Dublin bus map (or lack thereof)

[geoffk]

On a now-closed thread, another Forum member wrote in 2023 “Dublin Bus website is terrible in not having a map. Have to go to Transport for Ireland map, click on the stop to see what stops there and then go back to Dublin Bus to see the pdf.”

There is still no bus map, even an on-line one, and an explanation I’ve come across is the high licence fees required by Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI). I contacted Transport for Ireland (TFI) on my return from Dublin last week, suggesting that some map providers get round OS charges by using out of date (and hence out of copyright) mapping as a base, which is often good enough for bus routes. TFI and OSI are both public-sector organisations and surely they should be able to come to an agreement.

I’ve had a fairly unhelpful reply from TFI today. I quote “We have detailed maps of all routes on our TFI Journey Planner. You can visit our Journey Planner on the TFI website here Your Journey Starts Here. You click on the 'Maps' icon and you can see all maps and routes throughout the TFI network.” They go on to say that my case is now closed and I will not be able to respond to this email directly.

All I can find on line is London Underground-type route diagrams. These are of no help to visitors trying to find their way round as they don’t relate to the street network. I had to resort to Google maps and hope that the bus stops (with route numbers) were up to date, so I could identify the area I needed to stay. Even the on-line timetables give only departures from each end of the route, with timings between the main intermediate points. Information at stops and “next stop” announcements on board were generally good, although I only used the 16/41 corridor.

 

[AdamWW]

On a now-closed thread, another Forum member wrote in 2023 “Dublin Bus website is terrible in not having a map. Have to go to Transport for Ireland map, click on the stop to see what stops there and then go back to Dublin Bus to see the pdf.”

There is still no bus map, even an on-line one, and an explanation I’ve come across is the high licence fees required by Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI). I contacted Transport for Ireland (TFI) on my return from Dublin last week, suggesting that some map providers get round OS charges by using out of date (and hence out of copyright) mapping as a base, which is often good enough for bus routes. TFI and OSI are both public-sector organisations and surely they should be able to come to an agreement.

I’ve had a fairly unhelpful reply from TFI today. I quote “We have detailed maps of all routes on our TFI Journey Planner. You can visit our Journey Planner on the TFI website here Your Journey Starts Here. You click on the 'Maps' icon and you can see all maps and routes throughout the TFI network.” They go on to say that my case is now closed and I will not be able to respond to this email directly.

All I can find on line is London Underground-type route diagrams. These are of no help to visitors trying to find their way round as they don’t relate to the street network. I had to resort to Google maps and hope that the bus stops (with route numbers) were up to date, so I could identify the area I needed to stay. Even the on-line timetables give only departures from each end of the route, with timings between the main intermediate points. Information at stops and “next stop” announcements on board were generally good, although I only used the 16/41 corridor.

I would have thought that Openstreetmap ought to do the job if they couldn't/didn't want to use Google Maps themselves.

 

[Flying Snail]

There hasn't been any sort of printed/pdf bus map for Dublin for a very long time, Dublin Bus did produce them at one point as well as local area guides with a small segment of the OSI map along with all relevant timetables but that was back when it was their network.

That's all ancient history now as Dublin Bus are little more than a sub-contractor to NTA/TFI who are responsible for all such information so DB won't be providing anything like maps again.

Unfortunately as you found out TFI aren't interested in producing such a map at present.

With the current flux in routes/numbers with the never ending bus connects network re-design anything produced would be out of date relatively quickly. They produced numerous maps in connection with proposals and roll-out of these changes but the full network maps were of proposed routes not the current network.

That part of their website has some maps https://www.transportforireland.ie/network-redesign/

They did cough up a national map recently containing most Bus Eireann, Local Link and commercial trunk, regional and local routes

https://www.transportforireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Regional-Public-Transport-Map-TFI.pdf

If only they did more to make it an actual network rather than numerous separate operations, proper fare integration especially where various operators overlap as well as some regional and national tickets are sorely lacking.

They also usually produce some sort of map to accompany expanded and new town services so perhaps at some point a Dublin city map will appear.

Google maps is reasonably accurate although it can have a lag when routes change, www.bustimes.org is also useful for Dublin Bus, Go-Ahead, Bus Eireann, Translink and a handful of independents.

 

[stadler]

On a now-closed thread, another Forum member wrote in 2023 “Dublin Bus website is terrible in not having a map. Have to go to Transport for Ireland map, click on the stop to see what stops there and then go back to Dublin Bus to see the pdf.”

There is still no bus map, even an on-line one, and an explanation I’ve come across is the high licence fees required by Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI). I contacted Transport for Ireland (TFI) on my return from Dublin last week, suggesting that some map providers get round OS charges by using out of date (and hence out of copyright) mapping as a base, which is often good enough for bus routes. TFI and OSI are both public-sector organisations and surely they should be able to come to an agreement.

I’ve had a fairly unhelpful reply from TFI today. I quote “We have detailed maps of all routes on our TFI Journey Planner. You can visit our Journey Planner on the TFI website here Your Journey Starts Here. You click on the 'Maps' icon and you can see all maps and routes throughout the TFI network.” They go on to say that my case is now closed and I will not be able to respond to this email directly.

All I can find on line is London Underground-type route diagrams. These are of no help to visitors trying to find their way round as they don’t relate to the street network. I had to resort to Google maps and hope that the bus stops (with route numbers) were up to date, so I could identify the area I needed to stay. Even the on-line timetables give only departures from each end of the route, with timings between the main intermediate points. Information at stops and “next stop” announcements on board were generally good, although I only used the 16/41 corridor.

Unfortunately there are no bus maps. Dublin Bus has always been appalling for bus information. A major city and no network wide bus map. How are people who are unfamiliar meant to plan their journeys and see which routes go where. Plus no proper timetables either. The only timetables they publish are a list of departures from the first stop on the route. At least we have proper timetables on the bustimes website now but it is still rather appalling that Dublin Bus fail to produce anything.

 

[berneyarms]

On a now-closed thread, another Forum member wrote in 2023 “Dublin Bus website is terrible in not having a map. Have to go to Transport for Ireland map, click on the stop to see what stops there and then go back to Dublin Bus to see the pdf.”

There is still no bus map, even an on-line one, and an explanation I’ve come across is the high licence fees required by Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI). I contacted Transport for Ireland (TFI) on my return from Dublin last week, suggesting that some map providers get round OS charges by using out of date (and hence out of copyright) mapping as a base, which is often good enough for bus routes. TFI and OSI are both public-sector organisations and surely they should be able to come to an agreement.

I’ve had a fairly unhelpful reply from TFI today. I quote “We have detailed maps of all routes on our TFI Journey Planner. You can visit our Journey Planner on the TFI website here Your Journey Starts Here. You click on the 'Maps' icon and you can see all maps and routes throughout the TFI network.” They go on to say that my case is now closed and I will not be able to respond to this email directly.

All I can find on line is London Underground-type route diagrams. These are of no help to visitors trying to find their way round as they don’t relate to the street network. I had to resort to Google maps and hope that the bus stops (with route numbers) were up to date, so I could identify the area I needed to stay. Even the on-line timetables give only departures from each end of the route, with timings between the main intermediate points. Information at stops and “next stop” announcements on board were generally good, although I only used the 16/41 corridor.

The OSI is now Tailte Éireann. There is no avenue for using their maps without incurring a charge - that's their bread and butter even with other state agencies.

I do take your point on a map as it shows people where you can go. I'll elaborate more though below.

Unfortunately there are no bus maps. Dublin Bus has always been appalling for bus information. A major city and no network wide bus map. How are people who are unfamiliar meant to plan their journeys and see which routes go where. Plus no proper timetables either. The only timetables they publish are a list of departures from the first stop on the route. At least we have proper timetables on the bustimes website now but it is still rather appalling that Dublin Bus fail to produce anything.

First of all this is down to the National Transport Authority, not Dublin Bus. Dublin Bus are simply an operator now. The NTA pull the strings.

As for it being a major city with no network amp, I would point out that there is no TfL network map in London either - only an enthusiast produced one!

The entire city bus network in Dublin is being redesigned over 12 phases through the BusConnects project - we have five phases left to go but it is taking far longer than anyone would like due to severe problems recruiting the drivers and mechanics needed to facilitate the expanded service levels. That means any map would have to undergo major updates every six months or so, and I suspect that the NTA just don't have the staff to keep updating it every six months until the one on the BusConnects website is finally accurate. They aren't awash with staff unfortunately even now. The map of what the fully finished new BusConnects network should look like is here - https://busconnects.ie/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/A3-Big-Picture-Map-13.6.24.pdf

This map does at least give an idea of which areas of the city are served by bus routes and using that you can use the journey planner.

I'd love to be proven wrong and to see a similar map to the regional network map that was recently produced being drawn up for Dublin, but I suspect they'll want to finish the network redesign first.

Until then its primarily www.bustimes.org, the Transit app and google maps (and to a lesser extent the TFI live app) that are useful.

 

[Megafuss]

When I visited Dublin last year, there was a high frequency map in paper form from the Dublin Bus travel centre (which was surprisingly busy) ,but you wouldn't use it in anger.

The paper timetables were also not timetables. More the start time of each trip and rough travel times to maintain stops.

As a side note, public transport information on the entire island of Ireland is atrocious, unless you know where to look. It's a real shame, as there is something there, if they just marker it properly.

 

[dub_boi]

There is still no bus map, even an on-line one, and an explanation I’ve come across is the high licence fees required by Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI). I contacted Transport for Ireland (TFI) on my return from Dublin last week, suggesting that some map providers get round OS charges by using out of date (and hence out of copyright) mapping as a base, which is often good enough for bus routes. TFI and OSI are both public-sector organisations and surely they should be able to come to an agreement.

For decades, the OSI street map of Dublin included all city bus routes - like this example from 1969. There was therefore no need for CIÉ or Dublin Bus to produce a map of their own. Sometime over the last few years, the OSI/Táilte Éireann seem to have removed them. Possibly they simply gave up trying to display an ever-changing and increasingly complex bus network on a 1:15,000 map

When the BusConnects project started, they produced a map of the entire existing network though found it quite difficult to map the city centre. As berneyarms pointed out, there is a map of the ultimate network, but there is no map of the complete current network.

Traditionally timetables for buses in Dublin only gave the start time from the terminus. It is the only in recent years with the advent of online journey planners, GTFS standards and the NTA/TFI that timing points have been published for intermediate stops. These are visible on the TFI journey planner and bustimes.org. For some reason, for BusConnects routes these are also displayed at the relevant bus stop, but not for legacy routes, resulting in even more confusing displays than before.

 

[OVS Flatbottom]

For decades, the OSI street map of Dublin included all city bus routes - like this example from 1969. There was therefore no need for CIÉ or Dublin Bus to produce a map of their own. Sometime over the last few years, the OSI/Táilte Éireann seem to have removed them. Possibly they simply gave up trying to display an ever-changing and increasingly complex bus network on a 1:15,000 map

Out of interest, Princeton University Library has a complete OSI Dublin street map from 1973, with bus routes, at https://maps.princeton.edu/catalog/princeton-tx31qn414:

Map shows bus routes, route numbers, termini, thoroughfares, public buildings, built-up areas, parks, churches, Garda Síochána Stations, waterways, rail and bus stations, and [on the city centre inset only] cinemas.

General-purpose street maps with bus routes used to be very common in mainland Europe (and perhaps still are, insofar as people use paper maps), but not so much in GB (I've only ever seen one or two examples with full detail of bus roads plus termini and route numbers; there have also been some odd partial exceptions like the Bartholomew one for Edinburgh that had bus roads and termini but no intermediate route numbers). OSI did one for Cork too, but their maps for smaller urban centres never had bus route detail; in Northern Ireland, OSNI had bus detail on all their urban maps for a while in the 1990s/2000s but have long since abandoned it.

 

[dub_boi]

insofar as people use paper maps

I think that's the key change over the past 15 years. The arrival of Google and/or Apple Maps on practically every phone, plus the popularity of other route planning apps like Citymapper, has reduced the need for publication of maps and timetables. I like maps, and sometimes it's nice to be able to open up a map and get a sense of the area you are looking at. But in most cases, the ability to plan a route on your phone is much handier.

AFAIK, Dublin Bus are moving out of 59 Upper O'Connell St. When it closes I imagine that will be the end of the era of the staffed travel centre. The Dublin Bus travel centre is increasingly anachronistic, dispensing advice and "timetables" just for those bus routes it operates and effectively ignoring other bus routes, trams and rail. It's a function and location inherited from the Dublin United Tramway Company but times have moved on a lot since 1945. I don't think TFI have any interest in taking over a physical travel centre - their phone and digital customer care is outsourced to Capita.

As a side note, public transport information on the entire island of Ireland is atrocious, unless you know where to look. It's a real shame, as there is something there, if they just marker it properly.

I agree, though it's actually a lot better than before. It's the same for many services in Ireland - you are just expected to know. For decades the country had a homogenous, small and declining population. There was no need to provide easy-to-use information about public transport since most people knew their way around, and you could always just ask since everyone spoke English or Irish. The expectation was that tourists were taken around in coach tours and wouldn't have to bother figuring out how to get to the Cliffs of Moher on a CIÉ Provincial bus. All those assumption have been overturned since the 1990s but attitudes about marketing of services take longer to catch up and the use of journey planners takes way much of the need.

Incidentally, here's a list of every bus route in the Republic of Ireland.

 

[route101]

Cork Bus Station had some bus timetables and a city bus guide of sorts, map was just line diagrams. I do like bus maps as you get overall sense where the buses go, on google maps that would take forvever clicking through all the routes.

 

[Cloud Strife]

It's the same for many services in Ireland - you are just expected to know

What got me in Dublin Airport a couple of years ago was trying to get a bus to Navan. It wasn't clear at all where to get the bus from, or even which bus would go in that direction. Then when I got to the bus, cards weren't accepted, although the friendly bus driver did point me to where the ticket machine was and told me she'd wait. Then when I got on the bus, the driver had a chat with me about how the fares worked, and how it was absolutely ridiculous that they didn't take cards and that there were a lot of problems with tourists because of it.

She also pointed out that she had quite a few situations where some tourists had tried to get on the bus, only to discover that they couldn't pay with card and there were no machines anywhere. As she said, there was no information about this, people were just expected to know that you needed cash or the Leap card. She did say though that she would let tourists on in rural areas without cash, because it was simply ridiculous to expect them to find a cash machine in the middle of nowhere.