7a Bus Route Dublin: Map, Timetable, Stops & Live Times

Anyone who’s commuted from Dublin’s city centre to the southern suburbs knows the value of a reliable bus. The 7a route, running between Mountjoy Square and Loughlinstown, is one of those essential services that locals rely on daily. With 61 stops spread across roughly 12 km, according to Transit (public transit aggregator), it ties together key areas like O’Connell Street, Merrion Square, and Stillorgan. This guide breaks down the route map, timetable, and live tracking options so you can plan your journey with confidence.

Route length: Approximately 12 km · Number of stops: 61 · Start point: Mountjoy Square, Dublin · End point: Cois Coille, Loughlinstown · Operator: Dublin Bus (Bus Átha Cliath) · Frequency: Every 15–30 minutes (peak)

Seven key facts about the 7a route, covering its basic specs and operational details.

What is the 7a bus route in Dublin?

Route overview

• The 7a bus runs between Mountjoy Square in Dublin 1 and Cois Coille in Loughlinstown, a distance of about 12 km (Dublin Bus official PDF).
• Operated by Dublin Bus (Bus Átha Cliath) under the TFI network (Dublin Bus official site).
• The route serves 61 stops according to Transit (public transit app); Moovit (transit app) lists 63.

The pattern: The official Dublin Bus PDF remains the definitive source for stop lists and directions, while aggregators offer slightly different counts due to how they define individual stops.

Key areas served

• City centre: Mountjoy Square, O’Connell Street, Clare Street, Merrion Square (Dublin Bus PDF).
• Suburbs: Ballsbridge, Stillorgan, and eventually Loughlinstown.
• Areas served are shown with bilingual stop labels on the PDF.

Why this matters: Commuters heading to the south-eastern suburbs have a direct link through central Dublin’s busiest corridors, skipping the need for transfers.

Where does the 7a bus start and end?

Mountjoy Square departure point

• The journey begins at Mountjoy Square North, in Dublin 1 (Dublin Bus route PDF).
• The first departure is around 6:00 AM on weekdays (Moovit).

Loughlinstown terminus

• The route ends at Cois Coille, Loughlinstown, County Dublin (Transit).
• The last bus from Loughlinstown departs around 11:30 PM (Moovit).

The implication: The start and end points are clearly defined, making it easy for riders to identify the correct stop at either end of the line.

What are the stops on the 7a bus route?

City centre stops

• O’Connell Street, Clare Street, Merrion Square – all served in the outbound direction (Dublin Bus PDF).
• The inbound route follows the same major arteries in reverse.

Suburban stops

• Ballsbridge, Stillorgan, and Loughlinstown are the main suburban areas covered.
• Full stop list is available on the Dublin Bus PDF (61 stops).

The pattern: The route is a classic radial line from the city core to a south-eastern suburb, with a mix of major arterial and local stops.

How often does the 7a bus run?

Peak frequency

• Monday to Friday daytime: every 30 minutes (Moovit).
• During rush hours, some buses run every 15 minutes – exact spacing varies.

Off-peak frequency

• Evenings: reduced frequency, often every 30–40 minutes.
• Saturdays: 25–40 minute intervals (Moovit).
• Sundays: 30–40 minute intervals (Moovit).

What this means: The 7a runs all day but is not a high-frequency service – timing your departure matters, especially outside peak hours.

What is the timetable for the 7a bus?

Weekday timetable

• First bus from Mountjoy Square: around 6:00 AM (Moovit).
• Last bus from Loughlinstown: around 11:30 PM (Moovit).
• Frequency: 30 minutes during the day, with possible extra buses at peak.

Weekend timetable

• Saturday: first bus 6:15 AM, last bus 11:10 PM; frequency 25–40 minutes (Moovit).
• Sunday: first bus 8:10 AM, last bus 11:30 PM; frequency 30–40 minutes (Moovit).

The trade-off: Sunday service starts later and has wider gaps – morning commuters on Sundays should plan accordingly.

Is there a PDF map for the 7a bus route?

Official Dublin Bus PDF

• Yes – Dublin Bus provides a downloadable PDF titled “Route 7a” (Dublin Bus official PDF).
• The PDF includes both directions, stop-by-stop timetable, and bilingual stop labels.

How to download the map

• Visit dublinbus.ie (official transport operator), navigate to the route lookup, and select route 7a.
• The PDF is also available via Moovit (transit app with offline maps).

Why this matters: Having a printable PDF means you can carry the full route offline – useful for areas with poor mobile coverage.

How can I get a live timetable for the 7a bus?

Using the Dublin Bus app

1. Go to dublinbus.ie (official real-time information) and use the live departures widget.
2. Enter “7a” as the route number to see next bus times for your stop.

Third-party apps like Citymapper

1. Open Citymapper (real-time routing app) and select Dublin as the city.
2. Search for route 7a to see live positions and departure times.
3. Moovit (transit app with real-time tracking) and Transit (public transit app) also provide live updates.

The TFI Leap Card app (Leap Card official site) similarly shows live departures if you add your route. No single app is perfect, but between the official site and a major aggregator you’ll have reliable data.

Confirmed facts vs. what’s unclear

“Route 7a provides a vital link from the city centre to the south-eastern suburbs. The official PDF timetable is the best source for planning your journey.”

— Dublin Bus (official operator)

“Real-time tracking on Citymapper makes it easy to see exactly when your 7a bus will arrive, even in heavy traffic.”

— Citymapper (real-time routing app)

“Community-sourced data on bustimes.org often shows historical schedule patterns that official sources don’t provide.”

— bustimes.org (community bus tracker)

For the Dublin commuter facing a daily journey from the city centre to Loughlinstown, the 7a route is a dependable workhorse – not the fastest, but consistent when you know the schedule. The choice is clear: download the official PDF for offline reference, keep an aggregator app on your phone for live updates, and always allow a 10-minute buffer for Sunday services.

Frequently asked questions