Dublin's Best: Unforgettable Live Guided City Bus Tour

My husband and I have done three Big Bus tours (London, Edinburgh, and Dublin), and each one has had its own unique charm. In Dublin, the highlight was definitely the live commentary — when you could hear it! Anne and Mike were fantastic, especially during the evening tour. They were engaging, informative, and made it easy to navigate by giving directions to nearby attractions or connecting stops. However, some early morning drivers (around the 9 a.m. hour) didn’t provide any commentary at all, which made those rides feel more like basic transportation rather than a guided experience. A big positive was how friendly and helpful the employees were at the various stops — they were great about answering questions and helping us figure out the best routes to take. I also appreciated that the Wi-Fi actually worked on this route (unlike in London!). A few areas could be improved. I wish there was more intention behind sharing other things to do around the city, and it would be helpful if the app showed more accurate real-time bus ETAs. Also, maybe it’s the time of year, but buses seemed to run less frequently — we often waited 20–30 minutes and sometimes found it faster to walk. Lastly, I’d recommend considering a slight route modification to get closer to the Kilmainham Gaol tour, which is a major attraction and currently a bit out of the way. Overall, when you catch the right guide (Anne and Mike) the Dublin Big Bus tour is a great way to see the city — I’d just love to see more consistency and a few small updates to make the experience even smoother.

We used the Hop On Hop Off buses for two days during our trip to Dublin, and we're a welcome rest for weary legs after a long walk around the city. Special shout ours go to Niall and Mike, who were so knowledgeable about the city, coupled with a wide range of quips and witty jokes. Highly recommend!

Gerry our guide was absolutely amazing. We stayed on the bus until near the end because of him. Funny and factual. Highly recommend getting a bus with him driving and guiding

We took the night tour with a gentleman named Mike. He was very friendly and funny. I had taken the day tour early that day and the day tour was not near as fun or interactive. I would highly recommend the night tour over the day tour and especially if you get to ride with Mike.

It was a typical city Big Bus tour that allows you to get off at different stops. This one had too many stops. Some were close to other stops. The entire loop takes an hour and a half, so allow plenty of time for the tour. Instead of a standard description of the stops, they relied on. Descriptions by the drivers which varied in quality.

The driver and guide was called Anne, the only female on the team. She was brilliant gave us such an insight into the history of Dublin. She even sang to us a couple of times. It's a fabulous service and she was amazing. It allowed us to organise how we would spent the few days. Get on and ask for the lovely Anne.

The bus drivers were very informative and friendly. A special shout out to Anne, great and warm service from Anne!!

Great tour guide Robby with his silly jokes, that was a delightful Sunday morning we had on his bus and tour! The tour has 25 stops and so you get it all including a Guiness.

Get a bus that has a person talking about your experience. The recorded ones are not as good.our tour guide even sang some Irish songs for us! Also make sure you get your earphones if you are riding on the top. It was a wonderful experience! I highly recommend doing this!

Phil C gave us excellent advice on where to go and what to see. Very friendly and knowledgeable. Would definitely recommend.