Ongar to city centre commute

dubgirl15

I have also put this in the commuting forum as not sure what is best. just wondering what the quickest way to commute to the city centre is? Trying to avoid driving to the station and paying for parking or having car damaged so probably bus would be better? Have not commuted in about 2 years so not sure if things have improved?

Larbre34

dubgirl15 wrote: »

I have also put this in the commuting forum as not sure what is best. just wondering what the quickest way to commute to the city centre is? Trying to avoid driving to the station and paying for parking or having car damaged so probably bus would be better? Have not commuted in about 2 years so not sure if things have improved?

is this much of an issue? Ive been parking at Clonsilla a couple of times a week on various roads for 5 years and never had any damage, maybe thats just blind luck. Have others had a problem lately?

Other than the train, the two buses 39 and 39a will take between 1hr and 80 mins depending on where in town you wish to get off

fletch

Depends on where abouts you are commuting to in the City Centre and where abouts in Ongar you live...on the rare occasion I use public transport I find the walk to Littlepace to get the 70 the best option as the 39/39A can be a nightmare.
Any reason you wouldn't consider cycling? I cycle to the City Centre every morning and it's a grand cycle

dubgirl15

How long is the cycle to the city centre?

fletch

dubgirl15 wrote: »

How long is the cycle to the city centre?

About 10 miles...

ongarboy

As a commuter of the train from Ongar for 7 years, I would recommend train over the bus any day. I walk from Ongar and it takes me 20 minutes to walk to Clonsilla train station. Train then takes 25-35 mins depending on getting off at Connolly, Tara, Pearse (or Docklands if you want to go to IFSC or Grand Canal) (so always under an hour). The bus will always take longer.

When (if) Hansfield opens next year, the train will be even more of a viable option.

Ed Winchester

ongarboy wrote: »

As a commuter of the train from Ongar for 7 years, I would recommend train over the bus any day. I walk from Ongar and it takes me 20 minutes to walk to Clonsilla train station. Train then takes 25-35 mins depending on getting off at Connolly, Tara, Pearse (or Docklands if you want to go to IFSC or Grand Canal) (so always under an hour). The bus will always take longer.

When (if) Hansfield opens next year, the train will be even more of a viable option.

Any update on hansfield opening?

Hilly Bill

Talk of January but unless they have started work on the access road and car park and the steps into the station then it will be a while yet. I would have thought that they would have to fence off the unfinished houses as well.

Polar101

ongarboy wrote: »

When (if) Hansfield opens next year, the train will be even more of a viable option.

Not sure how useful it will be if you have to change trains at Clonsilla, depending on where you live it might actually be faster to go straight to Clonsilla.

BostonB

dubgirl15 wrote: »

How long is the cycle to the city centre?

30~45 mins.

Gillo

From experience trying all three, the bus 39A is 60 mins in rush hour, I get on at Latchford so add about 5 mins from Ongar and get off at Capel St. The train is faster, you could walk to the station in about twenty minutes, although seats can be hard to get. I prefer the bus to the train as when you factor in the time to get to the train I'm not convinced it's considerable quicker, also you'll get a seat on the bus.
I cycle a bit too, 45 minutes in and about 55 home, that said I go to the gym in town so would go in for a shower before I start work. The nicest route I've found is to cycle down the Clonsilla Road (as if you were goin go the train station), go down by Roselawn, Castlekock Village, Phoenix Park and up the Quays, I'm sure there's quicker routes but trafficwise it's a nice route to take.

I'd never thought of walking to get the 70, I'll have to check it out.

johnwest288

fletch wrote: »

Depends on where abouts you are commuting to in the City Centre and where abouts in Ongar you live...on the rare occasion I use public transport I find the walk to Littlepace to get the 70 the best option as the 39/39A can be a nightmare.
Any reason you wouldn't consider cycling? I cycle to the City Centre every morning and it's a grand cycle

Fletch. I considered that. Was thinking to use the canal route i would get on at coolmine canal entrance come off at cross Guns Phibsboro but the canal part between ashtown and blanch is a muck track and very hard to get through! What route do you use and how longs it take mate :cool:

fletch

johnwest288 wrote: »

Fletch. I considered that. Was thinking to use the canal route i would get on at coolmine canal entrance come off at cross Guns Phibsboro but the canal part between ashtown and blanch is a muck track and very hard to get through! What route do you use and how longs it take mate :cool:

I use the route that Gillo described...so down the Ongar Road...turn right at Coolmine (little roundabout)...left on to Clonsilla Road...right at the turn for Roselawn...follow the road around to the T-junction...right here and then into Castleknock village...down Chesterfield Avenue through the Phoenix Park and then on to the quays. Some people say that the quays are dangerous for cyclists but the bus lanes make it safe enough (on the North quays at least).
The cycle can take anywhere from 35mins to 60 mins (wind/weather dependant) but generally takes about 40mins and is a bit slower on the return home as its slightly uphill.

Gillo

fletch wrote: »

Some people say that the quays are dangerous for cyclists but the bus lanes make it safe enough (on the North quays at least).

The Quays are the worst part of the route, but play safe and it's generally grand. The most dangerous part I've seen is people breaking the lights to coming out of the part as you get a lot of speed and I can see the temptation. Follow the common sense rules of the road and you'll be grand.

Heading home, I do a slightly different route; Parnell St, Nth. King St, Queen St, Blackhall St, Blackhall Place, Manor St, Aughrim St, Blackhorse Ave and on into the Park. It adds a small bit of distance but I find the Quay in the evening to be worse than the morning.

Gaspode

The canal between Ashtown and Blanch is a lot better now, some temporary surface was added in the last year. Not perfect, but the danger of drowning in a pothole is gone for the moment.

fletch

Gaspode wrote: »

The canal between Ashtown and Blanch is a lot better now, some temporary surface was added in the last year. Not perfect, but the danger of drowning in a pothole is gone for the moment.

Its not really cycleable on a road bike though is it?

johnwest288

It should have a cycle path right from where it starts all the way to the city centre. God knows a lot of people would use it if it was cyclable from start to end

Gaspode

fletch wrote: »

Its not really cycleable on a road bike though is it?

There's a good path down to lock 11, but the rest is still fairly cycleable imo.
I've cycled it, but then I also cycled it when it was like the road to hell.

Drop the Ball

On this subject, id the a 39X bus that run from Ongar to the city centre in the mornings? I thought I remembered seeing 39 busses (I could be wrong), but I cannot find the rout on the Dublin bus website.

fletch

Drop the Ball wrote: »

On this subject, id the a 39X bus that run from Ongar to the city centre in the mornings? I thought I remembered seeing 39 busses (I could be wrong), but I cannot find the rout on the Dublin bus website.

Yeh the 39X route doesn't exist anymore...the 39 and 39A routes were extended a few years ago and the 39X and 39B were dropped

johnwest288

Gaspode wrote: »

There's a good path down to lock 11, but the rest is still fairly cycleable imo.
I've cycled it, but then I also cycled it when it was like the road to hell.

Lock 11 would be Phibsboro / Ashtown?
12th lock is the pub in Castleknock

daymobrew

johnwest288 wrote: »

Lock 11 would be Phibsboro / Ashtown?
12th lock is the pub in Castleknock

Lock 11 is close to the Navan Road Parkway train station. Lock 10 is beside Ashtown train station. Lock 9 is before Ratoath Road.

You can view more aerial photos of the Royal Canal locks.

If someone is concerned at the surface from 12th Lock to Ashtown, you can easily divert to the nearby pedestrian/bicycle bridge over the M50 and follow the off road cycle path from Russell Park to Ashtown roundabout. Then you can get onto the Navan Road - I found the Navan Road to be quicker than via the canal.

Wils110

What's the earliest bus towards town from latchford 39/39a

daymobrew

Wils110 wrote: »

What's the earliest bus towards town from latchford 39/39a

http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Your-Journey1/Timetables/All-Timetables/39-/
http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Your-Journey1/Timetables/All-Timetables/39a-/
Ring the depot of those pages do not answer your question.

Drop the Ball

Thanks for the feedback on the 39X route, pity the route was dropped.
It looks like the 39A is quicker than the 39 to get into the city centre.

johnwest288

Drop the Ball wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback on the 39X route, pity the route was dropped.
It looks like the 39A is quicker than the 39 to get into the city centre.

Weird I would have assumed the 39X would have been probably THE most popular router for people instead of the wanderly wagon around blanch???:cool:

Polar101

johnwest288 wrote: »

Weird I would have assumed the 39X would have been probably THE most popular router for people instead of the wanderly wagon around blanch???:cool:

The 'new' 39a is pretty much the old 39X except it doesn't go through Blanch village.