Moving to Howth, Dublin: A Guide for New Residents

Moving to Howth, Dublin puts you at the end of the DART’s northline, on a peninsula that juts into Dublin Bay roughly 15 kilometres from the city centre. Howth village, the harbour, the cliff walk above Ireland’s Eye, and the Summit roads with views across the bay — it is a place that people discover once and tend not to leave. Our team at J Hanway Removals & Storage has been handling moves in and out of Howth since 1982, and this guide covers the practical side: access, parking, costs, and what to expect on moving day.

What Moving to Howth Actually Looks Like

The peninsula has three distinct residential zones, and they behave very differently on moving day.

The village and harbour area — Howth Road, Abbey Street, the streets close to the DART station — mixes terraced fishermen’s cottages, Victorian semis, and newer apartment developments. Streets here are tight, parking is scarce on the main drag, and summer weekends in particular turn the village into a traffic pinch point with tourists, seafood restaurants, and the Sunday market.

The mid-hill roads — Carrickbrack Road, Balkill Road, Thormanby Road — are wider residential streets with substantial detached homes set back behind gardens. These are generally easier to work on: more driveway space, less traffic, and properties built to a scale that allows a full-size truck outside.

The Summit is where the real access challenges are. Roads off the summit loop — summit view estates, the higher reaches of Thormanby Road, Balkill Road upper — are often narrow enough that a 7.5-tonne truck cannot pass an oncoming car. Our crews always pre-check these routes; for some Summit properties, we use the 3.5-tonne Luton van and make additional runs rather than risk a lorry getting stuck on a blind bend.

Parking and Access in Howth

Howth falls under Fingal County Council rather than Dublin City Council. Parking restrictions in the village itself are enforced and real — the main street and the harbour car parks operate under paid parking during peak hours. For properties on Howth Road or the streets immediately behind the village, you may need a temporary parking suspension applied through Fingal’s roads department. Allow at least five working days.

Summit road properties often have no on-street parking at all — the driveway is the only option for a vehicle. If the driveway is steep or narrow, tell us when booking. We will assess the approach and plan accordingly rather than finding out on the morning.

Apartment blocks in Howth — particularly the newer harbour-facing developments — will have management company rules about moving times, goods lift use, and protective padding requirements for corridors. Contact the management agent well before your move date. They often restrict moves to weekday morning slots; Saturday is rarely an option.

The Eircode prefix for Howth is D13. When you are updating your NDLS licence, registering with An Post, or notifying the Revenue Commissioners of your new address, use your full Eircode. Several roads on the peninsula have similar names; the Eircode removes any ambiguity.

Housing Stock and What It Means for Your Move

Howth’s housing stock is wider than the village-and-sea-view image suggests. You will find:

• Terraced fishermen’s cottages near the harbour (tight halls, steep internal stairs, no off-street parking)
• Victorian and Edwardian villas on the lower hill roads (large rooms, high ceilings, longer carries from vehicle to door)
• Mid-century detached homes on Carrickbrack Road and Thormanby Road (good access, ample driveways)
• Modern estate houses in Howth Demesne and adjacent developments (standard access, usually straightforward)
• Purpose-built apartment blocks near the DART station (management company rules apply)

The terrace and older villa properties require the most planning. A wide wardrobe in a narrow Georgian hallway is a recurring challenge on Dublin’s older streets, and Howth has its share. If you have large pieces — a piano, a three-door wardrobe, a king-size bed — mention them when booking our house removals service. We work out the approach in advance.

What a Howth Move Typically Costs

A three-bed house removal in Howth runs between €650 and €1,000, depending on property type, access, and whether packing is included. That range reflects the real difference between a semi-d on Carrickbrack Road with a clear driveway and a terraced cottage near the harbour with no parking and a steep internal stair.

Summit road properties sit toward the upper end of the range. The extra time added by narrow approach roads, limited vehicle positioning, and longer carries all factor into the quote.

We do not charge by the hour. After a free video survey, you get a fixed price — same number on moving day as in the quote. If you want professional packing on top of the removal, that is priced separately and can be scheduled for the day before the move or the morning itself. Ring us on +353 85 194 9801 to arrange.

Schools, Bins, and Local Admin in Howth

Howth is in Fingal County Council’s administrative area, which covers bin collection, planning, and local services. Bin days in the D13 area follow Fingal’s fortnightly rotation; register with their waste management team once you have your Eircode confirmed. If you are moving into a newly completed property, there may be a short gap before the address is registered on the waste system — check with Fingal directly.

Local schools include Howth National School on Thormanby Road, the Howth and Sutton schools cluster, and secondary options including Sutton Park School (fee-paying) and Pobalscoil Rosmini over in Beaumont. For secondary places at State schools in Fingal, early application is essential — most popular schools run out of first-choice offers by January of the year prior to entry.

If you are updating your vehicle registration, the NDLS has a licence update process that requires proof of your new address. An Post’s redirect service can be set up online and costs around €55 for six months — worth doing for a month or two while you notify everyone of the change.

Fingal operates the Sutton to Sandycove (S2S) coastal path project, which is slowly improving cycling infrastructure on the peninsula. For the foreseeable future, the DART is the most reliable commute option for city centre work.

Getting Around from Howth

The DART runs from Howth station to Connolly, Tara Street, and Pearse in under 35 minutes at off-peak times. Rush hour can add five to ten minutes. Howth Junction station — a five-minute drive or a 20-minute walk from the village — also serves the DART and connects to the Northern Commuter rail line toward Drogheda.

By road, the Howth Road runs south into Sutton and on to the M50 via the Malahide Road or the Clontarf Road. Morning traffic through Sutton Cross and onto the Malahide Road is predictable slow between 7:30am and 9:00am. For city centre trips, the DART beats a car at peak hours.

Dublin Bus routes 31 and 31a connect Howth to the city centre, with a journey time of roughly 45–55 minutes. Useful for the village and mid-hill roads; less convenient for Summit properties.

Our Howth Removals Service

J Hanway Removals & Storage covers Howth and the surrounding north Dublin coastal area — Sutton, Baldoyle, Bayside, and Portmarnock are all part of our regular patch. We know which Summit roads need a pre-check, which harbour-side blocks need a management company call the week before, and which terraced streets require a smaller vehicle to avoid blocking traffic.

For larger moves, we bring the 7.5-tonne truck. For tight village streets or Summit approach roads that cannot take a full lorry, we work with the Luton and plan the day accordingly. Our packing service is available if you want the moving boxes handled for you — useful if you are time-pressed or have fragile items that want proper protection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Howth a good place to live?

Yes. Howth is one of the most desirable addresses in north County Dublin. The coastal setting, the cliff walk, the DART connection, and a village centre with good restaurants and shops make it popular with families and professionals who want coast without sacrificing city access. Property prices are among the highest on the northside, but the quality of life is genuinely different from the city suburbs.

Is Howth an expensive area?

Howth sits at the upper end of the Dublin property market. Detached homes on the Hill and Summit roads regularly trade above €1 million. Properties in the village itself and along Howth Road are more varied, with smaller terraced houses available at lower price points. Rental prices reflect the location’s demand — D13 is not cheap.

How much does a house removal to or from Howth cost?

A typical three-bed move costs between €650 and €1,000. Summit road properties with steep or narrow approach roads tend toward the higher end of that range. We give fixed quotes after a free video survey — no hourly rates, no day-of surprises. Packing is priced separately and can be scheduled for the day before if needed.

Ready to Move?

J Hanway Removals & Storage has been moving families and households in and out of Howth for over 40 years. We know the peninsula’s access quirks, the Fingal permit process, and which buildings need a call ahead to management. To get a fixed quote for your move, call us on +353 85 194 9801 or get in touch online.