Commuting from different towns in Kildare?

Banaltra

Hey guys,
Just wanted to ask your advice. I know there are other posts about living and commuting in Kildare but found it difficult to find one to help my query.
So myself and the hubby are hoping to buy in Kildare in the next few months. It's great to see the newlands cross flyover opening up next week but just wondered how people found the commute from different areas in Kildare.
Myself and the hubby want to be somewhat near the M7 (rather than north Kildare like maynooth or celbridge) as we commute to Dublin but have family and friends in Tipp which we visit frequently.
Were wondering is it better to be a shorter distance from Dublin but a bit of a drive to the motorway or further down the motorway but closish to the motorway exit.
As in, be near the Kildare exit in the likes of Kildangan/Nurney so ur straight on to the m7 or go to calverstown or allenwood where u have to travel a bit on smaller roads and where u might pass through some busy small towns/villages before you get to the motorway but could be 10km shorter of a distance.
We want to live in the countryside, that's the priority, and be in driving distance to amenities.
Also, it's a benefit (but not a necessity or deal-breaker) to be nearish to a train station to commute incase the hubby goes that route.
We're travelling to the Clonskeagh direction but I'll have to be in work for 8am most mornings (on shift work so could finish at any time) but hubby is 9-5 so not sure what time either of us would have to travel at approx (we'd have to travel separately).
Thanks in advance for your help, and if you have any other recommendations of places to live and why, I'd be delighted to hear about them.

bduffy

Hi,
Only can talk about Kilcullen:
I'm outside Kilcullen, 3 mins from M9 exit, 6 min from M7 at the Curragh. That works out as 13 mins to Naas Flyover at speed limit (typical at around 7am most mornings). That means 25 mins to Newlands queue which is no more as you said. After that it all depends on the M50 on the day (rain, crashes etc).
Coming back takes longer, especially between 5 and 6pm as Naas becomes a bottle neck (3 lanes goes to 2). Yesterday the traffic was at standstill at Castlewarden junction on N7 so I cut across through Punchestown to Kilcullen.
Train in Kildare is 12 mins, Newbridge less but more traffic lights to negotiate.
Limerick is 70 mins away, so Tipp is between 45 and 60 mins.

Banaltra

Bduffy, that is so helpful and really appreciate that. Will definitely consider kilcullen so. Or maybe consider the surrounding towns in the area. Thanks a mil

foodaholic

I commute from Newbridge
I have found the last 3 months traffic has dramaticly increased

I used to leave my house at 6.45 and arrive in Dublin northside for 7.30
Recently I have been leaving at 6.30 and depending on the morning I arrive between 7.40 - 7.55

The train service from Newbridge is quite good

Im hoping that when the Newlands cross flyover opens on thursday that it might relieve the congestion. But I do believe there is more cars on the road.

Kilcullen is a lovely town

lordgoat

Maynooth is 20 mins from the N7 via Straffan and brings you on just before Naas.

Kilcock very similar both have many options for getting to dublin.

Anywhere reasonably close to them could suit, I would balance it out with how often do you plan on driving down the N7?

Personally i'd rather the shortest commute to work as possbile as it would be my most frequent journey

Banaltra

Hey Foodaholic, thanks for that info. Interesting to hear the traffic has increased.
Also, telling me the times for your commute has really helped me too. Lordgoat, totally hear what your saying and will keep it in mind. We go down to Tipp quite a lot, but likewise we have people travelling up to us a lot too so it is a factor but I totally get what your saying and will consider that. At what point do u hit tolls on that road? Kilcock?

H.E. Pennypacker

Travel times increase significantly as the morning progresses. Might be more of an issue for hubby than for yourself. Check out broadband availability if you're considering places like Calverstown as Eircom seem determined not to provide broadband there. You can use alternative providers but its a riskier scenario in terms of continuity of service.

Living in the countryside is a nice idea but the commute does take time and it's tiring - I've been doing it for 13 years now and I'd gladly see the back of it.

Kilcullen is a very nice town - very friendly with nice shops and restaurants.

lordgoat

Banaltra wrote: »

Hey Foodaholic, thanks for that info. Interesting to hear the traffic has increased.
Also, telling me the times for your commute has really helped me too. Lordgoat, totally hear what your saying and will keep it in mind. We go down to Tipp quite a lot, but likewise we have people travelling up to us a lot too so it is a factor but I totally get what your saying and will consider that. At what point do u hit tolls on that road? Kilcock?

The toll is the far side of kilcock and you would be off motorway if you were working your way over to the N7.

Don't pin all your hopes on the flyover sorting out all traffic on the N7, the main issue is volume moreso than anything else.

Banaltra

Thanks a mil H.E. Very good to know about the broadband. That's pretty important too. I hear what ur saying about the commute for country life but I feel totally claustrophobic in the suburbs having lived in the country b4.

Thanks for the info on kilcock lordgoat. Defo not pinning my hopes on the new section of road fixing the problem but it'll be interesting to see how much of an impact it'll have. I might be ok travelling the road with my shift work but as H.E said, it'll be the hubby that's really effected.

H.E. Pennypacker

One commuting option for a later departure is to drive to either the Red Cow or Saggart Luas car parks and cycle from there. I sometimes do that from the Red Cow.

Banaltra

Well both of us r into cycling so that's a great idea. I imagine the red cow would be more convenient for cycling to town then the likes of clonskeagh. Must check that trip out on google map. Part of the reason we were looking at being near Kildare was so if hubby wanted to go by train and have his bike in one of those bike lockers in Heuston. His cycle to work would be 30 mins from Heuston so a commute of 1hr 10mins from Kildare train station.