Taxis in Ireland, and the FreeNow app

FreeNow is the app most used in Ireland and connects you to licensed taxis, so install it first. Uber operates here too, but it only dispatches licensed taxis, since the cheap private-car model is not allowed in Ireland, and Bolt is a third choice.

The apps show the fare estimate, the driver and the plate, and let you pay by card. Coverage is strong in Dublin and good in Cork, Galway and other cities, thinner in rural areas where you may phone a local company.

The thing to know is that Dublin airport (DUB) has no rail or tram link. Instead, frequent airport coaches (such as the Airlink, Aircoach and Dublin Express) run into the city center cheaply and are easy with luggage.

A metered taxi into central Dublin runs roughly 25 to 30 euros from the rank outside arrivals, and an app works the same way. For a group or late arrival, the taxi or app is the simplest door-to-door option.

Irish taxi fares are set by the National Transport Authority, a national maximum fare, so the meter is honest and consistent around the country, with legitimate higher rates at night, on Sundays and on public holidays. There is nothing to negotiate.

Most taxis take cards, and apps let you pay in-app, though it is worth a quick check if you plan to pay by card in a street-hailed cab. Keep a little cash as a backup in rural areas.

Fares are metered and regulated. To tip, round up the fare by a euro or two, or roughly 10% on a longer journey, which is a common courtesy rather than a strict expectation.

For more, see tipping in Ireland, cash or card in Ireland, and the Ireland money guide.

Common questions

Quick answers.

More on Ireland

The little money things nobody warns you about.

• Renting a car in Ireland, and the credit-card catchIreland is the country where the sentence people rely on, my card covers the rental, is least likely to be true. It is also the one where the answer depends on your specific card rather than on any general rule.
• Tipping in IrelandIreland tips more than most of Europe but less than the US: 10 to 15% at a restaurant, and nothing at the pub bar. Here is what you actually owe, and what to check on the bill.
• Do I need cash in Ireland, or can I use cards?Short answer: a card for almost everything, a little cash for country pubs. The Republic of Ireland is firmly card-first. The one thing to watch is the border: cross into Northern Ireland and the currency changes to pounds.
• Bringing your dog or cat to Ireland.Ireland is a common EU destination for US pet owners, and it runs on the single EU pet-entry process: microchip, rabies in the right order, and an EU health certificate on a 10-day clock. No quarantine, no rabies titer. Ireland adds exactly one thing the big EU countries do not: a timed tapeworm treatment for dogs. Here is what that means, and the local parts worth knowing.
• Do US citizens need a visa or ETIAS for Ireland?Short answer: no visa, and no ETIAS. Ireland sits outside the Schengen Area, so Europe's coming authorization does not touch it. The one wrinkle is Northern Ireland, which is a different country. Here is what actually applies.