Interesting that the other reviewers have seen the ticket-checking folks in this area. I usually…read moreonly see them at Dundrum and beyond. Maybe its a time-of-day thing. Anyway, I've done the math and they seem to check frequently enough to justify buying the ticket. I get checked every 10-15 rides, so a €45 fine works out to € 3 - 4.50 per ride. More expensive than the ticket. Although if you think you can talk your way out of the fine every now and then (say, with a bewildered look and a German accent) you might find the calculus tipping in your favor. Not that I would advise such behavior. Anyway, this is a lovely stop. The viaduct means that interference with Ranelagh is minimal, even though the Luas cuts right though the center of the village. It really couldn't be more convenient. I'm also going to echo Dani on the coffee at Pinocchio. Definitely worth a visit, if you can spare the time.

Ranelagh Luas station is one of the more pleasant Luas stops located on a viaduct above the main…read morevillage, overlooking such renowned Ranelagh landmarks as Superquinns and the popular indoor Village Market on one side and Ranelagh Road that leads onto Charlemont Street that will take you into town on the other. The station provides a sheltered seating area and one ticket machine either side of the Luas tracks. The station is seldom busy owing to it being only three stops away from St. Stephen's Green (the last stop on the Green Line taking you all the way into the city centre) and hence most people travelling into town would have already boarded by now together with the reason that walking from this point only takes 20mins max and henceforth unless you are feeling quite sluggish or in such a rush you figure saving an extra few minutes will help your critical cause most people just walk instead of potentially paying for the Luas. I say 'potentially' because the method of payment to use the Luas is quite a contentious subject. There are no ceremonial means of having your ticket checked. What happens is that you board the tram, say with a ticket bought from the freestanding machines at each stop and unless an inspector in a fluorescent orange jacket suddenly boards at one of the stops to check tickets you will not have your ticket inspected. The inspectors, in my experience of living in Dublin are rarely seen and so it is customary behaviour by numerous people, especially students who have limited money to spend, not to buy a ticket at all. At a hefty €1.90 it is hard to justify paying this price for such a short journey, maybe if the local transport company did not charge such a bold price people would be more keen to pay, even if it was just to get rid of some loose change and ensure that if an inspector did board you were safe. If you do get caught ticketless the fine is an excruciating €45. The gamble is yours to either take or, well, not to take.

We had a wonderful trip to Ireland with our family in early July and Cronin's coaches was a big…read morepart of what was so great about it. Our driver, John Carey was outstanding. He was an excellent tour guide and very friendly. He really took great care of us and made suggestions that we never would've known about without him. We have already recommended Cronin's coaches and John to a number of our friends who are planning on going to Ireland in the coming years. Thank you, John!

Our driver, Mossie, made all the difference in how rewarding this experience was. He has knowledge…read moreabout everything from the topography of the land to traditions in each town to the best places to shop. Because I was with someone that is legally blind and deaf, these insights were his primary experience. Mossie made Ireland come to life for him. He was also very helpful and considerate in helping my friend navigate under these special circumstances. Mossie has also traveled and experienced much in life so can converse on any subject. We felt seriously lucky to have stumbled upon such a cheerful and multi-talented driver.

It was very easy to get a taxi from the airport to our hotel in Dublin. The taxi was immaculate…read more The taxi driver was so very nice and just full of information. Because of him I was immediately excited about seeing Dublin. It was like getting a free tour while driving to our hotel! He knew everything about Dublin and he shared every single bit of his knowledge with us from sites, restaurants, history to the littlest details. My only regret is I wish I took a picture of him. I will remember him forever! I hope you are lucky enough to get this wonderful man for your taxi driver into Dublin!

Very organized station and train staff. I was impressed at the lunch and snacks menu. A lady came…read morearound taking everyone's orders. Just light cold snacks and refreshments for our trip but that's ok. Comfortable seating and we were able to reserve a table for four. A nice fast way to travel through Ireland. My first trip on a train in Ireland!

Most of my travels in Ireland were with the rental car but for the first couple of days in Dublin,…read moreit was Iarnród Éireann which in English is Irish Rail. The train operator for the Republic of Ireland with its main hub in Dublin but spokes leading out to much of the Republic. I did not take any of the long distance trains, just commuter hops on the line between Connolly Station and Maynooth (Maigh Nuad in Gaelic). Most of the time, the trains were on time. Smooth running, clean, efficient, with wifi on board. Never completely crowded except the rush hour schedule which is understandable. I did once almost miss a train because it's nearly time to depart but the track is empty. I learned from one of the staff in Connolly Station that the app might indicate one track number (in this case, Track 4) but the displays in the station show a different track number (Track 7). And it's the ones in the station that you should believe. Thankfully, I rushed over to Track 7 and boarded with a minute to spare. [Review 1813 of 2024 - 74 in Republic of Ireland - 22835 overall]

At 22 euro per person, you could think it is a bit expensive, but actually, well worth it. The pass…read morealso lasts for 48hrs, so as well as using it for the tour of Dublin, it doubled up as a way of getting around. You can hop on and off at any of the stops, so we did this a few times so experienced a few different drivers. There are 2 buses, one is the live commentary, the other is multilingual. The live commentary is in English. We went on the live commentary, and it is a bit of a comedy sketch to boot. One driver was a bit much, and there was a point where you did think, just be quiet for one minute!! But, in the main, very informative, funny and a great way of just seeing all the places. I think if you do this first, when you get to Dublin, you can then decide what you want to go and visit and then plan from there, and also have some understanding of where is it and how to get there. Really liked the tours we had and highly recommend it! https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g186605-d195416-r483630681-Dublin_Bus-Dublin_County_Dublin.html#

Prepare for 3 Bug Red Bus tour buses to pass whilst you wait for one to come from this company or…read moreto be denied entry because buses are full.