Probably because I'm sick and tired of the urine-caked seats and the often-foul odors that…read morecontaminate my city's most famous metro system (BART), I am genuinely envious of other cities' public transit systems, especially those I've experienced in Europe, because they are usually a marked improvement over what we have in San Francisco. Case in point: Dublin has an excellent light rail tram called the Luas, a public transit system that worked really well for me when I was staying in a hotel down south near Sandyford in October. Now BART has been around since 1972, so I would begrudgingly expect the sadly frequent breakdowns that occur at the most inopportune times. However, the Luas has been open only since 2004, and I immediately noticed how clean the cars look and how smoothly they operated (see photos). I took the Green Line from Kilmacud, and my journey would take about fifteen minutes to the terminus at St. Stephen's Green right near Grafton Street. No breakdowns, no inordinate waiting at subsequent stations. Tickets cost € 4.50 round trip from my zone (Green Zone 3). Like most of Europe, payment works on the honor system in which a conductor may periodically show up and validate that you are indeed a paying passenger. There's an abundance of standing poles and folding seats to accommodate the rush hour traffic, a smart design move which I wish they would replicate in San Francisco. Currently the Red and Green Lines don't intersect, but that's part of the long-term plan. For now, Dublin can stand alongside Copenhagen, Lisbon, Barcelona and the other European transit systems that make me want to kick the collective derrieres of the BART Board of Directors.

As a regular visitor from NY, I enjoy using Luas (a tram system), both Red and Green lines. When…read morecombined with a short walk, great alternative to taxis. Regularly use it to get around Dublin. Abundant windows provide great views of the city at street level (pic uploaded). Station signage tells you wait time, usually measured in minutes (pic uploaded). Youths can be loud at times, but I feel safe using it. If I lived there...I'd feel frustrated. Luas is slow. Operates at street level (though traffic lights are synced with Luan). Concept of an express train would not work since tram must stop at every station. The two lines don't connect with each other. And Luas fails to connect with the airport. As a modern city, Dublin needs a rapid transit below ground. Tip: Luas operates on the honor system. Buy your ticket before boarding. Pay attention to the zones you will be traveling. During my 6 Dublin visits, I have been subject to two random inspections for proof of payment. Did not see anyone removed and taken to the gallows :)

So this was the first-ever LUAS stop that I used in Dublin as I was in town and had to get down to…read moreWindy Arbour for a potluck dinner event ... about 5km south. Luckily I had my LEAP card already and all I had to do was tap my card to the reader and jump on ... with the 1,000 other people cause this is the first/last stop on the Green LUAS line and it was evening rush-hour. Maps of the system, both in English and Irish, are near each train door and an automated voice calls out the next and arriving stations at the right time so it was definitely helpful cause looking out the window was difficult with the loads of people on-board as well as me having no clue where I was heading as it was my first time that far south of the city center. Trains arrive/leave this central location pretty often and it's very open-aired and right across the street from St. Stephen's Green ( a park ) in Dublin 2. Get your shopping or drink on, walk to this station and "Get Out of Dodge" quickly and easily.

It leaves and arrives on time. The public transportation system in Dublin is not the greatest, I…read morewould say it is pretty horrible but usually it is on time and it is the same for the LUAS stop at St Stephen's Green. It is a start/end destination so you would expect some delay but I have not experienced it being on it at all times of the day, which is pretty impressive. The maps in the train are clear and the information on where you are and the stops are also very clear. It is always easy to take the LUAS. The station is as any other station for LUAS but here you just a bit better view as the neighbor is St. Stephen's Green. The station is also very conveniently located at the end of Grafton Street so it is easy access to the city center of Dublin 2 as long as you do mind walking a mile or a miles and a half.

Interesting that the other reviewers have seen the ticket-checking folks in this area. I usually…read moreonly see them at Dundrum and beyond. Maybe its a time-of-day thing. Anyway, I've done the math and they seem to check frequently enough to justify buying the ticket. I get checked every 10-15 rides, so a €45 fine works out to € 3 - 4.50 per ride. More expensive than the ticket. Although if you think you can talk your way out of the fine every now and then (say, with a bewildered look and a German accent) you might find the calculus tipping in your favor. Not that I would advise such behavior. Anyway, this is a lovely stop. The viaduct means that interference with Ranelagh is minimal, even though the Luas cuts right though the center of the village. It really couldn't be more convenient. I'm also going to echo Dani on the coffee at Pinocchio. Definitely worth a visit, if you can spare the time.

Ranelagh Luas station is one of the more pleasant Luas stops located on a viaduct above the main…read morevillage, overlooking such renowned Ranelagh landmarks as Superquinns and the popular indoor Village Market on one side and Ranelagh Road that leads onto Charlemont Street that will take you into town on the other. The station provides a sheltered seating area and one ticket machine either side of the Luas tracks. The station is seldom busy owing to it being only three stops away from St. Stephen's Green (the last stop on the Green Line taking you all the way into the city centre) and hence most people travelling into town would have already boarded by now together with the reason that walking from this point only takes 20mins max and henceforth unless you are feeling quite sluggish or in such a rush you figure saving an extra few minutes will help your critical cause most people just walk instead of potentially paying for the Luas. I say 'potentially' because the method of payment to use the Luas is quite a contentious subject. There are no ceremonial means of having your ticket checked. What happens is that you board the tram, say with a ticket bought from the freestanding machines at each stop and unless an inspector in a fluorescent orange jacket suddenly boards at one of the stops to check tickets you will not have your ticket inspected. The inspectors, in my experience of living in Dublin are rarely seen and so it is customary behaviour by numerous people, especially students who have limited money to spend, not to buy a ticket at all. At a hefty €1.90 it is hard to justify paying this price for such a short journey, maybe if the local transport company did not charge such a bold price people would be more keen to pay, even if it was just to get rid of some loose change and ensure that if an inspector did board you were safe. If you do get caught ticketless the fine is an excruciating €45. The gamble is yours to either take or, well, not to take.

Its a bus, what can i say? its got 4 wheels, a driver and lets passengers on and off from the…read morefront door. Certainly the transport in Dublin could be better especially i am sorry to say on the northside which does not have the benefit of the Luas and now will never seemingly have the metro but losing buses from the city just is not going to answer that problem and so few of the buses even go anywhere near my job anymore so i have no choice but to use my car. The 83 bus trip has become a bit of an around the world because recently they got rid of the number 19 bus and now the 83 has tried taking in its route too which means you are sitting on the bus while it goes up and down extra roads which were not previously on the route but at least they have free wifi on the buses so now you can spend time checking out what is going on in the rest of the world.

This bus is so handy for work. It's never packed which is a bonus and when timing it on the bus…read moreapp, it actually turns up (most of the time) when it's supposed too-unlike the 145.

This is the businesspersons LUAS stop in my eyes. It's surrounded by office blocks and starbucks…read more A personal favourite of mine because you can watch the business-folk race the LUAS like some kind of machine vs. olympian event. While you watch from the comfort of your slightly uncomfortable LUAS seat; having gotten on at Stephen's Green.

I like this stop. This is the first one on the green line to make the Luas feel like a streetcar…read morerather than a train. There is no station to speak of, just a slightly raised area where the two trains pause to disgorge their grumpy contents. This is where the Luas is best - when it avoids the fanfare of formal platforms and stations. Quickly on, off, and away.

I've ridden the light rail and metro in five dozen cities around the world, including Tokyo,…read moreTaipei, Düsseldorf and Dallas. Dublin's Luas (Gaelic for "Speed") is just as good as any mass transportation network there is. The trams are clean, modern, efficient and speedy. The stops seem to be more targeted for the locals than the tourists but they work fine. Ticket kiosks are easy to understand and if you purchase and put value on a Leap card, you'll save a bunch and not have to be concerned with tickets. Just tap and go plus they work on the buses. I've not been asked to verify my ticket. I am sure that they do check them, but I've not seen it happen. The Green Line (of course it's green - this is Ireland!) opened in 2004 and with the addition of the Red Line a few years later, there are now 67 stations and enough miles of track to host a marathon. With stations across the city, the Red and Green lines get you just about anywhere except the airport. For that, you need a bus. Like lots of cities, Dublin's International Airport is a good ways from downtown. I felt as safe on the Dublin Luas as I did on any other metro anywhere. [Review 1991 of 2024 - 171 in Republic of Ireland - 23013 overall]

I took the Luas tram to get around Dublin. Luas is the Gaelic word for speed. The tram is very…read moresimple and easy to navigate. There are only two lines, a Green Line and a Red Line. The two intersect each other in a simple cross shape, so it's impossible to get lost. Just make sure you are going in the right direction. Green basically runs north to south, and Red runs West to East. The lines also connect to commuter trains that will get you to further places outside the city. For example, I was able to transfer over to the DART train to visit the village of Howth.

Had occasion to use this station on the way home to Co. Wexford on Wednesday last. We were waiting…read moreon the 16.53 train. I made a purchase at the stations kiosk and carelessly left my phone on the counter as I picked up my purchase. A few minutes later as I sat on the platform (still unaware I was missing my phone) this young lady, whom I recognised from the kiosk, approached me confirming I had just made a purchase. "I think you left your phone on the counter behind you". As she handed it over to me I was still unaware I was missing it and thanked her. She then rushed back to her kiosk realising it was unattended. I would like to applaud her for honesty and swift action in locating me as we could quite easily have been anywhere on the station or possibly already on our train. She is a credit to her upbringing and to her employers. I wish her well in her future and hope I get the opportunity to remind her of the thoughtful act that day. She can be very proud of herself. Thank you so much young lady.

Bald fella with glasses is an absolute joke,I approached him and said sorry and he said very…read moresmartly what's your problem ? I said sorry what's my problem your machine isn't working he then said i hate the customers in this place and was speaking to me slow as if i was dumb im a 16 year old girl and have been spoken to absolutely disgusting.

"Ding Ding, Next stop Balally, alight for Dundrum Town Centre" says the Luas announcer lady!…read more Thats right, THIS is the stop you get off at for Dundrum Town centre, its the closest one to it, well, dundrum is not far off but if its raining you will appreciate a shorter walk from this stop. Like Aoife pointed out below though,this is the first stop inside zone three meaning you have to pay more than you would if you got off in Dundrum, is this all some clever ploy by the Luas people to get us to spend our money? If its a nice day I recommend saving some pennies and getting off in Dundrum, this way you will get to walkdown Dundrum main street and see what it looks like before the old shopping centre is knocked down and you get to see all the pretty houses that line the main street!

Despite it's name not being 'Dundrum', this is the stop you get off at if you are heading to…read moreDundrum City Centre. Even the announcer on the Luas concurs when she affirms, 'Next stop Balally. Please alight for Dundrum Town Centre'. Balally is a far closer and more straightforward walk to the shopping centre, hence this zealous piece of advice coming from all sides. For the privilege of a shorter trip on foot you pay an extra 40c as Dundrum Luas Station is situated inside Zone 2, so to reach it from the city centre costs €1.90. Balally Luas Station however is the first stop inside Zone 3 and thus costs more at €2.30. There are no ceremonial means of having your ticket checked. What happens is that you board the tram, say with a ticket bought from the freestanding machines at each stop and unless an inspector in a fluorescent orange jacket suddenly boards at one of the stops to check tickets you will not have your ticket inspected. The inspectors, in my experience of living in Dublin are rarely seen and so it is customary behaviour by numerous people, especially students who have limited money to spend, not to buy a ticket at all. At a hefty €2.30 it is hard to justify paying this price for such a short journey out to Dundrum then back in again, maybe if the local transport company did not charge such a bold price people would be more keen to pay, even if it was just to get rid of some loose change and ensure that if an inspector did board you were safe. If you do get caught ticketless the fine is an excruciating €45. The gamble is yours to either take or, well, not to take. Balally Luas Station is a pleasant station with a Mace on-site so as to provide the modern commuter with a speedy means in which to pick up some provisions.