Hundreds of thousands of people from Dublin, across Ireland and around the world will fill the streets of Dublin City Centre this weekend for the biggest national holiday of the year.
Despite the threat of cold weather and some snow showers, organisers of the St. Patrick's Festival say they are planning for the parade to go ahead on Saturday afternoon.
To make room for the parade and crowds, there will be a number of changes to public transport services for the day.
LUAS
The Luas Cross City Line is getting St. Patrick's Day off work. Understandably, the new tram line won't be running in the middle of the action to allow room for the parade and crowds to watch it.
This Saturday, the Green Line will run from Brides Glen to St. Stephen’s Green, and from Broombridge to Dominick from 6:30am-6pm.
Normal Green Line services will run from 6pm, with last trams leaving Brides Glen at Midnight, Broombridge at 00:15 and St. Stephen’s Green at 00:43.
On the Red Line, services from Saggart and Tallaght will stop at Smithfield from 10:45 until 3pm.
The last Red Line trams will leave Tallaght at Midnight, The Point at 00:30, Saggart at 23:50 and Connolly at 18:49.
Dublin Bus
A Sunday Timetable will operate on all routes on St. Patrick's Day. City Tours, Coastal Tours and Ghostbus will not operate.
There will be a number of diversions to Dublin Bus services because of the St. Patrick's Day Parade, which you can find here.
A full Nitelink service will operate on Friday and Saturday, but there will be no Nitelink service on Sunday.
Irish Rail
On St. Patrick's Day, Tara street DART station will be closed until 4pm and a Sunday Service will be in operation on DART and Commuter routes.
Additional special DART, Maynooth and Drogheda trains will operate to and from the City Centre before and after the Festival Parade.
Southbound special trains will operate from Pearse station and Northbound special trains from Connolly station.
Dublin Bikes
A number of Dublin Bikes stations will be closed or run a reduced service between Thursday 15th and Tuesday 20th March.
Stations affected include Parnell Sq. North, Dame Street, Custom House, Merrion Square and Christchurch Place.
One of the best ways to get around when the City Centre is so busy is to walk around, and soak up the atmosphere. Don't forget cold weather and some snow showers are forecast so wrap up well if you are going to walk it.
