Who Takes This Route?
Navan is the county town of Meath and the biggest town on the M3 corridor. A taxi from Dublin Airport covers about 58 km, which is a long enough run that most passengers book it for a reason: a late arrival after the Navan buses have thinned out, a hospital appointment, a wedding or race-day group, or luggage that makes a bus change impractical.
Typical passengers include families visiting patients at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan (57 km from the airport, 43 minutes in free-flowing traffic), guests of the Ardboyne Hotel on the Dublin Road (52.5 km, 39 minutes without traffic), audiences and performers heading for the Solstice Arts Centre on Railway Street, and racegoers for Navan Racecourse at Proudstown. Meath residents coming home from a flight make up the rest, and anyone who needs a direct run to a Meath address that no bus serves.
Visitors often assume Navan is the first stop for the Boyne Valley. For a taxi from the airport it is not. The Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre, where Newgrange visits start, lies off the M1 and is 32 to 39 minutes from the terminals, shorter than the trip to Navan. Name the real destination rather than routing through town. Trim Castle is 49 km (43 to 54 minutes) and the Hill of Tara is about 48 km (36 to 47 minutes), both measured from the terminals.
Fare Breakdown by Tariff
| Tariff | When | Estimated Fare |
|---|---|---|
| Standard (1) | Mon–Sat, 8am–8pm | €96 – €117 |
| Premium (2) | Mon–Sat 8pm–8am, Sundays | €125 – €151 |
| Special (3) | Fri/Sat midnight–4am, Christmas, NYE | €132 – €159 |
A €3 booking fee applies when pre-booked. €1 per extra adult after the first. No luggage charge. Under the NTA fare rules, any motorway toll is added to the metered fare. For a precise estimate, use the fare calculator.
Travelling as a group or with lots of luggage? Book a 7 or 8 seater taxi: same regulated meter, room for up to 8 passengers.
The range reflects traffic. The fare is time-and-distance based, so a weekday at 11:00 sits towards the lower end, while a slow M3 at 17:30 pushes it towards the top.
The Route: M3 or Back Roads
Via the M3 (the usual choice)
The M3 route is 57.6 km, with 43 minutes in clear traffic, 45 in late morning and 54 at 17:30. The M3 is the direct motorway to Navan, so this is the route a driver will normally take.
Via the M2 and R153
Shorter on the map at 52 km, but slower: 50 minutes in clear traffic, 54 in late morning and 62 at 17:30. It avoids the M3 toll plaza, but regional roads through villages cost more time than the toll saves in money. It is a fallback if the M3 is closed or blocked after an incident.
Via the M1 and N51
The longest option at 65 km and 54 to 65 minutes. It makes sense only for destinations on the Slane side of Navan, and for anyone going to the Boyne Valley sites it is the M1 that matters, not Navan.
Tolls
The M3 has two toll plazas. The first sits between Junction 5 (Dunboyne) and Junction 6 (Dunshaughlin) and is the one a car from Dublin passes on the way to Navan. The 2026 car rate TII publishes is €1.80 per plaza. The second plaza, between Junction 9 (Navan North) and Junction 10 (Kells), only matters if you continue past Navan towards Kells. The toll is paid in each direction, so expect it on the return to the airport as well.
All Transport Options Compared
| Option | Time | Operator | Notes | Door-to-Door? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi (CaminoCabs) | 43 – 54 min | CaminoCabs | Meets you at Arrivals | Yes |
| Bus 109A | About 50 – 60 min | Bus Éireann | DCU to Airport to Ratoath to Navan | No |
| Bus 109 / 109X | About 1 hr 10 min from Busáras | Bus Éireann | Does not serve the airport | No |
| Train | Not available | Irish Rail | No passenger rail to Navan | No |
Bus 109A from the airport
Bus Éireann route 109A links DCU, Dublin Airport, Ashbourne, Ratoath, Dunshaughlin and Navan. Timetable data shows roughly hourly departures through most of the day, running at weekends too, with a reduced service overnight. Airport to Navan is about 50 to 60 minutes. That makes it a reasonable option for a single traveller with one bag and no deadline. Check the current timetable on Transport for Ireland before relying on it, particularly for late arrivals.
Bus 109 and 109X from Dublin
The 109 and the 109X express leave from Busáras and run through Phibsborough, Blanchardstown and Clonee to Navan, and onwards to Kells and Cavan. They do not call at the airport, so you would first need to reach the city centre. A sample weekday journey from Busáras takes about 1 hour 8 minutes. For an airport arrival, the 109A is the direct bus and the taxi is the faster one.
Which one to pick
Choose the 109A if you are travelling light, in daylight, with time to spare. Choose a taxi if you land late, carry bags, are going somewhere not on the bus route (the Ardboyne Hotel, the hospital, a house in the countryside around Navan), or are travelling as a group of three or more, where the shared taxi fare becomes sensible.
Splitting the Fare
Splitting works like this: the meter covers the vehicle, then each extra adult adds €1. With a Standard fare of about €107, and without the booking fee or toll:
| Passengers | Total Fare (est.) | Per Person |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | €107 | €107 |
| 2 people | €108 | €54 |
| 3 people | €109 | €36.33 |
| 4 people | €110 | €27.50 |
A wedding group or race-day outing can use the seven-seater taxi rather than two cars. If anyone in the group needs a child seat, bring your own and read the child seat page first.
Where the Driver Can Drop You
Give the driver the exact address or the name of the venue. The hospital, the Ardboyne Hotel on the Dublin Road and the Solstice Arts Centre on Railway Street are all reachable by road, and the 109A and 109X also use the Ardboyne Hotel stop. For a house outside town, put the Eircode in your booking message. For Navan Racecourse at Proudstown, name the entrance you want when you book.
Heading Back to the Airport
The meter fare is much the same in reverse. Allow for traffic rather than the free-flow time: 43 minutes becomes 54 in the evening peak. For a morning flight, book the day before, and ask for a pickup that leaves at least 75 minutes for the road alone, then follow your airline's advice on arrival time at the terminal.
Give your terminal when you book so the driver knows where to wait, and keep to the pickup time you agreed rather than counting on the 43-minute free-flow figure.
Pre-Book Your Airport Taxi to Navan
Fare estimate upfront. Licensed driver. No surge pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a taxi from Dublin Airport to Navan?
€96–€117 during the day (Standard Rate), €125–€151 at night (Premium Rate), and €132–€159 on the Special Rate. A €3 booking fee applies for pre-booked taxis, and any M3 toll is added to the fare.
How long is the drive from the airport to Navan?
By the M3 over about 58 km, mapping data gives 43 minutes in clear traffic, 45 in late morning and 54 in the 17:30 peak.
Is the M3 to Navan tolled?
Yes. The M3 has a plaza between Junction 5 (Dunboyne) and Junction 6 (Dunshaughlin), where the 2026 car rate is €1.80. It goes on top of the metered fare.
Which bus goes from the airport to Navan?
Yes. Bus Éireann's 109A links DCU, the airport, Ratoath and Navan, with timetable data showing about 50 to 60 minutes and roughly hourly departures. Routes 109 and 109X do not stop at the airport.
Is Newgrange on the way to Navan from the airport?
No. The Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre for Newgrange is reached by the M1 in 32 to 39 minutes, quicker than Navan. Give the visitor centre as your drop-off.
Can I get a train to Navan?
No. The airport has no rail link and Navan has no passenger rail service, so the choice is the 109A bus or a taxi.
Can a group of six or seven share a taxi to Navan?
Yes. Book a 7 or 8 seater, which is charged on the metered fare plus €1 for each extra adult, so the cost per person falls as the group grows.
Need a Navan taxi to the airport? Call +353 85 712 7547 (24/7) or book on WhatsApp for a fare from €96 by day.
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