Castleknock to Sandyford

stokesy

What's the best route? Would anyone advise driving the M50 in the mornings, what's the best time to leave to beat traffic? Also, how long would we be talking?

Should I travel into the city from Castleknock to Pearse via train, walk from Pearse to St. Stephens Green and get the LUAS to Sandyford?

Another query, how reliable are Dublin trains? In Belfast, they are right on time, is the timing on the trains and the LUAS pretty accurate or are they often delayed?

Been considering many different ways and would like to hear some other peoples perspectives.

Anyone who can help, its much appreciated.

L1011

Trains are generally accurate enough timing wise these days - you will definately be let down on occasion though.

The Luas doesn't have a timetable, it runs on a frequency rating; they can get delayed or bunch particularly in the on-street section so an 'every 4 minutes' service (green line morning peak) could sometimes have you waiting 7 minutes or 1 minute for the next.

Currently I would recommend the public transport option over the car just because of the traffic down that end of the M50 - you would have to go through the Ballymount insanity (three lanes down to two plus a merge at the same location!) in the mornings. Expect to stand on the train in though, the last seats usually go at Clonsilla.

stokesy

MYOB wrote: »

Trains are generally accurate enough timing wise these days - you will definately be let down on occasion though.

The Luas doesn't have a timetable, it runs on a frequency rating; they can get delayed or bunch particularly in the on-street section so an 'every 4 minutes' service (green line morning peak) could sometimes have you waiting 7 minutes or 1 minute for the next.

Currently I would recommend the public transport option over the car just because of the traffic down that end of the M50 - you would have to go through the Ballymount insanity (three lanes down to two plus a merge at the same location!) in the mornings. Expect to stand on the train in though, the last seats usually go at Clonsilla.

Theres 3 of us going down, I'm working in Sandyford and my friends are working in Leixlip, I drive and they don't - so were trying to get an area which is best for both.

Can't seem to come up with much which is equal for the both of us, at the minute because I have the car, looks like I'm going to get shafted.

Heroditas

To be honest, I'd drive. It should take about an hour, even with bad traffic - and that's a far shorter time than it will take if you use public transport.

stokesy

Heroditas wrote: »

To be honest, I'd drive. It should take about an hour, even with bad traffic - and that's a far shorter time than it will take if you use public transport.

What's driving through the City Centre like? The Google maps route takes me down past Phoenix Park and through Parnell Road, past Kimmage and through Terenure. I drove it from Ranelagh which should only take about 10/15 mins and it was at least a half an hour and that wasn't even at rush hour time, is the M50 definately the best option?

craiginireland

stokesy wrote: »

What's driving through the City Centre like? The Google maps route takes me down past Phoenix Park and through Parnell Road, past Kimmage and through Terenure. I drove it from Ranelagh which should only take about 10/15 mins and it was at least a half an hour and that wasn't even at rush hour time, is the M50 definately the best option?

It used to take me 35 minutes driving from Heuston Station to Sandyford.
Traffic in Town was a nightmare and then in Sandyford again.. I avoided the n11 so went thru harolds cross, terenure, churchtown. Flew through those areas....

stokesy

Does that take long or was it just the same?

Redsoxfan

What time do you have to be in Sandyford?

stokesy

Hours are flexitime but I plan to be in work for 9.

monument

I live on Parkgate Street, while I don't always be on the road before 9am, traffic seems to be normal very, very slow coming from Castleknock via the park and on to the quays.

As the Capital D program showed a while ago, Castleknock to the city centre is faster on a bicycle at rush hour.

craiginireland

stokesy wrote: »

Does that take long or was it just the same?

the n11 adds an extra 10-15 minutes....

jaffa20

dart to blackrock and 114 bus to sandyford industrial estate. Should take under an hour.

Heroditas

stokesy wrote: »

Hours are flexitime but I plan to be in work for 9.

I'd reckon if you left Castleknock at 7.45, you'd easily be there for 9 if you use the M50. Remember, once you get onto the M50 you have 3 lanes until near Tallaght when it goes down to 2 lanes. It can be bad here sometimes but a lot of the time it's ok. After that, the traffic moves steadily (a bit slower though) and then you'll get to the turn off for Sandyford.
It depends on where you need to get to here - some areas will be more congested than others.

The alternative is the Arrow to Connolly (20mins), DART from Connolly to Blackrock (20mins) and then wait for the magical mystical 114 to fight its way up across White's Cross and up to Sandyford (assuming you're not waiting 20mins for one).

Public transport or the car?

Car all the way....

Ham'nd'egger

Heroditas wrote: »

I'd reckon if you left Castleknock at 7.45, you'd easily be there for 9 if you use the M50. Remember, once you get onto the M50 you have 3 lanes until near Tallaght when it goes down to 2 lanes. It can be bad here sometimes but a lot of the time it's ok. After that, the traffic moves steadily (a bit slower though) and then you'll get to the turn off for Sandyford.
It depends on where you need to get to here - some areas will be more congested than others.

The alternative is the Arrow to Connolly (20mins), DART from Connolly to Blackrock (20mins) and then wait for the magical mystical 114 to fight its way up across White's Cross and up to Sandyford (assuming you're not waiting 20mins for one).

Public transport or the car?

Car all the way....

To Sandyford, it's the LUAS from town or drive there; the 114 is not the ideal way to go there at all.

Heroditas

Hamndegger wrote: »

To Sandyford, it's the LUAS from town or drive there; the 114 is not the ideal way to go there at all.

True, however I was sort of replying to Jaffa20's advice of using the DART and bus.

They're both not great options:

Castleknock to town on the Arrow followed by either walk to Stephen's Green and LUAS or else DART to Blackrock and then take the 114.

jaffa20

A walk from Tara Street or Pearse to Stephen's green takes about 15 minutes so it's a waste of time. I had to do it to get to Clontarf. I much preferred, the 114 which always leaves on time to blackrock and then dart to clontarf. It took under an hour and it would be the same distance to Castleknock.

stokesy

Heroditas wrote: »

True, however I was sort of replying to Jaffa20's advice of using the DART and bus.

They're both not great options:

Castleknock to town on the Arrow followed by either walk to Stephen's Green and LUAS or else DART to Blackrock and then take the 114.

Managed to get my friends to move closer into the city to make it more fair for me, we're looking at Drumcondra now. I don't wanna run the miles up on my car and will probably be using it for jaunting about the city in at night time and for going back up North, may as well use the transport available like everyone else eh? Thanks to everyone for their great help, I'm going to research a few of the routes.

Two of the most appealing are:

1) Get the monthly student train ticket, get the train from Drumcondra to Blackrock, get the 114 to Sandyford. €93 for the month is fantastic and would be great.
2) Get the train from Drumcondra into Pearse, walk from Pearse to St. Stephens Green and get the Green LUAS to Sandyford.

It'll take a little under/over an hour for both but it'll give me more a purpose to have an early night and leave the house at 7:15-30.

If anyone else has any suggestions, they are more than welcome and again I really appreciate everyones help.

Slainte!!

KC61

stokesy wrote: »

Managed to get my friends to move closer into the city to make it more fair for me, we're looking at Drumcondra now. I don't wanna run the miles up on my car and will probably be using it for jaunting about the city in at night time and for going back up North, may as well use the transport available like everyone else eh? Thanks to everyone for their great help, I'm going to research a few of the routes.

Two of the most appealing are:

1) Get the monthly student train ticket, get the train from Drumcondra to Blackrock, get the 114 to Sandyford. €93 for the month is fantastic and would be great.
2) Get the train from Drumcondra into Pearse, walk from Pearse to St. Stephens Green and get the Green LUAS to Sandyford.

It'll take a little under/over an hour for both but it'll give me more a purpose to have an early night and leave the house at 7:15-30.

If anyone else has any suggestions, they are more than welcome and again I really appreciate everyones help.

Slainte!!

From Drumcondra the 11 bus operates directly to Sandyford Industrial Estate from the 0645 departure up until 0825. Time taken from Wadelai Park terminus to Drumcondra Rail Station 10-15 minutes.

In the opposite direction departures from 1605 to 1825 from Kilmacud operate via Sandyford Industrial Estate.

Alek Smart (our resident 11 driver) should be able to advise on journey times....

monument

stokesy wrote: »

1) Get the monthly student train ticket, get the train from Drumcondra to Blackrock, get the 114 to Sandyford. €93 for the month is fantastic and would be great.
2) Get the train from Drumcondra into Pearse, walk from Pearse to St. Stephens Green and get the Green LUAS to Sandyford.

It'll take a little under/over an hour for both but it'll give me more a purpose to have an early night and leave the house at 7:15-30.

If anyone else has any suggestions, they are more than welcome and again I really appreciate everyones help.

• Cycle from Drumcondra to the Luas stop on the Green, lock the bike and get the Luas.

It would be quicker and more predictable than any of your other options above. Since the Luas is the more predictable of any of the options above, cycling and getting the Luas would be the most reliable option (unless you're willing to cycle the whole way?)

Godge

Drumcondra could be worse for driving than Castleknock.

Then again, if you were in the Roselawn or Luttrellstown end of Castleknock (like Killiney, Castleknock is a small village that people from up to three miles away claim to live in) you could have an awful job trying to get to the M50.

Dublin is such a hard city to get around that unless you live ext door to work, you will have trouble from school-run mums, leaves on the track or some other such nonsense about a third of the time.

best option from Drumcondra would be a 125cc moped, low insurance, low tax but will maneouvre through the traffic.

P.S. Have the other two worked out how far they have to walk from Leixlip Train Station?

ullu

Cycle if you are fit enough and it's feasible (and the fitness will come quickly even if you aren't at the moment).

I occasionally cycle from just beside Sandyford Industrial Estate to a friend's house in Castleknock (close to Myo's) and it's about 45 minutes each way.

The route I take out there is N11 > Stephen's Green > Christchurch > Quays > Phoenix Park and the route home is Phoenix Park > Quays > D'Olier Street > Townsend Street > Ballsbridge > N11. That may not be the most efficient route but it works for me (granted I don't do it during rush hour).

Or as suggested already, you could cycle to a Luas stop in town. If you do this, make sure you buy two good quality locks for your bike. It will quickly disappear if you don't.

stokesy

Godge wrote: »

Drumcondra could be worse for driving than Castleknock.

Then again, if you were in the Roselawn or Luttrellstown end of Castleknock (like Killiney, Castleknock is a small village that people from up to three miles away claim to live in) you could have an awful job trying to get to the M50.

Dublin is such a hard city to get around that unless you live ext door to work, you will have trouble from school-run mums, leaves on the track or some other such nonsense about a third of the time.

best option from Drumcondra would be a 125cc moped, low insurance, low tax but will maneouvre through the traffic.

P.S. Have the other two worked out how far they have to walk from Leixlip Train Station?

Not really worried about them and how far they have to walk, I think from Louisa Bridge in Leixlip its 10/15 mins.

I would cycle, do you not feel flustered and like crap after cycling the whole journey tho?

jaffa20

ullu wrote: »

Cycle if you are fit enough and it's feasible (and the fitness will come quickly even if you aren't at the moment).

I occasionally cycle from just beside Sandyford Industrial Estate to a friend's house in Castleknock (close to Myo's) and it's about 45 minutes each way.

The route I take out there is N11 > Stephen's Green > Christchurch > Quays > Phoenix Park and the route home is Phoenix Park > Quays > D'Olier Street > Townsend Street > Ballsbridge > N11. That may not be the most efficient route but it works for me (granted I don't do it during rush hour).

Or as suggested already, you could cycle to a Luas stop in town. If you do this, make sure you buy two good quality locks for your bike. It will quickly disappear if you don't.

:eek::eek::eek: WTF, how could you cycle that every day. I'd be dead before i got to work.

ronivek

Apologies for dragging up an old thread but I believe it's likely warranted given the changing nature of the M50 and its magical and mystical roadworks.

I've been offered a temporary position in Sandyford and as a result wouldn't be considering moving closer in order to reduce travel times; so my question is the same as the OP.

I don't have a car or license currently but I spent several years riding motorcycles so from a technical point of view learning to drive shouldn't be an issue; although the licensing side of things might be a bit flaky.

At any rate; what do people think would be the best option for travelling to Sandyford on a daily basis from Castleknock? I assume the public transport situation is much the same now as it was when the OP asked the question.

Driving through the city center just seems intuitively like a poor choice; especially given the latest speed limit changes.

Is driving down the M50 therefore the logical choice? Is there anyone who completes this commute daily and what kind of travel times do you rack up?