Big Bus Dublin Hop-on Hop-off Tour: 25 stops, live guide

You control the pace, not the clock. Get off whenever something catches your eye.

A hop-on hop-off bus tour of Dublin with 25 stops, a live English-speaking guide, and unlimited boarding for 24, 48 or 72 hours. The 48 and 72-hour tickets add a guided walking tour and a live-guided night tour. The 72-hour ticket also includes a full-day excursion to Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough with a complimentary Guinness. One child travels free with each paying adult.

The experience

The Red Route circles Dublin with 25 stops, so you're never more than a few minutes' walk from a bus. Trinity College, Temple Bar, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Guinness Storehouse, Phoenix Park, Christ Church Cathedral, Kilmainham Gaol and the Jameson Distillery are all on the line. The live guide on board does the talking (stories about Dublin's history and the sights as you pass them), so you're not reading a placard or following a map. Download the Big Bus app before you go and your ticket lives on your phone. The app also tracks where the next bus is, so you know how long you're actually waiting.

What you do with the time is yours. Spend an hour at the Guinness Storehouse, skip it entirely, get off at Merrion Square for the National Gallery, or stay on the whole loop to see how the city fits together. The bus runs all day with frequent departures, so if you miss one, another comes soon. If you pick the 48 or 72-hour ticket, you also get a guided walking tour departing at 11 am from the Spire on O'Connell Street (about two hours) and a live-guided night tour at 7 pm from Stop 1, with a second departure at 8:30 pm during late March through early October. The 72-hour ticket unlocks a full-day excursion to Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough, leaving at 9:45 am from Stop 1, arrive 15 minutes early, with mountain scenery, an ancient monastic site and a free Guinness included (available from 1 June).

Children aged 5 and up are welcome, and one child travels free with each adult ticket. The buses are wheelchair accessible and infants can ride in a pram or stroller. Service animals are allowed. Activate your ticket in the app, show it on your phone when you board, and you're on.

What’s included

• Unlimited hop-on hop-off bus access for your chosen duration (24, 48 or 72 hours).
• live English-speaking guide commentary on board.
• Big Bus Tours app for ticket storage, real-time bus tracking and mobile boarding.
• one free child ticket with every adult ticket.
• guided walking tour departing daily at 11 am from O'Connell Street (with 48 and 72-hour tickets).
• live-guided night tour at 7 pm with a second departure at 8:30 pm during late March through early October (with 48 and 72-hour tickets).
• full-day Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough excursion departing at 9:45 am with complimentary Guinness (with 72-hour ticket, available from 1 June).

Options for this experience

3 options

Single-day pass with unlimited Red Route boardingGuide in English · No fixed timeA ticket valid for twenty-four hours from first use, giving unlimited hop-on, hop-off access on the Red Route, and one child travels free with each paying adult.

Two-day pass with a guided walking tour includedGuide in English · No fixed timeValid for forty-eight hours from first use, with unlimited Red Route boarding and a guided walk; one child rides free with each paying adult.

Three-day pass with night tour and Wicklow excursionGuide in English · No fixed timeValid seventy-two hours from first use, with a one-hour live-guided panoramic night tour, a guided walking tour and a full-day Wicklow tour.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Child (5 to 15 years) · Under 5: can't be included in the booking

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Big Bus Tours Dublin

Is this one for you?Pick the 24-hour ticket if you want to sample Dublin's main sights in a single day without committing to extras. Choose 48 hours if the walking tour and night tour appeal to you and you want a second day to explore at a slower pace. Go for the 72-hour ticket if you have time for Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough: the mountain scenery and ancient monastic site are a different Dublin entirely, and the full-day excursion is included.

Traveler reviews

4.66★★★★★★★★★★

2,957 verified traveler reviews

5 ★2,452

4 ★256

3 ★106

2 ★44

1 ★99

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 15 years). Under 5: they can't be included in the booking.

What are the 25 stops on the Big Bus Dublin route?

The Red Route stops at Trinity College and the Book of Kells, St. Stephen's Green, Temple Bar, Dublin Castle, Christ Church Cathedral, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Guinness Storehouse, Phoenix Park, Kilmainham Gaol, the Jameson Distillery, the National Museum of Decorative Arts & History, and 13 other points across the city, including O'Connell Street, Merrion Square and Heuston Station.

Does the tour include entry to the attractions, or just the bus ride?

The ticket covers the bus and the live guide commentary only. Entry to individual sites like the Guinness Storehouse, St. Patrick's Cathedral or Jameson Distillery costs extra and you pay at each one. The 72-hour ticket does include entry to Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough on the full-day excursion, plus a complimentary Guinness there.

What's included with the 48 and 72-hour tickets that the 24-hour ticket doesn't have?

Both the 48 and 72-hour tickets include a guided walking tour departing daily at 11 am from the Spire on O'Connell Street (about two hours) and a live-guided night tour at 7 pm. The 72-hour ticket adds a full-day excursion to Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough departing at 9:45 am, featuring mountain scenery, an ancient monastic site and a complimentary Guinness.

How often do the buses run, and can I hop off and back on whenever I want?

Buses depart frequently throughout the day, so you're never waiting long. You can hop off at any of the 25 stops and board the next bus that comes, as many times as you like during your ticket window: 24, 48 or 72 hours from activation.

Do I need to book the walking tour and night tour in advance, or are they automatic with my ticket?

Both tours are included with your 48 or 72-hour ticket, but you need to show up at the departure point. The walking tour leaves at 11 am from the Spire on O'Connell Street. The night tour departs at 7 pm from Stop 1 (13 Upper O'Connell Street), with a second departure at 8:30 pm between late March and early October. Arrive early to secure a seat.