change the details of the tour? Can I change things on the day?

    It is highly advisable to communicate any changes in tour type at least 5 days before the tour date.

    For any last-minute changes that might be due to delays or circumstances out of the control of your control, we advise that you call the tour guide directly to coordinate. We will do our best to make changes, however, keep in mind that it may not always be possible due to guides’ busy schedules, availability of the tour guide as well as their competency to do a particular tour. For info, please see our Terms & Conditions.

  • I want to add more people to the tour group

    We can add more people, but there might be an extra charge for each additional participant. As a result, it’s important that you confirm those extra people as far in advance as possible so that payment can be arranged in good time. One week in advance of the tour should be your deadline so you should inform your group members to confirm their place at least 10 days before the tour date.

    If you are on a cruise and you make some new friends, and would like them to join your tour, we strongly advise against this. The purpose of a private tour is to create a personalised experience for a group of friends/family who already know each other, and their travel needs. What often happens is that, in order to share the expense, strangers from the same cruise ship have been invited to join (and pay their portion of) a private tour by a group leader. More than half of the time, this does not result in a high quality experience. Often the participants act like it’s a public tour and therefore are not fully at ease with the group and the guide – they don’t feel comfortable asking as many questions or making as many requests as they would if it had been a fully private tour. In worst case scenarios, disagreements and even arguments have erupted between participants because one couple wants to do X and another wants to do Y.

    We specialise in private walking tours. There is a big difference between a private and public tour experience, primarily because the guides aim to establish a personal connection with each group. Private tours allow more of a natural, dynamic, conversation-like experience, whereas public tours are more like presentations. Our favourite tours are the small, intimate ones where we have a family, for example, but we do enjoy the bigger groups from time to time as it involves a more theatrical approach. In both cases, the tour group must be a closed group.

  • Who will be our guide?

    Depending on your group, their personality, and the tour itself, we will endeavour to choose the most suitable guide for you.

    If you have a preference after reading through our guides’ profiles, you should state your preferred guide in your tour booking.

    While our admins will do their best to place you with the guide of your choosing, this may not always be possible, especially during the summer when we get booked up very quickly. Most of our guides’ profiles are already uploaded on our website, but we get new guides joining the team every year (after a rigorous screening process) and it can take some time to upload their full profiles.

  • Once my tour is confirmed, how do I contact the guide?

    Your guide will be introduced to you via email as soon as we confirm his or her availability. The introduction email will contain the guide’s email and phone.

Planning
Advice

  • Accessibility - How accessible are your tours for people with disabilities?

    My mom will be 78 and has mobility issues and walks with a cane. How accessible are your tours for people with disabilities? Do you offer tours that drive from one attraction to another, instead of walking?

    Luckily, we have done mobility tours before, which have involved many rest stops, opportunities to sit down, short routes, avoiding cobbles and steps as much as possible.

    Dublin city is flat, compact and all the attractions you’ll need to see are nearby. From one extreme of the city centre proper to the other is only a 20 minute walk, so consider that, even with a mobility issue, the distance between one attraction and the next is relatively short.

    If you have a scooter or wheelchair, we can definitely accommodate you. We have delivered these tours before and are aware of the required toilet facilities, as well as ramp and access issues.

    We, therefore, do not recommend a driver to explore Dublin. If you hotel is not centrally located, or you’d like to visit attractions like the Guinness Storehouse, you should know that Dublin has a surfeit of taxi drivers, many of which are wheelchair accessible and can be booked through a mobile app, e.g. ‘Free Now’

  • Travelling with children - I fear my kids will get bored and tired. Which tour would be best for them?

    They won’t. Our guides are experts at catering to any traveller, so they can easily keep a 5-year old, 11-year old or 16-year old engaged and entertained.

    Kids 0-12: We’d recommend our shorter tours – no more than 3hrs in duration. Besides our 3hr sightseeing tour ‘The Fantastic Walking Tour of Dublin’ , which will be adapted to suit the kids, we also offer themed tours like a Songs & Stories tour that can include stories about leprechauns, fairies and other myths.

    Kids 13-18: We’ve had kids of all ages explore Dublin with us on our ‘(Nearly!) All of Dublin in 5 hours’, so duration is no problem. This is partly thanks to the tour guide’s energy and enthusiasm, and partly to the fact that we have a break every 90 minutes or so. Our tours are particularly valuable for teenagers who may already be yawning at the mention of ‘history’. We will enliven history for them. We explain history not as a series of dates or events that must be remembered, but we tell it as a story, or paint the picture of a time period like it’s a scene in a movie. Make no mistake that if you have teenagers, they will not only learn a great deal of Irish history but have a lot of fun doing it.

    And no matter what their age group, the kids will be entertained, engaged, and challenged – our guides are not the typical image of a tour guide, they are young, energetic and enthusiastic.

    Also, browse this advice page.

Transport & travel inside and outside Dublin

  • Can we use a taxi or do a chauffeur driven tour of Dublin?

    We do not personally drive from attractions as Dublin city is so compact that most attractions are very nearby. Taking a car to each attraction is like driving down your driveway to collect your mail.

    Our tours are about connection. Being able to look into someone’s eyes when you talk is an important emotional aspect of communication. This is not possible whilst driving. So a driving tour is a much less intimate and connected experience.

    We proudly provide sustainable and carbon-neutral tours. Dublin city has far too much car traffic as it is. We don’t want to add to it unnecessarily.

    If you need a driver, we can recommend someone for you. Please contact us.

  • Transport from Dublin Airport - How long will it take us to get from Dublin Airport to Dublin City Centre (for the start of the tour or our Hotel)?

    Is it easy to get a taxi?

    Yes, it’s easy to get a taxi. There are two ways to do this: (1) Once you walk outside the terminal building, you’ll find a taxi rank. These taxis require special permits to operate from the airport. There are often taxi managers on site to call up more taxis from the nearby ‘holding cell’ (as the drivers call it!) so you’re never waiting long for a taxi. Every taxi driver will display their credentials. Take a photo of this just in case – they are used to this. Only dishonest drivers would have an issue with you taking a photo of their driver details. It is easy to report taxi drivers if you feel they have ripped you off. (2) Reserve/Book a taxi to pick you up outside the terminal (there is only 1 or 2) using one of the mobile apps, e.g. Free Now. There should be a specific option for ‘Airport pickup’ as only certain locations are eligible for taxi pick-up. This is a better option since you’ll have a record of the driver and the journey. However, be aware that the card payment you have on file on the app will probably be charged in the local currency, which is the Euro.

    It takes around 30 minutes to get to the south of Dublin City centre from Dublin Airport. It will be the busiest at 7-9am, then less so at 4-6pm, with the quietest times at 9:30-1pm.

    If you are coming directly from the airport to the tour start point, we can start somewhere convenient like O’Connell Street. If you have luggage, you’ll need to store that before we start the tour. Unfortunately, there are not many places which offer this service. Perhaps the best one is ‘Luggage Storage Dublin’, on Bacherlors Walk.

    If you are coming from the airport to your accommodation, you should allow a margin of 30 minutes so that you can check in to your room. Keep in mind that if your scheduled arrival time at the hotel is in the morning, it is unlikely that your room will be ready for you. In this case, I suggest splashing some water on your face in the lobby restroom and perhaps changing clothes in order to feel refreshed.

  • I arrived at the Cruise Ship port in Dublin. Can I get a taxi there or do I need to arrange transport from the port to the starting point of the tour?

    Dún Laoghaire Harbour

    Since 2023, roughly half of cruise ships are arriving into Dún Laoghaire (pronounced ‘Dun Leeree’) Harbour. It requires a tender, so consider this when you’ve been told you’re told the time of arrival – does that mean the ship’s anchorage or the tender docking at the harbour?
    Taxi transportation is not recommended. This harbour is far enough away from the city centre that the cost and delay of taxiing through the city, especially at rush hour, is beyond reasonable. Instead, we’d recommend you avail of the train service. The Dart (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) station is adjacent to the harbour. Check out these directions within Google Maps. It is merely a 3-minute walk.
    There are two directions – southbound and northbound. Dún Laoghaire is to the south of the city, so you’ll need to identify a northbound service. All northbound services will go to at least Pearse Street. The next station is Tara St, then Connolly. Your guide will normally meet you at Pearse or Tara – on the platform at which you disembark. Try this to find out the next services. We’d recommend getting a day return ticket to Tara, even if you plan to disembark at Pearse. Purchase your ticket at the ticket machines before you go through the turnstiles.

    Dublin Port

    Dublin Port is definitely more convenient as an arrival point than Dún Laoghaire. It is only a short 16-minute road journey to the main street (O’Connell St).
    Taxi transportation is recommended. You’ll need to arrange a taxi in advance since there are very few drivers who have permits to pick-up at the pier. You can purchase an add-on from us so that we can arrange a taxi for you. The guide will arrive at the Port with a taxi to meet you and then travel the short distance to the city to start your walking tour.
    Most taxis are only 4-seaters, i.e. 3 of your group + the guide. We can arrange up to an 8-seater, which would accommodate a group of up to 7. If your group is bigger than 7, we can see what we can do for you, but it will be trickier, for sure.

    Regardless of which location you arrive at, please call your guide (you would have received the guide’s name and number shortly after you booked the tour) in the morning to ensure that you can align your plans.

  • Public Transport - Should I use public transport in Dublin?

    Yes. But it does depend on your journey.

    If you’re going to Jameson Distillery, the Luas (tram) will bring you very close to it and is much better than walking or the bus.

    If you want to go to the Guinness Storehouse or Kilmainham Gaol, take the 40 or 13 bus. Lamentably, using Dublin Bus is not easy for visitors as you’ll need to have correct change, and only in coins.

    If you’re considering renting one of the public bikes like Dublin Bike, don’t. Dublin is a scary and unsafe place to cycle, especially if you’re use to driving on the other side of the road.

    If your hotel is not in the city centre proper, you’d likely need a taxi for convenience.

    If you want to move through the city centre, a taxi is a bad idea. Simply walk.

    If you’re by yourself and coming from the airport, there is good competition between two main bus companies (Airlink and Aircoach) to enable a good timetable and reasonable prices. Aircoach is the more comfortable of the two, but you’ll see much more in the Airlink.

  • After lunch at Darkey Kelly’s, can the group and guide take the local bus to Guinness storehouse and back?

    Yes, this is a good location for ending the tour and getting the bus to Guinness. It is definitely possible to have the guide bring you through the attraction as they don’t do guided tours. The feasibility of this will depend on the size of the group. The guide doesn’t need a ticket. After the visit, the guide can take the local bus with you to the old city centre.

  • Any advice about visiting the rest of Ireland?

    Yes. Loads. Please browse our articles for more details.

    Spend as much time as you can on the west coast of Ireland. Don’t go from Dublin to Galway and back again in one day. Instead spend a night in Galway. Don’t pack a lot into one day. What makes a city rich is its story and you will never know it just looking at the buildings, so we suggest you do a guided tour. Contact us if you need a guide anywhere in Ireland.

    You will know Ireland better if you make detours to villages and if you drive on small roads (and get stuck in traffic because the sheep are blocking the road)?.

  • Do you know a good place for dinner in Dublin?

    Yes. Please browse our articles for info on the restaurant scene.

Irish Weather

  • Are the Irish summers hot?

    We wish! No, they are very rarely (once every 7-10 years) hot. They’re the ideal temperature for exploring a city – 17-23°C (63-73°F). Sometimes you might even get a cool day 13-17°C (55-63°F), most commonly in August. So it’s not ‘T-shirt and shorts’ weather, except for the locals. Trousers, shirt and a light jacket would be best.

  • I’m arriving in winter, what should I wear and how should I pack?

    You’ll need light gloves, a hat and sometimes a scarf. Winters are mild so don’t expect snow. If it does snow, it’ll be in late January.

    Ice is an occurrence, but mostly in the early morning, i.e. before 9am, after which time it melts. Not all areas in the city will be sufficiently salted, so mind your step in the mornings.

    Even though the temperature looks mild at 0-13°C (32-55°F), you must remember that Ireland is damp and windy. This means that a humid 5°C (41°F) can feel as cold as a dry -5°C (23°F). We say that the dampness can get into your bones. Besides wearing more clothing, a hot whiskey does well to warm you up.

  • What should I wear/pack if I’m neither coming in winter nor summer?

    Since it can be 13°C (32-55°F) during any month of the year, a safe bet is to wear trousers, an undershirt (t-shirt or vest), a shirt and a jacket. For the slighter cold months (Oct-Nov, Mar-Apr), a slim pullover is a good addition to this ensemble. So that’s 3-4 layers.

    A hooded jacket. Dublin’s weather is pretty accurately predicted by weather forecasts nowadays. Fortunately, it doesn’t rain as often as you’d think. Take a chance on going without an umbrella (generally quite difficult to use in our windy weather) or hat if there’s a less than 50% chance of rain. Even when it does rain, it will normally be light and short. Besides, there’s always a pub nearby if we really need shelter.

  • It’s forecast to rain for our tour date? Could we reschedule?

    If we cancelled everything because of the rain, we’d do nothing but stay in the pub all day… wait. Joking aside, the weather is very changeable so if it rains, it will generally only be for a short period of time. This means that if you do get wet, it will only be a little bit. Obviously, bring appropriate clothing – you’re visiting Ireland not southern California – a hat, umbrella or hooded coat should suffice.

    Tours usually proceed regardless of any typical Irish weather conditions. Acceptable weather conditions include rain, high winds (except 120km/h or stronger), high temperatures (except beyond 32°C/90°F).

    In the case of an adverse weather event, where the possibility of the tour and/or the safety of the Travellers and/or Tour Guide is in jeopardy, DTG will endeavour to reschedule the tour. If it is not possible to deliver the tour, DTG’s Cancellation & Refund Policy will apply, so you might decide to avail of the help of your Travel Insurance.

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