5 Apps for Travel to Dublin, Ireland

In continuation of the theme for my past guest posts, I have yet another post about my life as an expat here in Dublin. When I first arrived, I literally knew nothing, you guys. I got here with no job, no apartment, no knowledge of city life…and just had thrown myself in and make it work.

Well, I’ve been here a little over 3 months now and to say it was the best decision I’ve ever made is an understatement. I’ve learned so much in the time I’ve been here!

One thing I’m most proud of is how much better I am at navigating this large and foreign city. And it would be a disgrace for me to not pass my knowledge and tips
onto people who may be visiting Dublin for the first time.

So, since I’m in the spirit of giving, I have compiled a list of 5 apps I HIGHLY recommend anyone visiting Dublin to download. They’ll make your time here a helluva lot easier! From transportation to nights out, these bad boys will only help you to have an amazing time in my city!

1. Dublin Bus

Dublin Bus App

This app is pretty straightforward – your best friend when it comes to the Dublin
Bus system. The bus system in Dublin is a bit unreliable at times, but this app does
its best with dealing with the madness. You can search by route, by stop, by addres,
or by searching for stops around you if you really don’t have a clue. The real time updates have saved my life on multiple occassions!

2. Irish Rail

Irish Rail App

Again, this is your best friend when it comes to the trains, especially the DART
(Dublin Area Rapid Transit). You can put in your starting and ending points and find
out the whole timetable for any date. And it tells you when your train will arrive at
its destination, which is helpful. I sometimes see tourists looking at the printed
maps at the DART stations, trying to make sense of it. This app makes your life so much easier!

3. Hailo

Hailo App

This app is only currently available in a few cities, and Dublin is one of them. It’s
partnered with Ireland’s licensed taxis and high-end executive cars. It’s safe, hassle-
free, and makes it super easy to hail (see what they did there?) a cab at peak times,
or when you’re in the middle of nowhere where taxis don’t pass. It’ll tell you who
your driver is and how long it’ll be until they arrive. You can even pay through the
app if you don’t have cash!

4.In4Free

InForFree App

This is a great app for anyone looking for a great time in Dublin! If you love going
out and plan on doing so in Dublin, I highly recommend this app. Different clubs and
venues will have exclusive offers — from 1 EUR off of cover to completely free cover
— that you can claim on the app. There’s only a certain amount, but once you’ve
claimed it you’re good to go! You just arrive and show the confirmation on the app
to claim the deal! I’ve saved so much money on cover charges from this app, and have even gotten upgraded from it as well!

5. DuoLingo

DuoLingo App

 
Duolingo lets you learn languages for free! It’s great for anyone interested in
learning a new language or improving on a language. It’s fun and engaging. Duolingo
offers a wide variety of languages – and Irish Gaelic is one of them! The traditional
Irish language is still very prevalent in Ireland, even in Dublin, and can be found on
signs and postings everywhere. So if you really want to immerse yourself in the culture, this app could help you learn a few words of Irish before your visit to Dublin. Trust me, the locals will be very impressed!



  • LydiaCLee

    I’m not an app person (because I’m 107) but I am getting the idea I just make my life more complicated without them….

    • http://www.sara-sees.com/ Sara @ Sara Sees

      omg apps are so so handy! You need to bite the bullet and welcome them into your life with open arms!

  • http://www.eastwestlovestory.com Karen

    I am such an app person, but I have only used DuoLingo of the ones you mentioned. It’s a great program, but I do wish it had more Asian languages.

    • http://www.sara-sees.com/ Sara @ Sara Sees

      I guess Asian languages would be extra hard to learn from an app since you would have to learn a completely different alphabet as well. But that would be cool!

  • http://aspectsofstyle.com/ Anna

    Bus and train apps are sooo useful! I wish we had some of those in Athens!

    • http://www.sara-sees.com/ Sara @ Sara Sees

      They have literally been my lifesaver here! They’ve saved me so much time since I can follow along with the schedule and not have to run to the bus or wait for 30 minutes!

  • http://www.milligfunk.com/ MilliGFunk

    I didn’t know that DuoLingo had Irish Gaelic. That’s awesome!

    • http://www.sara-sees.com/ Sara @ Sara Sees

      yeah but be warned…it’s tough! Words have absolutely no resemblance to English at all, and the syntax order is different!

  • http://www.alonewithmytea.com Julie || alonewithmytea.com

    I love duolingo. Such a great app! I’ll remember these tips if I ever make it to Ireland, which I hope to someday soon!

    • http://www.sara-sees.com/ Sara @ Sara Sees

      I hope you make it someday soon too! I love it!

  • http://www.twofeet-oneworld.com/ Jessi @2feet1world

    Handy tips! I love Duolingo too, so great for learning. I keep picking it up again to try to remember my French :)

    • http://www.sara-sees.com/ Sara @ Sara Sees

      yeah I used it for Portuguese for a while and it’s really handy!

  • http://www.casacaudill.com/ casacaudill

    We’re moving to Dublin next month so I’ve bookmarked this post for future use. Thanks for the great resource!

    • http://www.sara-sees.com/ Sara @ Sara Sees

      ah so cool that you’re moving here! I moved here a few months ago and absolutely love it! You should check out my blog http://www.sara-sees.com because I’m always posting of things to do there! Can’t wait to follow along with your adventures!

      • http://www.casacaudill.com/ casacaudill

        You’re already added to my Feedly reader. 😉