Dublin Port Tours
1 October 2025
Update
Our 2025 ‘Behind the Scenes Bus Tour’ season has officially ended. A sincere thank you to everyone who joined us for our first year of Dublin Port bus tours. It’s been an amazing season welcoming visitors behind the scenes to experience the hardworking heart of Dublin up close.
Our 2026 Bus Tour season will begin in Spring 2026. Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to hear when the new schedule for 2026 is announced.
Discover the operations in the hardworking heart of Dublin, with our 2025 bus tour season.
Dublin Port is Ireland’s busiest port, handling €165 billion worth of freight and 1.6 million passengers annually. This unique bus tour offers visitors an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the vital operations that keep Dublin City and our country connected to the world, ensuring Irish goods reach global markets and essential imports arrive on our shores.
From towering container ships to bustling freight terminals, you’ll uncover the hidden histories, landmarks, and rich heritage that have shaped the port and Dublin City over the past 300 years. Learn how Dublin Port supports local communities, protects Dublin Bay’s biosphere, and plays a crucial role in Ireland’s economic success.
Whether you’re interested in history, a curious local, or simply love discovering how things work, this tour will change the way you see Dublin.
Tour Details
- Dates: Details of our 2026 Season will be released in February 2026
- Duration: Approx. 120 minutes.
- Meeting Point: EPIC Hall, The Chq Building, Custom House Quay, North Wall, Dublin 1.
- Tour Type: Guided bus tour (no walking required)
- Parking: No parking available – please cycle or use public transport.
- Points: The Substation, Ocean Pier (Restricted Area), Oil Zone, Greenway Discovery Point 2, Ferry Terminals, Ro-Ro / Lo-Lo Terminals, Brexit Lands.
- Stops: Passengers will alight the bus at Discovery Point 2 of the Greenway, Ferry Terminal 1 and The Substation.
- Languages: English – All tours will be given in English.
*Schools or Charitable Group Bookings
If you are interested in making a booking for a school or charitable group, please apply for our free tour spaces by completing this form: Expression of Interest Form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Tour Description
1. EPIC Museum – Tour Begins
Tours now depart from EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, located in the landmark Stack A warehouse, part of the CHQ Building. Constructed between 1817 and 1820 as a bonded warehouse for tobacco, tea, wine, and spirits, this striking structure was completed in 1820 under the design of engineer John Rennie. Its use of a fully fire‑proof iron and brick framework, with nine vaulted chambers below, made it one of Dublin’s earliest and most remarkable industrial buildings.
2. Dublin’s Docklands
From here, the tour begins with a drive through Dublin’s Docklands, once the heart of the Port’s commercial trade. Today, this area reflects the dramatic transformation from maritime industry to a regenerated urban district/. Like similar dockland redevelopments in European cities like Rotterdam, Hamburg, and London, Dublin’s Docklands illustrate how former port zones have been reimagined.
3. The North Port Common User Area and Oil Zone
The tour will go down Alexandra Road and into the North Port Common User which is a restricted operational area. Visitors will see one of Dublin Port’s busiest and most crucial operational areas of the port where €165 billion worth of imports and exports pass through here each year. A variety of large cargo vessels berth in Ocean Pier everyday including container ships, car carriers and bulk vessels. Due to safety and security reasons passengers must remain on the bus for this element of the tour.
The tour then passes the Oil Zone which is a crucial area within Dublin Port where 65% of Ireland’s processed petroleum arrives and is dedicated to the import, storage, and distribution of petroleum products. The operations in this area are vital to Ireland’s energy supply, and the facilities are subject to stringent safety and environmental regulations. Visitors will learn about the infrastructure and operations that ensure the safe management of these critical resources, including essential fuel for Dublin Airport.
4. RoRo and LoLo Terminals
The tour continues through Dublin Port’s North Estate, offering visitors an insight into scale and complexity of modern port logistics. Highlights along the route include State Services Yards, Ro-Ro and Lo-Lo terminals with a stop at Terminal 1 Irish Ferries where you can see ferries arriving / departing and the MP2 project development works in the distance.
5. Greenway – Discovery Point 2
The next stop brings visitors to the Tolka Estuary Greenway, Dublin Port’s newest public amenity and a key example of port city reintegration. This dedicated cycle and pedestrian route runs along the northern perimeter of the Port, overlooking the Tolka Estuary, and forms a new interface between port infrastructure and public space. The tour will make a stop at Discovery Point 2 along the Dublin Port Greenway; 2km of glorious walking and cycleways overlooking the beautiful UNESCO Dublin Bay Biosphere. This stop offers visitors an opportunity to explore a scenic and informative path for cyclists and pedestrians, showcasing Dublin Port’s ongoing efforts to integrate public access with its operations. At Discovery Point 2, visitors will gain insights into the port’s environmental initiatives and learn about the role of sustainable development in shaping the future of Dublin Port and its surrounding areas.
6.The Substation
The redbrick Substation, built in the early 20th century, which is located on the corner of East Wall Road and Alexandra Road, once played a pivotal role in the early electrification of Dublin Port. The building has been expertly restored and reimagined by the team at Dublin Port as a modern museum that plays a central role in telling Dublin Port’s story to audiences today. Passengers will alight at the Substation and will be given a tour inside of the building with a chance to view the historic sea wall.
During refurbishment works, part of the city’s original sea wall, built in 1728, was discovered beneath the Substation. The wall once enclosed the reclaimed land of the North Lotts, serving as a polder and the city’s eastern sea boundary. As the port expanded eastward, the wall became obsolete, and its facing stones were likely reused to construct the 3-metre-high boundary wall visible from East Wall Road. The area known as East Wall takes its name from this original sea wall.
Visitors have the option of leaving the tour at this point and continuing on foot from East Wall Road, the Point Village Luas stop is within 5 minutes walk.
7. EPIC Museum – Tour Ends
For those who choose to stay with the tour, visitors will hop back on the bus and be driven back to EPIC Museum. The total duration of the tour takes about 2 hours depending on traffic.
* Please note: The tour route and stops order may change from tour to tour due to operational requirements and traffic restrictions on the day.