Dublin is only a short drive, train or bus journey from Belfast, and is the perfect city for students to go and enjoy the city for the day! With so much to see and do, Dublin is a city rich in cultural attractions, great bars and restaurants and events. It has something to offer to everyone!

Getting There

You can get to Dublin by car, bus and train, but the easiest way for students is probably the train.

The train departs Lanyon Place train station in Belfast every couple of hours and takes approximately two hours and twenty minutes to get to Connolly Station in Dublin, but it doesn’t really feel that long as it is a scenic train journey!

From there, you can get the Luas - the tram system in Dublin, to pretty much wherever you want to go! One tip regarding train tickets to save a few quid is to purchase your return ticket from Dublin on the Irish Rail website, as the tickets in Ireland are subsidised for students. Unfortunately, you cannot use Irish Rail to book the ticket to Dublin from Belfast, but if you book your ticket on the Translink website, the Websaver ticket is a lot cheaper than paying in person.

^{Views from the train journey from Belfast to Dublin - it passes along the coast near Dublin}

What to do

Dublin has something to offer to everyone. For first timers, having a drink in Temple Bar and browsing the shops on Grafton Street are a must in Dublin. The Guinness Storehouse is the most visited tourist attraction in Dublin and offers the brewery experience and tastings. For shopping lovers, I recommend Dundrum Town Shopping Centre, which is about a 25-minute Luas journey outside the city centre but has an excellent variety of shops and restaurants.

If you would like a relaxing day to take it all in, I recommend a browse around the city centre, and a walk-through George’s Street Arcade, a Victorian style red bricked indoor market full of shops and stalls selling cute bits and food. For the nature lovers, St Stephen's Green Park is a luscious park in the heart of Dublin City, or Dublin Zoo - which I highly recommend, is a short Luas journey or walk outside the main city centre and a student ticket costs just €16 which is worth it.

^{The penguins were our favourite in Dublin Zoo}

What to eat and drink

Dublin has a vast array of restaurants and cafes to choose from. Póg is great for brunch and has the best protein pancakes I have ever tasted, as well as tasty smoothie bowls and other healthy options. Loose Canon on Drury Street has incredible toasties and amazing coffee - great combo! Chimac - a Korean chicken restaurant - has amazing chicken burgers, tenders and loaded fries and is where I recommend to anyone going to Dublin! Bambino is a Dublin must - a New York inspired pizza shop that sells pizza by the slice - great for after a few drinks.

For drinks, the obvious option would be Temple Bar for tourists, but unfortunately the prices don’t seem to cut it with the student budget! I highly recommend Pygmalion, which has incredible cocktails which are two for one every day. Pygmalion also offers incredible pizza, which has actually been voted the best pizza in Ireland, so it is a perfect location for a catch up over a few cocktails and pizza!

^{Enjoying cocktails at Pygmalion}

Dublin is a lively, beautiful city that makes an amazing day trip for anyone from Belfast. There are so many things to do and it’s an excuse to see another city, so why not go for it!

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Sarah Geraghty Human Biology | Undergraduate Student | Galway, Ireland My name is Sarah Geraghty! I am a second year Human Biology student from Galway. I'm 21 and I feel like I have a lot to offer in the line of advice because I realise that a lot of people have a hard time settling in and making friends in university and that the expectations of “university life” don't always meet reality for many students. I am in the Biomedical Science society, and I really enjoy it.