More cars using Dublin Port Tunnel to dodge bad traffic

Motorists are paying over €2.3 million each month to avoid rush hour traffic by utilizing the Port Tunnel in Dublin, according to Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) data. After raising the toll for traffic heading towards the city center from €13 to €14 in January, the number of private cars using the tunnel increased from 454,000 to 466,000 by the first half of this year.

This surge in usage led to a rise in toll revenue, peaking at €2.53 million in May. However, the amount of money collected from private cars fell to €2.45 million in the summer months as traffic levels declined due to secondary schools and colleges closing for summer. Light goods vehicles, small buses, and motorbikes paid a total of €4.2 million in fees, while large buses and heavy goods vehicles used the tunnel for free.

Speeding remains a concern in the tunnel, with 8,000 vehicles detected speeding in 2025 and the first half of this year, almost 63% of which were southbound vehicles heading towards the city center. TII officials emphasized the tunnel's importance as a critical economic link for goods and services entering and leaving the country, stating that increased tolls during peak hours were implemented to preserve capacity for heavy goods vehicles.