The International Conference on High Performance Computing & Simulation (HPCS 2019) The 17th Annual Meeting July 15 – 19, 2019 Dublin, Ireland Technically Sponsored by IEEE, IEEE UK & Ireland Section TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION INFO THE VENUE: Dublin is Ireland’s capital city, with a long and rich history dating back to the city’s foundation around the 7th century AD. It is most famous for its literary heritage but has been home to a number of important scientific figures, most notably William Rowan Hamilton. It is on Ireland’s east coast at the mouth of the River Liffey, with a metropolitan population of 1.8 million.  Dublin is a historical and contemporary centre for education, the arts, administration and industry. It is placed amongst the top thirty cities in the world. It has many landmarks and monuments dating back hundreds of years, including Dublin Castle, which was first founded as a major defensive work on the orders of England's King John in 1204. The Old Library of Trinity College, Dublin, holding the Book of Kells, is one of the city's most visited sites. The Ha'penny Bridge is considered to be one of Dublin's most iconic landmarks.    How to reach Dublin: There are several choices a traveller will have to reach Dublin: by air, train, Boat, bus, rental, ... By Air - Dublin Airport Dublin is the capital city of Ireland and is most commonly accessed by air from the rest of the world. Dublin Airport is approximately 13km outside the city centre. The Airport headquarters of Ireland's flag carrier Aer Lingus. The airport has two terminals. Terminal 1 hosts flights to Europe, predominantly provided by Ryanair and other airlines. International flights use Terminal 2 which includes a dedicated US Preclearance (USCBP) facility at that is a purpose built facility allowing US bound passengers to undertake all US immigration, customs and agriculture inspections at Dublin Airport prior to departure. Dublin Airport is the 11th busiest in the European Union. It is serviced by some 42 airlines, with 180 destinations across 44 countries on 4 continents. See https://www.dublinairport.com for further information.  Transportation to Dublin City Centre There is no rail connection to Dublin Airport from the city centre. You can access the city centre by bus or by taxi. Buses to the city centre take approximately 45 minutes. There are three main options:
   See also https://www.aransweatersdirect.com/blogs/blog/how-do-i-get-from-dublin-airport-to-the-city-centre for more information. Bus Cards: Two cards to consider
TAXIS: Taxi fare to the city centre is approximately €30. There is a taxi terminal outside both Dublin Airport arrivals halls. It should take approximately 30 minutes in good traffic, with possible surcharges per person and depending on time of day. The taxi will be metered. More information about regulated Irish taxi fares and extras at https://www.transportforireland.ie/fares/taxi/. Car Rentals at Airport: Most car rental companies serve Dublin International Airport. Avis, Phone +353 1 605 7500 Budget, Phone +353 1 844 5150 Dooley Car Rental, Phone +353 1 944 6866 Enterprise, Phone +353 1 460 5042 Europcar, Phone +353 1 812 2800 Hertz, Phone +353 1 844 5466 Sixt rent a car, Phone +353 1 844 5689 Ferries and Cruises: Dublin can be reached by ferries and cruises. Passengers arriving in Dublin have a choice of two disembarkation points, depending on which ferry or cruise company is used. Dublin Port is centrally located, only minutes from the city centre while Dun Laoghaire Port is situated to the south of the city, approximately 30 minutes from the centre. There are excellent ferry connections daily from the UK and mainland Europe. The Dublin-Holyhead and the Dublin-Liverpool routes offer direct connections between Ireland and the UK, allowing passengers to experience comfortable and quick travel across the Irish Sea. Irish Ferries offer several weekly sailings from France to Ireland. Travel from Cherbourg to Dublin. Transport within Dublin City Centre BUSES Dublin Bus is the biggest public transport provider in the Greater Dublin Area operating over 136 routes. Normal services run from 5.00am until midnight. The Nitelink service operates from midnight until 4.00am on Friday and Saturday nights. Tickets can be paid for in coin or using a prepaid Leapcard. For more Information: https://www.transportforireland.ie/dublin-bus/. The Core Route Map for Dublin Bus is available here: https://www.dublinbus.ie/Your-Journey1/Core-Route-Map/. Their website provides regular real time information. TRAINS Iarnród Éireann operates city and commuter services in Dublin and Cork as well as intercity services throughout Ireland. The Dart services run along the coastal points of Dublin from Howth to Bray/Greystones. http://www.irishrail.ie/.  TRAMS Luas is Dublin’s tram service, operating two lines:
Trams can be paid for by cash or prepaid Leapcard.  Dublin Bikes For short trips in the city, Dublin Bike provides a network of bike rental stations can be accessed by visitors (http://www.dublinbikes.ie/). They offer a three day ticket that can be purchased for €5 with over 100 stations across the city from dropping and retrieving your bike.  TAXIS Taxis are the most simple and rapid way to move around in Dublin. There is a healthy taxi business in Dublin, with many ranks around the city. There is also a commonly used app (https://mytaxi.com/) that can be used to request taxis to a certain location. There are two types of taxis in Dublin: Licensed taxis and hackney cabs. You can hail a licensed taxi at a taxi rank or on the street while a hackney cab must be hired by phone or in person at a hackney office.Taxis are metered while hackney offices will have a fixed price list for different destinations. It is still advisable to book a taxi to Dublin airport in advance if you have to be on a red eye flight from Monday to Friday but otherwise you should be able to pick up a taxi easily enough, if you know where to look. Below you find the telephone numbers for the main taxi companies servicing Dublin. Call centres are usually open 24 hours.
CARS Dublin can be quite conveniently explored in a rental car. There is a choice of international and local car rental companies. Compared to other main European tourist destinations, you may find car rental relatively expensive in Ireland. Please remember to DRIVE ON THE LEFT and avoid the rush hour between 7:00-9:00 and 16:00-19:00. Holders of UK, US, Canadian, Australian and all EU member states do not need to supply an International Driving Permit (IDP). If you produce an IDP, you must also show your original domestic driving licence. All kinds of spaces are available from residential to commercial and on-street to gated and underground. It’s definitely worth checking out the options to find your perfect parking space. Most city centre car parks charge between €2 – €4 an hour. BANKING & CURRENCY: The Irish banking system operates on a basis similar to the UK banking system. All banks operating in Ireland must be licensed by the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI). Banks in Dublin include: Allied Irish Bank (AIB), Bank of Ireland, Ulster Bank Ireland, EBS d.a.c, KBC Bank, Danske Bank, CitiBank (Ireland), HSBC Bank Plc, .... BUSINESS HOURS: Most businesses in Dublin operate from 9am to 6pm, with longer opening hours on Thursday evenings. Lunchtime is usually from 12pm-2pm, with dinner starting from 5pm and going on until approximately 9pm-10pm. Dublin city centre is a popular shopping destination for both locals and tourists. The city has numerous shopping districts, particularly around Grafton Street and Henry Street. The city centre is also the location of large department stores, including Arnotts and Brown Thomas. Most grocery stores tend to open earlier and close at 07:00pm. On Saturday, most shops are open from 9am to 6:00pm. On Sundays, some shops are open from 9:00am to 1:00pm. The majority of bars, clubs, nightclubs and discos in Dublin are open from Thursday to Saturday from 10:00pm on. Some places open much earlier than that. Bars usually open in early afternoon. Clubs open at 5:00-7:00pm, especially in the centre of the city. The closing time varies from one club to another, although it is normal to stay up until 2:00 am.  ELECTRICITY: Electricity supply is the European standard (220V, 50Hz) and electrical sockets are type G, common to Ireland and the UK. WEATHER: The weather in Ireland is famously changeable, and you should expect some rain during your visit! The average temperature in July ranges from 11-24 C, the average maximum July temperature is 20.2 °C (68 °F). Mean daily daylight hours in Dublin in July is about 16 hours. More information about climate and weather in Dublin can be found at: https://www.accuweather.com/en/ie/dublin/207931/july-weather/207931. |
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