How to Get to Aviva Stadium with Dublin Express
How to Get to Aviva Stadium with Dublin Express
Heading to a rugby international, soccer match, or concert at the Aviva Stadium? Dublin Express connects Dublin Airport and Belfast directly into Dublin city centre, from where Lansdowne Road DART station right beside the stadium is just minutes away. With bus tickets from €9 one-way from Dublin Airport and up to 16 daily services from Belfast, Dublin Express is the smart first step in your Aviva journey.
Aviva Stadium is Ireland's premier sports and entertainment venue, located at 62 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 4, D04 W2F3, in the leafy Ballsbridge neighbourhood south of the city centre. With a capacity of 51,700, it is the home of Irish rugby and soccer and regularly hosts international concerts.
Coming from Belfast? Dublin Express drops you at Westland Row — which is Pearse DART Station. From Pearse Station, take the DART southbound two stops to Lansdowne Road Station, right beside the Aviva Stadium. Total DART journey: approximately 5 minutes. This is one of the most seamless stadium connections available from any transport service in Dublin.
The DART to Lansdowne Road — The Key Connection
The most direct way to reach the Aviva Stadium from anywhere in Dublin is the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) to Lansdowne Road Station, which is immediately adjacent to the stadium on Lansdowne Road. The DART runs frequently from multiple city centre stations:
DART Station | Journey to Lansdowne Road | Nearest Dublin Express Stop | Walk to DART Station |
Pearse Station (Westland Row) | 2 stops, approx. 5 minutes | Pearse Street (Stop 345) | Less than 1 minute — Westland Row IS Pearse Station |
Tara Street Station | 3 stops, approx. 7 minutes | George's Quay (Tara Street Station), Route 782/784 | Approx. 2 minutes — George's Quay stop is named for Tara Street Station |
Connolly Station | 4 stops, approx. 10 minutes | Custom House Quay (Gardiner Street and Connolly Station), Route 782/785 | Approx. 5 minutes walk |
Getting to Aviva Stadium from Dublin Airport
Route 782 — Dublin Airport to George's Quay (Tara Street Station), then DART — RECOMMENDED
Board Dublin Express Route 782 from Terminal 1 (Zone 1) or Terminal 2 (Zone 21) at Dublin Airport.
Get off at George's Quay (Tara Street Station).
Walk approximately 2 minutes to Tara Street DART Station.
Take the DART southbound to Lansdowne Road Station (3 stops, approximately 7 minutes).
Exit the station — the Aviva Stadium is directly in front of you.
Total journey time from airport: Approximately 35 to 45 minutes
Dublin Express price: From €9 one-way
DART fare: From approximately €2.15 (check irishrail.ie for current fares)
Total cost from airport: From approximately €11
Book Dublin Airport to Dublin City (Route 782) →
Route 784 — Dublin Airport to Merrion Square, then walk
Board Dublin Express Route 784 from Terminal 1 (Zone 1) or Terminal 2 (Zone 21) at Dublin Airport.
Get off at Trinity College (College Green and Temple Bar) or continue to the Westland Row stop.
From Pearse Street (Stop 345), take the DART southbound 2 stops to Lansdowne Road Station (approximately 5 minutes).
Alternatively, if you prefer to walk: the Dublin Express blog recommends alighting at Merrion Square on Route 784 for a pleasant 15-minute walk through Merrion Square Park to the Aviva Stadium entrance on Lansdowne Road.
Dublin Express price: From €9 one-way
Book Dublin Airport to Dublin City (Route 784) →
Getting to Aviva Stadium from Belfast
Best connection in the series for Belfast fans. Dublin Express Route 785 drops passengers at Westland Row — which is the same location as Pearse DART Station. Step off the bus and onto the DART platform in under a minute. Two stops south on the DART brings you to Lansdowne Road Station, right beside the Aviva. Total DART journey: 5 minutes.
Route 785 — Belfast Grand Central Station to Westland Row (Pearse Station), then DART
Board Dublin Express Route 785 from Grand Central Station, Belfast.
Get off at Pearse Street (Stop 345) in Dublin city centre.
Westland Row is Pearse DART Station — take the DART southbound 2 stops to Lansdowne Road Station (approximately 5 minutes).
Exit Lansdowne Road Station — the Aviva Stadium is directly in front of you.
Total journey time from Belfast: Approximately 2 hours 30 minutes
Dublin Express price: From £8.50 one-way
DART fare: From approximately €2.15
Frequency: Up to 16 services daily
Getting to Aviva Stadium by Train with Rail2Air
Travelling from anywhere in Ireland by Irish Rail? Dublin Express has partnered with Irish Rail through the Rail2Air service, allowing you to combine your train and bus tickets in one booking. For the Aviva Stadium, the fastest onward connection from each Dublin train terminus is via the DART:
Arriving at Heuston Station (Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford, Westport routes)
Book your Irish Rail ticket to Heuston Station and add a Dublin Express bus leg via irishrail.ie using Rail2Air.
Board a Dublin Express bus directly outside Heuston Station — every 15 minutes at peak times.
Travel along the quays and get off at George's Quay (Tara Street Station).
Walk 2 minutes to Tara Street DART Station and take the DART southbound to Lansdowne Road (3 stops, approximately 7 minutes).
Find out more about Rail2Air →
Arriving at Connolly Station (Belfast, Sligo, Wexford, DART routes)
From Connolly Station, take the DART southbound to Lansdowne Road directly (4 stops, approximately 10 minutes).
Alternatively, walk 5 minutes to Custom House Quay and board a Dublin Express bus to Westland Row, then DART to Lansdowne Road.
For Connolly arrivals, the direct DART to Lansdowne Road is the simplest route — no bus transfer required.
Planning Your Aviva Journey — Tips for Match and Event Days
Aviva Stadium advises arriving at least 45 to 60 minutes before kick-off or doors open. Ireland rugby internationals and sold-out concerts have significant security queue times.
On DART services after the event, Lansdowne Road Station gets extremely busy. Irish Rail typically runs additional services on major event nights, but queues can be long. Consider allowing extra time, or walking to Sandymount or Grand Canal Dock station to board an earlier DART and avoid the main crowd.
There is no parking at Aviva Stadium on event days, and clamping is enforced in the surrounding Ballsbridge and Donnybrook residential streets. Public transport is strongly recommended by the stadium.
Aviva Stadium operates a cashless policy inside the venue all food, drink, and merchandise purchases must be made by card or mobile payment.
Check your Aviva ticket for the colour-coded entrance route the stadium operates a colour-coded entry system to manage crowd flow, and entering via the wrong route can mean a long walk around the stadium exterior.
For return journeys to Dublin Airport, the last Dublin Express service from Dublin city centre departs at 00:35. Allow at least 40 minutes from the final whistle or encore to be at your bus stop.
About Aviva Stadium
Aviva Stadium is Ireland's national sports stadium, located at 62 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 4, D04 W2F3, in the Ballsbridge area of south Dublin. Built on the site of the historic Lansdowne Road ground and opened in 2010, it is the home of Irish rugby (IRFU) and Irish soccer (FAI), and Ireland's only UEFA Category 4 Elite stadium.
With a capacity of 51,700, the Aviva hosts Six Nations and Autumn Nations Series rugby internationals, FIFA World Cup and European Championship qualifiers, and Champions Cup rugby fixtures. It also regularly hosts major international concerts, with artists including Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Adele, Coldplay, and Bruce Springsteen performing to sold-out crowds. The stadium is surrounded by the restaurants, hotels, and leafy streets of the Ballsbridge and Donnybrook areas, and is within easy walking distance of the RDS Arena and Herbert Park.
For upcoming events, tickets, and stadium information, visit avivastadium.ie.
Frequently asked questions
Take Dublin Express Route 782 from Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport. Get off at George's Quay (Tara Street Station) and walk approximately 2 minutes to Tara Street DART Station. Take the DART southbound 3 stops to Lansdowne Road Station (approximately 7 minutes) — the Aviva Stadium is directly outside. Total journey approximately 35 to 45 minutes. Dublin Express tickets from €9 one-way. Book here.
The nearest DART station to Aviva Stadium is Lansdowne Road Station, which is immediately adjacent to the stadium on Lansdowne Road. The DART runs frequently from Dublin city centre — from Tara Street Station it is 3 stops (approximately 7 minutes), and from Pearse Station (Westland Row) it is 2 stops (approximately 5 minutes).
Take Dublin Express Route 785 from Belfast Grand Central Station and get off at Westland Row in Dublin city centre. Westland Row is the same location as Pearse DART Station. Take the DART southbound 2 stops to Lansdowne Road Station (approximately 5 minutes) — the Aviva Stadium is directly outside. Dublin Express journey time approximately 2 hours 20 minutes. Bus tickets from £8.50 one-way. Book here.
Aviva Stadium is approximately 3.5 kilometres south of O'Connell Bridge, making it about a 25-minute walk from the city centre. By DART from Tara Street Station it is approximately 7 minutes, and by DART from Pearse Station it is approximately 5 minutes.
If arriving by Irish Rail from Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford, or Westport, your train arrives at Heuston Station. Board a Dublin Express bus directly outside Heuston (every 15 minutes at peak times) to George's Quay (Tara Street Station), then take the DART from Tara Street to Lansdowne Road (3 stops, approximately 7 minutes). You can combine your rail and Dublin Express bus tickets in one booking via the Rail2Air service at irishrail.ie. If arriving from Belfast, Sligo, or Wexford at Connolly Station, take the DART directly from Connolly to Lansdowne Road (4 stops, approximately 10 minutes).
Aviva Stadium is located at 62 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 4, D04 W2F3, in the Ballsbridge area of south Dublin, approximately 3.5 kilometres south of Dublin city centre. It is also known as Lansdowne Road.
There is no parking available at Aviva Stadium on event days, and clamping is enforced in the surrounding residential streets of Ballsbridge and Donnybrook. Dublin Express provides affordable, frequent services from Dublin Airport to Dublin city centre from €9, with a direct onward DART connection to Lansdowne Road Station right beside the stadium.
A Dublin Express bus from Dublin Airport to Dublin city centre costs from €9 one-way. A DART from Tara Street or Pearse Station to Lansdowne Road costs from approximately €2.15 (subject to change — check irishrail.ie for current fares). Total cost from Dublin Airport to Aviva Stadium by public transport from approximately €11, compared to €40 to €60 or more for a taxi on event days.
After your event, take the DART from Lansdowne Road Station northbound to Tara Street or Pearse Station. From Tara Street, the nearest Dublin Express stops are George's Quay (Route 782/784) for the airport. The last Dublin Express service from Dublin city centre to Dublin Airport departs at 00:35. Lansdowne Road DART Station is extremely busy immediately after large events — consider walking one or two stops south to Sandymount or Grand Canal Dock to board a less crowded DART. Use the Bus Tracker to monitor your service in real time.
Yes. Groups of 20 or more travelling from Dublin Airport or Belfast with Dublin Express qualify for a 20% group discount. Complete the group booking form at least 5 working days before your event. Ideal for rugby supporters clubs, corporate hospitality groups, and school or college parties attending Aviva events.
Yes. The walk from Dublin city centre to Aviva Stadium takes approximately 25 to 30 minutes and is entirely flat and pleasant. From the George's Quay / Tara Street area, walk south along Pearse Street, through Merrion Square, and down Northumberland Road to the stadium. The Route 784 stop near Merrion Square is approximately a 15-minute walk through Merrion Square Park — a very popular route on sunny match days. However, for international matches and major concerts with 50,000+ attendance, the DART is strongly recommended to avoid large pedestrian crowds on the approach routes.
