Editing Dublin Bus (section)

===Nitelink===
On 6 December 1991 Dublin Bus launched its first 'Nitelink' service aimed at facilitating Christmas revellers returning home from the city centre.<ref name=archivenite>{{cite web |url=https://www.rte.ie/archives/2021/1108/1258545-nitelink-bus-service/|work=[[RTÉ Archives]] |title=Night Bus Service For Dublin - 1991|publisher=[[RTÉ]] |access-date=2022-05-05 |date=1991-12-06 }}</ref> The trial service operated from 6 December 1991 to 4 January 1992 (except for certain holidays) on a Mon-Sun basis and cost a flat fare of [[Irish pound|£2]] per person irrespective of how long or short their journey. Nitelink initially consisted of only four routes serving 12 suburban destinations in total with buses leaving on the hour every hour until 3am, from [[College Street, Dublin|College Street]], [[D'Olier Street]] and [[Westmoreland Street]].<ref name=archivenite/> Nitelink is an express service, meaning passengers may only board the buses at the city centre termini and other select locations along the way, although they may disembark at any normal bus stop along the route. Upon completing the journey the buses return to the city centre without passengers.<ref name=archivenite/>

Over the years the Nitelink service increased to 18 routes overnight, and, until January 2009 ran between Monday and Saturday, with the greatest service frequency being on Friday and Saturday nights. Due to cutbacks necessitated by the 2008 [[Post-2008 Irish economic downturn|economic downturn in Ireland]], the midweek schedule was scrapped.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/dublin-bus-cuts-290-and-slashes-services-26506475.html|title=Dublin Bus cuts 290 and slashes services|website=Independent.ie|date=17 January 2009 |access-date=18 December 2019|archive-date=18 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218215255/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/dublin-bus-cuts-290-and-slashes-services-26506475.html|url-status=live}}</ref> By 2014 there were 18 Nitelink routes running again.<ref name = wayne/> Nitelink routes 15n and 41n were discontinued on the 1 December 2019 when 24-hour services on routes 15 and 41 came into effect. Some other areas previously served by the 15n and 41n Nitelinks (but not by the 15 or 41) became incorporated into other Nitelink services.<ref name = patgill/> A year later on 13 December 2020, Nitelink route 39n was similarly discontinued when daytime route 39a began operating on a 24-hour basis.<ref name="dublinbus1"/><ref>{{cite web|last=Telford|first=Thomas|date=2022-02-18|title=Dublin Bus: What routes are 24 hours and what other late-night services are available?|url=https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/dublin-bus-what-routes-24-23143101|access-date=2022-05-18|website=[[Dublin Live]]|language=en}}</ref> Route 25n was discontinued on 16 October 2022 as part of Phase 4.

Due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], Nitelink services were paused between March 2020<ref>{{cite web|last=Cleary|first=Mairead|date=2021-10-15|title=Dublin's NiteLink Will Return At The Same Time As Nightclubs|url=https://www.todayfm.com/news/dublins-nitelink-will-return-at-the-same-time-as-nightclubs-1264990|access-date=2022-05-05|website=[[Today FM]]|language=en}}</ref> and January 2022<ref name = covidNitelink/> with a brief respite between Fri 22 Oct 2021 and 19 December 2021 during which time services resumed. The service was halted again on Sun 19 December 2021 when an 8pm curfew was put in place on the hospitality industry due to an increase in COVID-19 cases. Dublin City Councillor Colm O'Rourke criticised the move, noting "The Nitelink is not just for clubbers; it's for workers and anyone else who needs a low-cost service to get home safely – including people on low wages or perhaps students who work the weekend".<ref>{{cite web|last=Staines|first=Michael|date=2022-01-24|title='It's about safety and welfare' - Nitelink must return as soon as possible|url=https://www.newstalk.com/news/its-about-safety-nad-welfare-nitelink-must-return-as-soon-as-possible-1303185|access-date=2022-08-14|website=[[newstalk]]|language=en}}</ref> Nitelink services eventually returned to full operating hours from Friday 28 January 2022.<ref name = covidNitelink/>

Currently, as of October 2022 the Nitelink service operates on Friday and Saturday nights only (technically the early hours of Saturday and Sunday) and consists of 12 separate routes that depart between the hours of 00:00 and 04:00 from the Dublin city centre locations of D'Olier Street, Westmoreland Street and [[Aston Quay]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Your-Journey1/Timetables/Nitelink-Services/?id=|title=Nitelink Services - Dublin Bus|website=www.dublinbus.ie}}</ref> Each of the route numbers is suffixed by the letter 'n' to denote their night status.

Special (higher) fares apply on Nitelink buses than regular daytime bus services.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.dublinbus.ie/Fares-and-Tickets/Adult/|title=Adult Fare and Ticket Options|publisher=Dublin Bus|access-date=2022-02-10|archive-date=10 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220210000733/https://www.dublinbus.ie/Fares-and-Tickets/Adult/|url-status=live}}</ref> On 2 September 2022 [[Transport for Ireland|TFI]] announced that Nitelink fares across all 13 routes were being reduced with immediate effect; [[TFI Leap Card|Leap]] fares by 33% and cash fares by 43%.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hennessy|first=Michelle|date=2022-09-02|title=Fares on Nitelink bus services in Dublin to be reduced from tonight|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/nitelink-fares-5856418-Sep2022/|access-date=2022-09-03|website=[[TheJournal.ie]]|language=en}}</ref> Sorin Costica, Head of Operations at Dublin Bus said the reduction in fares would "...help reduce night-time carbon emissions by encouraging people to take the bus as opposed to travelling by car."<ref>{{Cite news |last=(staff writer) |date=2022-09-02 |title=Nitelink bus fares drop by up to 43%. Adults can travel on late night Dublin Bus service for reduced fare of €2.40|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/transport/2022/09/02/nitelink-bus-fares-drop-by-up-to-43/ |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]|language=en}}</ref>