Cycle route from Swords to City Center

billyhead

Hi

I might have to take a work posiotion in town shortly and I was wondering what is the best and quickest route to take from Swords to the city center and how long would it usually take on the bike?

thehamo

What part of Swords you in? Down the airport road would logically be the quickest but quite dangerous with traffic etc. Other way would be back of the airport through ballymun and straigh on to what part of town? Looking at roughly 14km commute each way

teol

I would just go on the N1. The dodgy bits would be around the airport: potholes and busy roundabout.

StaggerLee

I go from kinsealy, up the feltrim road, then down malahide road. Nice roads, and I think much safer than N1, not that that is very dangerous if you're being sensible

route takes me about 35 mins on the bike

billyhead

StaggerLee wrote: »

I go from kinsealy, up the feltrim road, then down malahide road. Nice roads, and I think much safer than N1, not that that is very dangerous if you're being sensible

route takes me about 35 mins on the bike

Thanks Satgger Lee it looks the best route to take. Would you do this every day inclduing throughout the winter?

StaggerLee

billyhead wrote: »

StaggerLee wrote: »

I go from kinsealy, up the feltrim road, then down malahide road. Nice roads, and I think much safer than N1, not that that is very dangerous if you're being sensible

route takes me about 35 mins on the bike

Thanks Satgger Lee it looks the best route to take. Would you do this every day inclduing throughout the winter?

I go over to clonskeagh 2 or 3 times a week on the malahide route. Into town is very doable 5 times a week, get a good bike though. I only started cycling in spring, still not decided on what to do in winter, although I cant see myself doing it all that much in december and january.

Khannie

I come in from Skerries, through Swords (R132), past airside, up past the airport, into Santry (still R132) then the usual route towards town through Drumcondra. I've never felt anything other than 100% safe as far as Santry. It's only as you get closer to the city (Richmond road onwards) that you really need to have your wits about you a bit more IMO and that's going to apply from any approach into the city I'd imagine.

superlav

100% agree with Khannie.

I commute daily and have the choice of either Malahide Rd route or Airport - Santry - Drumcondra and almost always chose the latter. There is no bike lane or lighting on the Feltrim Rd - Malahide Rd. route till Clare Hall, so it's not great for dark winter commutes. Whereas you have both all the way into town on the airport route.

Can't say how long it will take you, but I allow about 35-40 mins for the journey and then 15 - 20 mins to lock the bike get showered and get to my desk.

mfdc

Agree with Khannie and superlav - I take the N1 route every day and have never had any issues, it's not dodgy at all! There's a bus lane/bike lane basically the entire way up to Whitehall (except for the stint from the Coachmans to the airport roundabout, but there's a hard shoulder there), and it's wide enough that buses have always left me plenty of room when overtaking. The only slightly tricky part is getting onto the airport roundabout, but even then common sense will get you around that fine (stay in the hard shoulder on the left until traffic is clear enough to cross into the roundabout lane, stop and wait if you need to. Once you're on the roundabout that's the tricky part over).

I've done it rain, hail or shine 52 weeks a year through dark winter mornings and evenings, even a couple of weeks through the snow last year, and have never had any issues at all. My commute is Swords to the southside city center, 17km on the nose and it takes me between 45 and 50 minutes.

Seaswimmer

mfdc wrote: »

Agree with Khannie and superlav - I take the N1 route every day and have never had any issues, it's not dodgy at all! There's a bus lane/bike lane basically the entire way up to Whitehall (except for the stint from the Coachmans to the airport roundabout, but there's a hard shoulder there), and it's wide enough that buses have always left me plenty of room when overtaking. The only slightly tricky part is getting onto the airport roundabout, but even then common sense will get you around that fine (stay in the hard shoulder on the left until traffic is clear enough to cross into the roundabout lane, stop and wait if you need to. Once you're on the roundabout that's the tricky part over).

I've done it rain, hail or shine 52 weeks a year through dark winter mornings and evenings, even a couple of weeks through the snow last year, and have never had any issues at all. My commute is Swords to the southside city center, 17km on the nose and it takes me between 45 and 50 minutes.

I only do the bit from near the airport down through Santry and into town. Its usually fine except watch out for....

Large amount of taxis coming from airport and going through santry in hope of pickup up fare there. Makes the bus lane busy.
Extremely bad cycle path outside airways industrial estate. Dont use it as it leads you into pedestrians near bus stop at high speed.
Watch out for bad road surface in Santry village and although this is one of the areas that Dublin city council will soon be resurfacing as part of the repair to the snow damage from last winter...

good luck..

Khannie

Seaswimmer wrote: »

Extremely bad cycle path outside airways industrial estate. Dont use it as it leads you into pedestrians near bus stop at high speed.

Forgot about this. Shockingly dangerous. Used it my first cycle and never since.

billyhead

Thanks guys for all the advice. Much appreciated

Dermot Illogical

I sometimes take the Swords - Airport - Santry - Whitehall - City route. It's a route I'll probably go back to over the winter as it's reasonably well lit. As someone else mentioned, the Malahide Rd isn't lit until Clare Hall. That rules it out for me. Road users of all kinds fail miserably at observation even in the best of circumstances. Darkness just gives them an excuse.
Avoid the poorly-designed cycle lanes and make sure to "take the lane" as you cross the bridge on the Whitehall side of Santry if you can.

StaggerLee

I haven't cycled the Malahide road route in winter, but have noted its not lit now, might change to the airport road. I hate the section from the CPoachmans down to Alsaa though, road is in bits and theres a lot of trucks. It will add a couple of K to my route too.