- \n
- Express buses run from Dublin Airport into the city every 15 minutes; through the port tunnel the fastest journey takes around 14 minutes. By taxi you'll be in the centre in 20 to 30 minutes.<\/li>\n
- The DART coastal railway runs to Grand Canal Dock as far as the station of the same name; to Custom House Quay the Luas tram runs as far as George's Dock.<\/li>\n
- Poolbeg Marina is the only one of the three facilities that yachts can reach without a bridge opening. To reach Grand Canal Dock and the City Moorings, at least the Tom Clarke Bridge (East Link) must open.<\/li>\n
- Ferries from Holyhead in Wales arrive at the Port of Dublin, around three kilometres from the centre. A shuttle bus and city bus route 53 run into the centre.<\/li>\n
- From April to September, the Irish weather service warns small craft from force 6 onwards off the coast. The wind usually blows from the southwest to west.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Which harbours are there in Dublin?<\/h2>\n
In Dublin, yachts berth at three locations along the Liffey. Furthest downstream lies Poolbeg Marina on the south bank in Ringsend, on Pigeon House Road. Around 1.2 km further west, behind the sea locks at Ringsend, lies the Grand Canal Dock basin with Hanover Quay on its northern edge. The Dublin City Moorings lie another 0.9 km or so upstream on the north bank, at Custom House Quay right in the Docklands.<\/p>\n
Poolbeg Marina is the city's yacht harbour and has berths for visiting yachts. Grand Canal Dock is a lock-enclosed basin in the canal network; the City Moorings are a municipal floating pontoon for boats on the Liffey. The major yacht harbours at D\u00fan Laoghaire and Howth lie outside the city on Dublin Bay and appear here only as sailing destinations.<\/p>\n
Arriving for the start of your trip in Dublin<\/h2>\n
You can reach Dublin by plane, by train, by car or by ferry. All three harbours lie on the edge of the city centre; for the last stretch you take the train, tram or taxi.<\/p>\n
From Dublin Airport to the harbours<\/h3>\n
Dublin Airport lies north of the city. Express buses depart directly from Terminals 1 and 2 every 15 minutes. Through the port tunnel, the fastest journey takes around 14 minutes. One route runs along the river and stops at George's Quay near Tara Street station, among other places; another stops at 3Arena on North Wall and at Pearse station.<\/p>\n
By taxi you need 20 to 30 minutes to the centre, depending on traffic. For Poolbeg Marina a taxi is the easiest option, as it lies away from the train lines. For Grand Canal Dock you change at Pearse station to the DART and travel one stop to Grand Canal Dock. For the City Moorings at Custom House Quay you get off at George's Quay; it's a few minutes' walk over the Se\u00e1n O'Casey Bridge.<\/p>\n
By car, train, bus or ferry<\/h3>\n
By car, the M1 and M50 motorways and the port tunnel lead to the ferry harbour on the north bank. If you arrive by train at Connolly station, you take the DART there, which runs via Tara Street and Pearse to Grand Canal Dock station, or the red line of the Luas tram, which runs along Custom House Quay via George's Dock to the terminus The Point.<\/p>\n
The ferries from Holyhead dock in Dublin port. A shuttle bus runs daily from the terminal to the centre, as does city bus route 53 to Talbot Street.<\/p>\n
Which harbour is mine?<\/h3>\n
The three harbours lie on different banks and are only partly accessible by train. Poolbeg Marina lies on the south bank in Ringsend, near the former Pigeon House power station. Tell the taxi driver \"Poolbeg Yacht & Boat Club, Pigeon House Road, Ringsend\". Grand Canal Dock is a large basin south of the Liffey with its own DART station; Hanover Quay forms its north side. The Dublin City Moorings lie on the north bank at Custom House Quay, next to the Docklands office of the city council. Nearby is the museum ship Jeanie Johnston.<\/p>\n
Parking in Dublin<\/h3>\n
In the city centre and in the Docklands you usually pay to park on the street. When you have to pay is shown on the signs, often Monday to Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., in some areas also in the evenings and at weekends. The charge depends on the zone, shown by a coloured stripe on the sign and the meter: one hour costs between \u20ac0.90 and \u20ac4 depending on the zone (as of October 2026). You pay at the meter or via the city parking service app.<\/p>\n
The nearest car parks to the three harbours (as the crow flies):<\/p>\n
- \n
- Poolbeg Marina: car park on Pigeon House Road, around 500 m.<\/li>\n
- Grand Canal Dock: car park on Ringsend Road, around 150 m.<\/li>\n
- Dublin City Moorings: car park in Denzille Lane on the other side of the river, around 700 m.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Shopping for the trip<\/h3>\n
Supermarkets are within walking distance of all three harbours (as the crow flies):<\/p>\n
- \n
- Poolbeg Marina: Centra on North Wall Avenue on the other side of the river, around 1 km, and Tesco on Sandymount Road, around 1.2 km.<\/li>\n
- Grand Canal Dock: Fresh at Grand Canal Square, around 300 m, and Tesco at Bath Avenue Place, around 600 m.<\/li>\n
- Dublin City Moorings: Tesco in Baggot Street Lower, around 1.1 km.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services<\/h3>\n
- \n
- Poolbeg Marina: Shelbourne Pharmacy on Irishtown Road and Allcare Pharmacy Ringsend on Thorncastle Street, both around 700 m.<\/li>\n
- Grand Canal Dock: Life Pharmacy Hanover Quay in Forbes Street, around 300 m.<\/li>\n
- Dublin City Moorings: the same pharmacy on the other side of the river, around 600 m.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The Mater Misericordiae University Hospital on North Circular Road has an A&E department, around 1.9 km from the City Moorings.<\/p>\n
In Ireland you reach all emergency services on 112 or 999; both numbers are equivalent. For an emergency at sea you also dial 112 or 999 and ask for the Coast Guard.<\/p>\n
- \n
- 112 or 999: Ambulance, police, fire brigade and Coast Guard<\/li>\n
- At sea: VHF Channel 16, on which the Coast Guard also announces weather forecasts and gale warnings<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The harbours in Dublin at a glance<\/h2>\n
Poolbeg Marina is the actual yacht harbour; Grand Canal Dock and City Moorings lie further into the city behind movable bridges.<\/p>\n
\n\n
\n \nFeature<\/th>\n Poolbeg Marina<\/th>\n Grand Canal Dock<\/th>\n Dublin City Moorings<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n Location<\/td>\n South bank, Ringsend<\/td>\n Basin south of the Liffey, behind the sea locks<\/td>\n North bank, Custom House Quay<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Operator<\/td>\n Poolbeg Yacht & Boat Club<\/td>\n Waterways Ireland<\/td>\n City of Dublin<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Berths<\/td>\n 100, for boats up to 20 m<\/td>\n Visitor berths in the inner basin<\/td>\n Floating pontoons<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Bridges on the way from the sea<\/td>\n none<\/td>\n Tom Clarke Bridge, plus sea lock<\/td>\n Tom Clarke Bridge and Samuel Beckett Bridge<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Nearest railway station<\/td>\n \u2013<\/td>\n DART Grand Canal Dock<\/td>\n Luas George's Dock<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n Where is Poolbeg Marina in Dublin?<\/h2>\n
Poolbeg Marina is on the south bank of the Liffey in Ringsend, on Pigeon House Road in the harbour area downstream of Tom Clarke Bridge. It's about three kilometres to the city centre. Right next door stands the former Pigeon House power station, and further east begins the Great South Wall, the long pier out to Poolbeg Lighthouse.<\/p>\n
The marina belongs to the Poolbeg Yacht & Boat Club, which has been welcoming visiting boats for over 50 years. The floating pontoons lie behind floating wave breakers in the river, and a gate with video surveillance secures access.<\/p>\n
Poolbeg Marina facilities<\/h3>\n
The marina has 100 berths for motor and sailing yachts up to 20 metres. Water, electricity and Wi-Fi are available at every berth; electricity costs extra. You can get diesel directly at the marina. The basin is deep enough for most boats at all states of the tide. The club has a clubhouse with a bar and a large window overlooking the harbour; in summer there's a marquee outside behind the building.<\/p>\n
Where is Grand Canal Dock in Dublin?<\/h2>\n
Grand Canal Dock is a large harbour basin south of the Liffey, surrounded by the new office and residential buildings of the Docklands. Hanover Quay forms its northern side. Three sea locks at Ringsend close off the basin from the Liffey, whilst to the south and west it connects to the Grand Canal leading inland.<\/p>\n
![\"Grand](\"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/toernfinder-dub2-w9OaYkcIQuU-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe basin opened in 1796 and was at the time the largest dock in the world. Today it is managed by Waterways Ireland, the state agency for inland waterways. The largest of the three sea locks, Camden Lock, has been out of service since 2010 and is being restored so that larger seagoing vessels can once again enter the basin. The new lock gates have been fitted since May 2026, with the automatic opening mechanism due to follow by the end of 2026.<\/p>\n
Grand Canal Dock facilities<\/h3>\n
As of October 2026, the inner basin has 55 berths managed by Waterways Ireland. Ten of these are reserved for visiting boats staying less than five days. DART's Grand Canal Dock station is right beside the basin.<\/p>\n
Where are the Dublin City Moorings?<\/h2>\n
The Dublin City Moorings are on the north bank of the Liffey at Custom House Quay, in the heart of the Docklands. The floating pontoon lies in front of the city council's Docklands office, with the Custom House and the city centre upstream. The Luas tram stop at George's Dock is nearby.<\/p>\n
Dublin City Moorings facilities<\/h3>\n
You walk down a gangway about 22 metres long from the quay to the floating pontoons.<\/p>\n
What's the weather like for sailing in Dublin?<\/h2>\n
Westerly winds prevail in Ireland, mainly from southwest to west. From April to September, the Irish weather service Met \u00c9ireann issues a Small Craft Warning when wind force 6 or more is expected up to ten nautical miles off the coast. A Gale Warning applies from force 8, year-round.<\/p>\n
The tides play a major role in Dublin: at spring tides the water rises and falls by about 3.4 metres, at neap tides by just under 2 metres. For bridge passages on the Liffey, the water level also matters because under the closed bridges only 1.6 to 1.9 metres clearance remains at very high water.<\/p>\n
Which sailing destinations are near Dublin?<\/h2>\n
From Dublin you sail down the Liffey into Dublin Bay and from there north around Howth Head, south along the Wicklow coast or across the Irish Sea to Wales. The distances given are rounded sea distances on the usual course from Poolbeg Marina; for precise planning use the chart.<\/p>\n
- \n
- D\u00fan Laoghaire: about 5 nm south across Dublin Bay. The large harbour between two long piers has a marina that monitors VHF round the clock, and a fuel pontoon.<\/li>\n
- Howth: around 9 nautical miles, round the Howth Head peninsula to its northern side. In the middle of the harbour lies Howth Yacht Club's marina with 250 berths, diesel and petrol.<\/li>\n
- Malahide: around 13 nautical miles northwards, beyond Howth Head and Ireland's Eye island. From there you can get back to Dublin by DART.<\/li>\n
- Arklow: around 38 nautical miles southwards along the County Wicklow coast, a long day's passage.<\/li>\n
- Holyhead: around 57 nautical miles eastwards across the Irish Sea to Anglesey island in Wales. For arrival in Great Britain you register the boat online with HM Revenue & Customs and fly the yellow Q flag from the twelve-mile limit until clearance is complete.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Anyone sailing northwards will reach Scotland's west coast via the North Channel. The berths there are described in the portrait of Harbours in Oban<\/a>.<\/p>\n
What can you do ashore on a harbour day in Dublin?<\/h2>\n
From the City Moorings and Grand Canal Dock you walk into the city centre; from Poolbeg Marina you're better off taking a taxi or walking along the waterfront.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Great South Wall: From Poolbeg Marina a walk along the long breakwater leads out to the Poolbeg lighthouse, with views across Dublin Bay.<\/li>\n
- Jeanie Johnston: The museum ship at Custom House Quay is a replica of an emigrant ship from the time of the Great Famine. The guided tour shows you the deck with its masts and the cramped quarters in which up to 250 passengers made the crossing to North America.<\/li>\n
- Custom House: The customs building on the north bank was designed by architect James Gandon and completed in 1791. It burnt out during the War of Independence in 1921; since 2022 it has had a visitor centre.<\/li>\n
- Howth: By DART you can travel from Grand Canal Dock to Howth, sometimes changing at Howth Junction, to the harbour and onto the peninsula.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
For skippers: Berthing and marine weather in Dublin<\/h2>\n
Dublin is a major commercial and ferry port. When entering, crossing or leaving the fairway, you report to the VTS Dublin traffic centre on VHF channel 12 with name, position and intention, and then monitor that channel continuously.<\/p>\n
Registration and Berthing<\/h3>\n
- \n
- Poolbeg Marina: Guest berths for short stays are allocated by the marina by email to info@poolbegmarina.ie or by telephone on +353 1 668 9983. When many boats are present, visitors initially lie temporarily at the breakwater until a permanent berth becomes available.<\/li>\n
- Grand Canal Dock: Passage through the sea locks must be notified in advance to Waterways Ireland, who confirm access and timing. Because of the construction works, the Buckingham lock is also closed at times during 2026.<\/li>\n
- Dublin City Moorings: The route from the sea leads through the Tom Clarke Bridge and the Samuel Beckett Bridge, both of which must open for yachts with masts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Harbour rules<\/h3>\n
The Dublin harbour master's notices lay down for pleasure craft (as of October 2026):<\/p>\n
- \n
- Pleasure craft enter and leave harbour under engine. No sailing in the buoyed fairway; sails are set only outside it.<\/li>\n
- Speed limits on the Liffey: 9 knots from the pier heads to buoy No. 15, thereafter under 6 knots, west of the harbour control station and in all basins 4 knots.<\/li>\n
- Commercial shipping berths and harbour basins for freight, oil and ferries are closed to pleasure craft.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Approach and bridges<\/h3>\n
From the Dublin Bay approach buoy to the Poolbeg lighthouse you keep outside the line of buoys, thereafter as far as possible on the southern side of the fairway. You cross the fairway always at right angles, between Poolbeg lighthouse and buoy No. 14 only after clearance from VTS Dublin. Large vessels have little room to manoeuvre in the narrow channel and often travel faster than they appear to.<\/p>\n
You request opening of the Tom Clarke Bridge with at least two hours' notice on VHF channel 12 or 13, call sign \"East Link\". The Samuel Beckett Bridge requires at least 24 hours' notice and the city's consent, call sign \"Samuel Beckett\". Monday to Friday neither opens between 6 and 10 a.m. or between 3 and 8 p.m. Three red lights vertically means \"do not proceed\", three green \"passage clear\", and always in one direction only.<\/p>\n
Which marine weather forecast applies in Dublin?<\/h3>\n
For Irish coastal waters up to 30 nautical miles and the Irish Sea, Met \u00c9ireann issues the official marine weather forecast, updated every three hours. Coast Guard coastal radio stations announce it on VHF channel 16 and then transmit it on their working channel. On the radio it runs on RT\u00c9 Radio 1 at 6:02, 12:55, 16:57 and 23:55.<\/p>\n
Gale warnings are transmitted by the coastal radio stations immediately on receipt and repeated at the next scheduled broadcast time at 0:33, 6:33, 12:33 or 18:33. An overview of broadcast times and terminology is given in the Irish government overview of marine weather forecasts<\/a>; the rules for pleasure craft in harbour are set out in the Dublin Port notices for pleasure craft<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Trips from Dublin on T\u00f6rnfinder<\/h2>\n
In October 2026 there are 6 trip dates on T\u00f6rnfinder in the next twelve months starting or finishing in Dublin. Most depart in July and August, typically lasting 11 days.<\/p>\n