European Adventure: Complete Travel Guide
Dublin → London → Stoneleigh
September 18-28, 2025
🚨 IMMEDIATE ACTION ITEMS
Pre-Travel Requirements (Complete ASAP)
✅ Passport & Documentation
✅ Flight Actions
- Select meals for overnight flight Washington Dulles (IAD) → Dublin (DUB) (Sept 18)
- Select meals for long flight Frankfurt (FRA) → Washington Dulles (IAD) (Sept 28)
- Consider seat upgrades:
- IAD → DUB: Exit row 21 (starts at $34 pp)
- FRA → IAD: Premium seats for 9-hour flight
✅ Check-In Schedule (Set Phone Reminders)
- Sept 17, 12:40 PM - Check in for Mobile → Dublin
- Sept 20, 11:05 AM - FREE seat selection opens for BA flight
- Sept 21, 11:05 AM - Check in for Dublin → London
- Sept 27, 5:55 AM - Check in for Birmingham → Mobile
✅ Dublin Transportation
- Purchase Leap Card at Dublin Airport (€5 + €20 credit)
- Download FreeNow app for taxi booking
✅ Excursions
- Confirm 2 Viator tickets (pending - email sent 8/17)
✈️ FLIGHT DETAILS
Outbound: September 18, 2025
Mobile Regional Airport → Dublin Airport
Confirmation: PC06G6 (United Airlines)
MOB → IAD (Washington Dulles International Airport)
- Airline: United Airlines (operated by CommutAir as United Express)
- Flight: UA4951
- Time: 12:40 PM - 4:01 PM
- Seats: 10C/10D
Departure Tip: Mobile Regional is a small airport - arrive 90 minutes before for international connections
IAD → DUB (Dublin Airport) - Overnight Flight
- Airline: United Airlines
- Flight: UA710
- Time: 7:05 PM - 7:10 AM+1 (arrives Sept 19)
- Seats: 37C/37B
- Layover: 3 hours 4 minutes in Washington Dulles
Connection Tips:
- Follow signs for "International Departures"
- Must go through additional security screening
- Gates D1-D30 area for international flights
Remember: Select meals & consider exit row upgrade
Dublin → London: September 22, 2025
Confirmation: CFMTYP (British Airways)
Dublin Airport (DUB) → London Heathrow (LHR)
- Airline: British Airways
- Flight: BA0825
- Time: 11:05 AM - 12:35 PM
- Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Class: Euro Traveller
- Terminal: Check-in at Terminal 2 in Dublin
- Arrival: Terminal 5 at Heathrow
FREE seat selection: Sept 20 at 11:05 AM
Return: September 28, 2025
Birmingham International Airport → Mobile Regional Airport
Confirmation: PC06G6 (United Airlines)
BHX → FRA (Frankfurt Airport)
- Airline: United Airlines (operated by Lufthansa)
- Flight: UA8808
- Time: 5:55 AM - 8:30 AM
- Seats: 15B/15C
Early Morning Tip: Birmingham Airport opens at 4:00 AM
FRA → IAD (Washington Dulles)
- Airline: United Airlines (operated by Lufthansa)
- Flight: UA8832
- Time: 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM
- Seats: 31K/31H
- Layover: 2 hours in Frankfurt
Connection Tip: Frankfurt is large - follow signs for Z gates (non-Schengen)
Remember: Select meals & consider seat upgrade
IAD → MOB (Mobile Regional)
- Airline: United Airlines (operated by CommutAir)
- Flight: UA4295
- Time: 5:55 PM - 7:31 PM
- Seats: 10C/10D
- Layover: 4 hours 25 minutes in Washington Dulles
Connection Tip: Must clear US customs & immigration, then re-check bags
🏨 HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
Dublin: September 19-22, 2025
The Grafton Hotel (4/5 stars)
- 3 nights
- Classic King Room with Free WiFi
- Location: 31/32 Stephens Street Lower, Near St. Stephen's Green
- Check-in: 3:00 PM (early check-in available)
- Website: https://www.thegrafton.ie/
- Phone: +353 1 648 0010
London: September 22-23, 2025
Canopy by Hilton London City (4/5 stars)
Stoneleigh: September 23-28, 2025
- Accommodation arranged separately
- 5 nights in Warwickshire countryside
🛬 DUBLIN AIRPORT ARRIVAL GUIDE
Immigration & Customs Process
- Disembark - Follow signs for "Arrivals"
- Immigration - Have passport ready, US citizens typically asked purpose of visit
- Baggage Claim - Monitors display carousel numbers
- Customs - Green channel (nothing to declare) or Red channel
- Arrivals Hall - Exit to public area
Where to Buy Leap Card
- Terminal 1: WH Smith (newsagent)
- Terminal 2: Spar convenience store
- Located AFTER customs, before exiting to arrivals hall
- Cost: €5 deposit + add €20-30 credit
- Alternative: Buy Leap Visitor Card for unlimited travel (1/3/7 days)
Airport to Hotel Transportation
- Taxi: €25-30 to city center
- Taxi rank outside arrivals
- 20-30 minutes depending on traffic
- Aircoach: €7 per person (not recommended with heavy luggage)
- Airport Buses: Routes 16, 41, or 747 (€3.30 with Leap Card)
🚖 DUBLIN TRANSPORTATION
To Irish National Stud (Saturday, Sept 20)
Recommended: Train + Taxi
Total Cost: ~€40 per person round trip
- Taxi to Heuston Station: €10-12 (15 min)
- Book via FreeNow app or hail on street
- Train to Kildare: €20 round trip (35 min, hourly service)
- Irish Rail service
- Recommend 9:00 or 10:00 AM departure
- Taxi to National Stud: €10-12 (10 min)
- Important: Get driver's number for return!
To Howth (Sunday, Sept 21)
Recommended: Walk + DART
Total Cost: €7 round trip per person with Leap Card
- Walk to Pearse Station: 12 min from hotel
- Exit hotel, head east on Nassau Street
- Turn left on Pearse Street
- DART to Howth: 30 min direct
- Northbound platform
- Arrives at harbor - perfect for cliff walk
- Runs every 10-20 minutes
🚂 LONDON/BIRMINGHAM TRANSPORTATION
Heathrow to Birmingham (Sept 22)
Fastest Route: Elizabeth Line + Avanti West Coast
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Total Cost: £45-95
Finding Elizabeth Line at Heathrow Terminal 5
- Follow purple "Elizabeth Line" signs (not blue Piccadilly Line)
- Same station as Heathrow Express
- Down escalators from arrivals
- 5-minute walk from baggage claim
Step-by-Step Journey
- Elizabeth Line from Heathrow Terminal 5 to Paddington
- Cost: £12.80 (tap contactless card)
- Duration: 30 minutes
- Frequency: Every 6-10 minutes
- Walk within Paddington Station
- Follow signs for "National Rail"
- 3-5 minute walk to main concourse
- Avanti West Coast from Paddington to Birmingham New Street
- Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Book at: avantiwestcoast.co.uk
- Look for NON-STOP services
- Platforms usually 1-8
Suggested Timeline (Sept 22)
- 12:35 PM - Land at Heathrow
- 1:30 PM - Clear immigration/baggage
- 2:15 PM - Board Elizabeth Line
- 2:45 PM - Arrive Paddington
- 3:20 PM - Depart for Birmingham
- 4:40 PM - Arrive Birmingham New Street
💳 TRAVEL INSURANCE
📱 ESSENTIAL APPS TO DOWNLOAD
- United Airlines - Check-in and boarding passes
- British Airways - Check-in and seat selection
- FreeNow - Dublin taxi booking
- TFI Live - Dublin public transport real-time info
- Irish Rail - Train schedules to Kildare
- Trainline - UK train bookings
- UK ETA - For visa application
📋 PACKING REMINDERS
- Passports (valid through March 2026)
- Printed copies of all confirmations
- UK ETA confirmation
- Power adapters (Type G for UK/Ireland)
- Comfortable walking shoes for Howth
- Rain jacket (September weather)
- Credit cards (notify bank of travel)
- Small Euro/Pound notes for tips
📅 DAY-BY-DAY SUMMARY
Sept 17: Check in for Mobile flight online (opens 12:40 PM for Sept 18 departure)
Sept 18: Departure day - Mobile → Dublin
Sept 19: Arrive Dublin morning, check-in afternoon, evening walking tour & dinner at Brazen Head
Sept 20: Irish National Stud tour, FREE BA seat selection opens (11:05 AM)
Sept 21: Howth cliff walk & cruise, Check in for BA flight (11:05 AM)
Sept 22: Dublin → London → Birmingham travel day
Sept 23-27: Stoneleigh work engagement
Sept 27: Check in for return flights (5:55 AM)
Sept 28: Return travel - Birmingham → Mobile
Document last updated: August 17, 2025