Advice please - starting in Maynooth in Feb!

Tiriel

Hi all - have been lurking around this forum for a while now, but first time poster as it's come to that time when I have to start making decisions!!

I will be starting in NUI Maynooth in Feb, 1 year Masters.. currently living and working in Dublin. Question is, it's a 3 day a week Masters and I will be working part-time in UCD. So, where do I live?

Is anyone living in Dublin at the moment and commuting? Do you drive/train etc. and what are the costs/time involved? I would like to be able to commute as it'd mean I could take on more evening hours in work.. the more the better as I won't be getting a grant etc.

Any help/advice appreciated!!

PrivateEye

Cork_girl, sup. I live in Dublin (Palmerstown,West Dublin- on the bus route from town to Maynooth) and to be honest it takes me next to no time to get in and out from college.

Leaving from the city centre, in the morning or late on, you can get out to the campus in 45 minutes on the 66. I'd reccomend avoiding t he 67A. I know they say it adds 5 minutes, and this may be true on an empty road, but in reality its another 10 or so most days.

I was travelling between NUIM and UCD a fair bit last year, and never found it painful. I wouldn't like to do it this time of year (with the buses in Chapelizod :mad:) but normally it'd be no major task. Soem buses go direct too if I remember right?

Maynooth is close enough to Dublin (if you're near the bus line 66/67A) to justify living in Dublin. If you're over on 'that' side of Dublin, the train is even quicker.

As I used to chant going through the place drunk, "Its just a sh/t Dublin suburb"

Kazuma

PrivateEye is correct, I commute from the city center, mostly bus, as I live beside the stop. The 66s that run from Pearse at five minutes past the hour (with the exception of the 9am bus, leaves Pearse at 9:10) will, in general, get you into college in time, but be prepared for a quick walk if you get the bus at busy road times.
Like I said, I only get the bus because I live right beside a stop, if I lived nearer to connolly, I might get the train instead (would also depend on what kind of student travel thing you have, if any)

Bus fare from the city centre is 2.20,
Train I'm not so certain about (around three something?), someone will have to clear this up.
Hope this was helpful

Tiriel

Thanks so much for ye're replies

My lease runs out end of January so I must look for somewhere new to live, so I guess I could try and make it somewhere on the public transport bus link.. or on the DART line to be within access of Connolly. I remember it didn't take long driving out there for the interview last July, but the schools were off and it wasn't a peak time either..

Thoughts of being back in college are sooo scary!!

philologos

Cork _girl - 66X goes straight to Maynooth from Belfield and vice versa.

Tiriel

Sorry to drag up this thread again, but it has come to decision time and I just wanted to ask a quick question - do any of you know how bad traffic is in the mornings in Maynooth? Aiming to be there for 9am? Is driving an option? What time do you need to be there to get parking and avoid getting caught?!

Hammer Archer

Ooh parking is tough. If you're in at 9am you should be alright though. On the North Campus you'd be lucky to get a "legal" parking space after half past 9 or 10am (not sure as I don't park in the North Campus anymore, it looks like a nightmare when I'm ever there). In the south campus theres usually more spaces free but their not exactly ideal spaces if you're on the North campus.
Traffic wouldn't be a big problem. Theres a few schools around that may cause a bit of hassle but nothing major. There can be a queue heading into Maynooth but it moves fairly steadily most of the time. Not entirely sure what the traffic would be like on the way to Maynooth though.

Tiriel

Thanks a million for the speedy response, I'm trying to decide between two apartments; one is on the 66 bus route and the other which we prefer is just off the N4 by Kilmainham.. so I'd imagine it'd be ok to drive, was just worried that traffic would be bad and I'd end up having to walk 25 mins, to get to the Conyngham Rd for the 66 stop, on top of however long it takes on the bus!!

Effluo

Driving imo is a better option anyway.
It would deffo save time, never been in any kind of "time costing" jam in Maynooth! Possibly the worst thing about driving in maynooth is those darned Pedestrian lights at the xroads... Take forever they do!