Dublin to London (DUB–LGW) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

Irish citizens have an unrestricted right to enter, live, and work in the United Kingdom under the Common Travel Area (CTA) agreement, which predates and is independent of both EU membership and Brexit. No visa, no fee, no time limit. You can enter with an Irish passport or even without one, though carrying photo ID speeds things up. There is no immigration control on direct flights between Ireland and the UK for Irish and British citizens.

The CTA grants Irish citizens the right to work, study, access healthcare (NHS), vote, and claim benefits in the UK on the same terms as British citizens. No registration or permit is needed. You are not classified as a foreign national. To access services, get a National Insurance number at the local Jobcentre Plus. Opening a bank account requires proof of UK address and photo ID.

Direct flights from Dublin to London run about 1 hour 15 minutes, with over 20 daily departures across Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, and City airports. Dublin to Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, and Glasgow also have frequent daily service. The UK uses the British pound (GBP), trading at roughly 0.86 GBP per EUR 1. No vaccination requirements. Driving is on the left, same as Ireland.

Dublin Bus route 747 (Airlink) runs from the city centre (O'Connell Street) to the airport in 30–50 minutes, costing €7 one-way or €12 return. DART rail does not serve the airport directly; the nearest station requires a bus connection. Ride-shares from the city centre typically cost €20–35 depending on traffic.

The M50 and M1 motorways feed into the airport; short-term parking in Terminal 1 or 2 costs from €4/30 min, while long-stay lots (P3/P4) are significantly cheaper for multi-day trips. Allow extra time during morning and evening rush hours on the M50.

The Gatwick Express departs the South Terminal every 15 minutes to London Victoria (30 min, from £21.50). Thameslink services are cheaper and provide direct access to Farringdon, City Thameslink, Blackfriars, and London Bridge; useful for destinations in the City and East London. Both terminal buildings are connected by a free inter-terminal monorail shuttle (2 min).Taxis from arrivals queue outside; metered fares to central London typically run £70–100 and can exceed this during peak hours. Uber and other ride-shares operate from a designated zone. Rental car desks are in both terminal buildings.

Temperate maritime climate. Winters (November–February) are cool and grey at 3–9°C, with fog, low cloud, and occasional light snow causing moderate delay risks. Summers (June–August) are mild at 18–25°C. Heat waves are increasingly common and can affect ramp operations. Rain falls year-round with no dry season.

Wind is a more frequent disruption factor than snow at Gatwick. The airport has a single active runway and is sensitive to crosswinds. Autumn storms (October–November) occasionally cause significant delays.