Okay folks, planning that Edinburgh to Dublin trip felt like untangling headphones in my pocket – messy but doable. Here’s how I hunted down the cheapest route without selling a kidney.
The Great Research Phase
First, I dumped all options on the kitchen table:
- Budget Airlines: Grabbed my laptop, checked every flight search site. Ryanair popped up like toast. £15 flights? Hell yes!
- Ferry: Scrolled ferry sites next. Belfast routes popped up, then buses to Dublin. Hmm… slow but cheap if timed right.
- Combos: Brain cooked up flights to Belfast + bus. Or ferry + train. Google Maps became my bestie checking connections.
Booking the Winner
Saw a Ryanair flight for £19 one-way BUT baggage fees sneaked up like ninjas. Had to stuff everything in a backpack that could fit under the seat. Booked it fast before prices jumped.
Pro tip? Edinburgh Airport’s bus is cheaper than the tram. Hopped the Airlink 100 bus for £4.50 instead of £7 for the tram. Scanned my ticket sweating like I’d robbed a bank.
Travel Day Chaos
Bus arrived at 5 am shockingly on time. Security line looked like a rock concert queue – but Priority Lane saved my bacon (paid £6 extra when booking… worth it!).
Ryanair flight was… well, Ryanair. Seat felt like a wooden plank but landed in Dublin 55 minutes later. Dublin Airport to city centre? Grabbed the Aircoach bus (€7) instead of a €30 taxi. No brainer.
Final Costs & Lessons
- Flight: £19 (basic fare)
- Bag fee: £8 (I caved for priority boarding)
- Edi Airport bus: £4.50
- Dublin Airport bus: €7
- TOTAL: ≈ £38
Beat ferry prices by miles! Only regret? Not packing snacks. Airport prices are daylight robbery.
So yeah, cheapest way is budget flights + public transport grit. Just dodge extras and move fast when prices drop. Now if you’ll excuse me… need a proper Irish pint after that tightarse journey!
