Spring is in the air, and now that life is returning to normal, that means we’re starting to think of getting out and about a bit more and exploring Dublin city and its environs. From beaches to parks and hiking trails as well as a large variety of cultural attractions such as museums, galleries, and the city’s beautiful architecture, not to mention a host of places to eat, drink and socialise, there’s a lot to take in.
So what do you get when you mix those longer, warmer days that are on the way, and 90 minutes of your time?
The answer is the city opening up to you in an affordable way. The new TFI 90 Minute Fare, which, at €2.30 for a promotional period, allows you to transfer across and between Dublin Bus, Luas and most Dart, commuter rail and Go-Ahead Ireland services in the Dublin area at no additional cost for 90 minutes.
All you’ll need is a TFI Leap Card with travel credit on it, and you can transfer as many times as you like across transport options within the 90 minutes - as long as you touch on your last trip within 90 minutes of touching on your first.
There’s a really easy way to keep track of all your journeys so you can make sure you’re staying within that hour-and-a-half timeslot. Download the Leap Top-Up App from the App store on Apple or Android and simply scan in your TFI Leap Card using the in-built scan function. You’ll be able to see your current balance, add credit if needed, and see a list of your latest transactions, all while keeping you on track with your schedule.
Naturally enough, we wanted to see what was possible in 90 minutes – so here’s what we did.
Explore the city
Starting off on Bachelor’s Walk in Dublin city centre, we touched our TFI Leap Cards on as we boarded the C2 route, one of the new C-Spine bus routes introduced late last year. Bound for Sandymount on the city’s south side, we travelled down Aston Quay before crossing the River Liffey. The sun was out, giving views across the sparkling water down towards the Convention Centre and Beckett Bridge. A quick trip down Pearse St and through Ringsend and Irishtown brought us to the seaside village of Sandymount, where we hopped off the bus for a short stroll.
A pretty mix of Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian architecture with a well-kept village green, you’ve easy access to Sandymount Strand from here, a super popular spot for walkers, as well as a good mix of shops, pubs and restaurants. It’s also around a 10-minute walk to the local Dart station, where we touched our TFI Leap Cards on again. With a wait time of just two minutes before the next train – typically trains are every 10 minutes - we were on our way northbound again back to the city centre, where we planned to connect to the Luas for a trip up to Collins Barracks.
Passing under the west stand of the Aviva Stadium is a particular highlight of this journey and one for rugby fans to take note of. As the city begins to unfold from suburban to more imposing urban architecture around Grand Canal Dock, your view is ever changing, always an enjoyable aspect of a trip from south to north on the Dart – or vice versa. At Connolly Station in Dublin city centre, we alighted, touched TFI Leap Cards as we exited the station, and walked outside to access the Connolly Luas stop, a Red Line stop.
Touching onto our third and final mode of transport, our plan was to head a few stops west on the line to Museum, located right outside Collins Barracks. One of the national museums of Ireland, it’s free to enter, and devoted to decorative arts and history – make sure to check out the permanent Eileen Gray exhibit and the Asgard, a sailing vessel with a storied history. The museum is conveniently located just outside the city centre near the Guinness Brewery and Heuston Station – and easy to access on public transport or by foot.
Arriving at Museum on the Luas, we touched our TFI Leap Cards off to finish our journey, and walked up the access stairs to head into the museum grounds where we had a final stroll.
The ease in which we could move between bus, Dart and Luas and travel from the city centre to Sandymount, and back to the city to visit the museum over the course of just 90 minutes – all for €2.30 - opens up huge possibilities for travel and discovery.
The only question is, where will we go next?