Contents
- Which terminal is your flight using?
- Terminal 1 — where you actually meet your driver
- Terminal 2 — where you actually meet your driver
- Walking between T1 and T2 — when, why and how
- Where the cars actually wait — set-down vs short-term vs rank
- What if your flight diverts or your terminal changes
- Late nights, big groups and kids
- Day trip from the airport
- Frequently Asked Questions
Dublin Airport (DUB) has two terminals, T1 and T2, joined by a covered walkway and around a three to five minute stroll apart. For most travellers the pickup point is just outside their own arrivals hall — the official taxi rank at T1 is on the kerb opposite Door 1 and Door 2 on Level 0, and the T2 rank is directly outside the Level 0 arrivals exit at Door A. If you have pre-booked a private driver, that driver waits inside the arrivals hall with a name board, not at the rank. The only thing you absolutely need to get right before you fly is which terminal your airline uses on the day, because the two are run as separate buildings with their own kerbs.
Most of the confusion at DUB is not about taxis. It is about people walking out of T2 looking for a driver who is standing in T1, or arriving at T1 expecting an Aer Lingus transatlantic pickup zone that is actually next door. This guide walks through which airlines use which terminal, exactly where the pickup happens, what changes for late-night arrivals and big groups, and what to do if your flight gets swapped between terminals at the last minute.
Want a driver waiting at the right terminal?
Pre-book a private Dublin Airport transfer. We flight-track, meet you in arrivals with a name board, and switch terminals automatically if your flight does.
Which terminal is your flight using?
There is no fixed rule that says “low-cost goes to T1, full-service to T2.” Airlines move between buildings as their contracts and routes change, and the only reliable source for your own flight is the airline’s confirmation email or the official Dublin Airport flight information. That said, the rough split in 2026 looks like this:
| Terminal | Airlines that typically use it |
|---|---|
| Terminal 1 | Ryanair, Aer Lingus Regional (Emerald), British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Wizz Air, easyJet, SAS, Swiss, TAP, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, ITA Airways |
| Terminal 2 | Aer Lingus mainline (short-haul, transatlantic and Europe), United, Delta, American, Air Canada, Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, Air France |
A useful rule of thumb: if you booked Aer Lingus and the flight number starts EI, you are almost always at T2. If it starts EI and ends with a 3-digit code in the 3000s (Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Emerald), you are at T1. Ryanair is always T1. US, Middle Eastern and Asian long-haul is always T2. Anything else, check the flight information page the morning of your trip — DAA updates it live.
If you have given a flight number to a pre-booked driver, the driver will see the terminal assigned by Dublin Airport in their flight-tracking system. They will not be guessing.
Terminal 1 — where you actually meet your driver
T1 arrivals is on Level 0 (ground floor) and exits through two main doors:
- Door 1 — closer to the taxi rank and the rail, bus and coach pickups
- Door 2 — closer to the short-term car park and the T1 multi-storey
Walk straight out of either door and the official taxi rank is signposted at Zone 1, on the kerb directly opposite arrivals. The rank is staffed by a marshal and queues licensed SPSV (Small Public Service Vehicle) cars — every one of them runs on the metered NTA fare. There is no airport surcharge added at the rank. We covered exactly what those meter rates look like, including the night and weekend bands, in our Dublin Airport to city centre cost guide.
If you have pre-booked a private driver, the meeting point is different. The driver parks in the short-term car park (T1 multi-storey, level 1) and walks across to stand inside the arrivals hall, near the exit barrier from baggage reclaim, holding a name board with your name or the lead passenger’s name on it. The driver is monitoring your flight, so if you are delayed at baggage or immigration, the wait is built into the booking — there is no meter ticking.
For drivers picking up family members without a name board, the Express Set-Down area at T1 is a short-stay kerb with a free 10-minute window. After that you pay €3 to leave, then it scales up. For anything longer — like a parent meeting an unaccompanied minor — the short-term car park is a better call, around €3 for the first hour.
Terminal 2 — where you actually meet your driver
T2 is the newer building (opened 2010) and was designed around long-haul. Arrivals is also on Level 0, but T2 only has one main arrivals exit, marked Door A. Walk out of Door A and the taxi rank is directly outside, on the kerb under the canopy. Same setup as T1 — marshalled queue, metered SPSV cars, no airport surcharge, contactless universal.
For pre-booked drivers, T2’s meeting point is the same idea: the driver waits inside the arrivals hall, holding a name board, next to the customs / arrivals exit. T2’s hall is smaller and easier to scan than T1, so the name board is usually the first thing you see when you walk through.
A practical note for first-time arrivals through US Preclearance — you have already cleared US Customs at your departure airport, so arriving back into T2 from the US is a normal European arrival, not an immigration line. You will be at the kerb within 5 minutes of leaving the plane unless your baggage is slow.
Walking between T1 and T2 — when, why and how
The two terminals are connected by a covered walkway, signposted from inside both buildings. The walk is about 3 to 5 minutes at a normal pace. The reason to know this exists:
- Your terminal changed at the last minute. Rare but it happens, especially when an airline swaps an aircraft and the new gate is in the other building.
- You are meeting someone arriving in the other terminal. Easier to pick a single meeting point in one terminal than to guess.
- The taxi queue at one terminal is long. Rare at DUB, but a few times a year (early Saturday morning, after a Six Nations match weekend) the T1 rank backs up. T2 is often quieter.
The walkway is internal and weather-protected. If you have a stroller, mobility issues or heavy bags, the airport’s free Inter-Terminal Buggy runs along the route as well — just ask an info desk.
Where the cars actually wait — set-down vs short-term vs rank
DUB has three different ways a car ends up at the kerb. Knowing which one applies to your pickup saves a lot of “I think I see them, do you see me?” texting in arrivals.
- Taxi rank. Public SPSV cars only. You don’t pre-book. You walk up, take the next car. Fare is the meter.
- Express Set-Down. A short, signed kerb close to each terminal. Free for 10 minutes, then it ticks up. Cars cannot wait here — only stop to pick you up if you are already at the kerb. This is where a driver friend or family member with a car drops you off, not where a chauffeur waits.
- Short-term car park. Around €3 for the first hour. This is where pre-booked drivers leave the car while they go inside arrivals to meet you with a name board. Built into your booking with a private operator — you do not pay this separately.
For Irish Ride bookings, the driver always parks in short-term and meets you inside arrivals with a board. If you are running late at baggage or immigration, the parking and waiting time are absorbed into the fixed fare — there is no surcharge unless you wait more than the agreed buffer (usually 60 minutes of free wait time on inbound flights).
Skip the rank queue and the parking maths.
One fixed all-in price, your driver in arrivals with a name board, the toll and parking included.
What if your flight diverts or your terminal changes
This is the question we get most often by SMS. Two scenarios:
Late nights, big groups and kids
A few practical scenarios that decide which option makes sense:
- Landing after midnight. The rank is staffed 24/7 but the meter switches to the Premium or Special tariff depending on day and time — premium 20:00 to 08:00, special 00:00 to 04:00 Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A pre-booked fixed fare with a private operator is identical price day or night and often beats the late-night meter for the same trip.
- Five or more passengers with luggage. Standard sedans seat four, and putting five suitcases plus five people into a Skoda Octavia is a tight call. Pre-book a 7-seater V-Class or Vito so the driver brings the right vehicle. The rank will eventually get you a 7-seater but you may queue while marshals look for one.
- Babies and child seats. Drivers at the rank don’t carry child seats by default. Pre-book and the seat is in the car when you arrive — book your seat type at the same time you book the trip.
- Meet and greet for elderly or unaccompanied travellers. Pre-book the meet inside arrivals option — the driver is at the gate exit, takes the bag and walks you to the car. Useful for first-time visitors, elderly relatives, or anyone arriving without a phone.
Day trip from the airport
If your transfer is the first leg of a longer day exploring Ireland, our private day-trip fixed fares are below. Same logic — one car, one driver, one all-in price.
Featured day trip
Cliffs of Moher Private Day Tour
Featured day trip
Giant’s Causeway & Antrim Coast
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I’m landing at Terminal 1 or Terminal 2?
Check the airline confirmation email and the Dublin Airport flight information page the morning you fly. Ryanair is always T1, Aer Lingus mainline and US long-haul are always T2, most other airlines are stable but worth checking. If you’ve pre-booked with Irish Ride we flight-track you, so the driver sees the assigned terminal in real time.
Where exactly is the taxi rank at Terminal 1?
Walk straight out of arrivals through Door 1 or Door 2 on Level 0. The rank is at Zone 1 on the kerb directly opposite, marshalled and signposted. Cars are licensed SPSVs on the metered NTA fare, contactless universal.
Where exactly is the taxi rank at Terminal 2?
Walk out the main arrivals exit, Door A on Level 0. The rank is directly outside under the canopy. Same setup as T1 — marshalled queue, metered cars, no airport surcharge.
Can I be picked up by a pre-booked driver at the kerb?
No, not for a wait. The Express Set-Down kerb is for cars that stop briefly — they can’t park to wait. Pre-booked drivers park in the short-term car park and walk inside arrivals to meet you with a name board. The parking is built into the fixed fare.
What if my flight terminal changes after I’ve booked?
Reply to the booking confirmation with the new terminal. With Irish Ride the driver is flight-tracking, so we usually catch the swap before you do — but a quick text confirms it. The walk between T1 and T2 is 3 to 5 minutes through a covered walkway, so no rebooking needed.
How long can a driver wait if my flight is delayed?
The standard free wait for inbound flights is 60 minutes from actual landing. Pre-booked private operators include this in the fixed fare, so a delay at baggage or immigration does not add cost. The driver is monitoring your flight in real time and only walks into arrivals once you have landed.
Is it cheaper to take the rank or pre-book?
Day, off-peak, light luggage and you’re heading to the city centre — the rank is fine and often the cheapest option. Late at night, in a group, with a child seat, going further than the city centre, or arriving with elderly travellers — a pre-booked fixed-fare with a meet inside arrivals is usually better value once you factor in the night meter rates, wait time and luggage.
What’s the walking time between T1 and T2?
Three to five minutes via a covered, weather-protected walkway, signposted from inside both buildings. A free Inter-Terminal Buggy runs the route too if you have heavy bags, a stroller or mobility needs — ask the info desk.
Sorted on the terminal? Book your driver.
Fixed all-in price, licensed Irish drivers, flight tracked, name board in arrivals. 24/7, no signup.
