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Traffic to the airport

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  • 27-05-2015 9:17pm
    #1
    themerovingian
    Registered Users Posts: 49 ✭


    Hi guys,

    Anyone know how bad the traffic will be going to Dublin airport from ballsbridge at around 5pm on Friday? How long should I leave before my flight? Any help would be great. Thanks.


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    #2
    ProudDUB
    Registered Users Posts: 11,569 ✭✭✭✭ProudDUB


    If it were me and I had a flight to catch, I'd take the port tunnel. It will cost you a tenner, but you will zip right on thru the tunnel and on to the airport from the M1, instead of sitting in traffic in town and Drumcondra for well over an hour.


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    #3
    athtrasna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,420 ✭✭✭✭athtrasna


    themerovingian wrote: »
    Hi guys,

    Anyone know how bad the traffic will be going to Dublin airport from ballsbridge at around 5pm on Friday? How long should I leave before my flight? Any help would be great. Thanks.

    What time is your flight and where are you going? On a Friday evening you need to factor in road traffic but also airport security traffic. I wouldn't leave less than 90 minutes from arrival at the airport to your flight. I would also allow an hour if using the Port Tunnel and two hours otherwise to get to the airport from Ballsbridge to the airport if not. Friday evening traffic is significantly heavier than other days of the week.


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    #4
    ProudDUB
    Registered Users Posts: 11,569 ✭✭✭✭ProudDUB


    What are you doing with your car when you get to the airport? Are you leaving it in the short term or the long term car park? Will you have bags to check in? What time does your flight leave at & what terminal is it departing from? It's hard to offer up more concrete advise without knowing all that.


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    #5
    themerovingian
    Registered Users Posts: 49 ✭themerovingian


    Thanks for the replies everyone. My flights at 8:20 pm with Ryan air going to England. I will either be getting a cab out or the blue air coach, so parking on the other end won't be an issue. Just deciding what time I should leave is the problem really


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    #6
    ProudDUB
    Registered Users Posts: 11,569 ✭✭✭✭ProudDUB


    Well, that changes things. I thought you were driving. I'd plan on being at the airport no later than 6.30. The airlines tell you to give yourself 2 hrs, but the airport is not mega busy after 8pm.

    Contact Aircoach. Only they can tell you which one of their coaches to take, if you want to be at the airport for 6.30.

    If you are getting a taxi, I'd still tell him to use the port tunnel, if you are ok with the toll fee. If you go on regular roads, there are bus and taxi lanes for part of the way, but not on all of them. What part of Ballsbridge are you leaving from? if you are taking the tunnel and you are at the Ringsend part of Ballsbridge, I'd leave no later than 5.30. If you are over at the Donnybrook end, add on 15/20 more minutes.


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    #7
    TallGlass
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,935 ✭✭✭TallGlass


    Caution: Be warned that the roundabout heading into the Airoport is mental and can cause massive backlog from the roundabout to the M1 exit , not all the time but sometimes. M1-Airport you will be fine, roundabout, be aware if it's bad, you can turn left and follow the slip road around then take the next turn right into the airport there's another entrance. My main concern would be getting across town. If I was you wanting a 5:30 arrival at DA then I would leave around 12:30/1PM to arrive at the airport without the tunnel, stress free. Leave around 2/3PM your risking traffic gridlock building on you as your cross the city and as most people are going the same way you are, could cause a delay.


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    #8
    bren2001
    Registered Users Posts: 6,633 ✭✭✭bren2001


    TallGlass wrote: »
    Caution: Be warned that the roundabout heading into the Airoport is mental and can cause massive backlog from the roundabout to the M1 exit , not all the time but sometimes. M1-Airport you will be fine, roundabout, be aware if it's bad, you can turn left and follow the slip road around then take the next turn right into the airport there's another entrance. My main concern would be getting across town. If I was you wanting a 5:30 arrival at DA then I would leave around 12:30/1PM to arrive at the airport without the tunnel, stress free. Leave around 2/3PM your risking traffic gridlock building on you as your cross the city and as most people are going the same way you are, could cause a delay.

    They are ridiculous times to be leaving. The OP would be sitting in the airport for hours if he left then.

    As stated above, a 5.30 departure should get you there around 6.30 depending on traffic. I would personally leave at 5 and go across the East Link, up the malahide road (bus lane the whole way). I'd avoid the Port Tunnel but can see its benefit.


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    #9
    Idbatterim
    Registered Users Posts: 17,852 ✭✭✭✭Idbatterim


    I would agree about the port tunnel, last Thursday, I showed up at the airport, 35 minutes before the flight, biq q at security, I made it JUST! Not worth the stress, the problem was at the cat and cage pub in drumcondra where they are working on the bus lane, its chaos at the moment.

    Also I travel to the uk at least once a month, I noticed last week, that the airport is seriously busy, as in noticeably more so than only a month ago. I wouldn't bother with the aircoach either, have had too many dodgy experiences with it, the last time my parents used it, there was some road works and a diversion in place and they nearly missed the flight.

    Take the taxi, will probably be E25-30, with the tunnel toll but well worth it IMO...


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    #10
    LXFlyer
    Registered Users Posts: 17,724 ✭✭✭✭LXFlyer


    TallGlass wrote: »
    Caution: Be warned that the roundabout heading into the Airoport is mental and can cause massive backlog from the roundabout to the M1 exit , not all the time but sometimes. M1-Airport you will be fine, roundabout, be aware if it's bad, you can turn left and follow the slip road around then take the next turn right into the airport there's another entrance. My main concern would be getting across town. If I was you wanting a 5:30 arrival at DA then I would leave around 12:30/1PM to arrive at the airport without the tunnel, stress free. Leave around 2/3PM your risking traffic gridlock building on you as your cross the city and as most people are going the same way you are, could cause a delay.

    This is absolute nonsense. I'm sorry but in all the time I've read boards.ie I've never read worse advice than this. Your option would have the OP sitting in Dublin Airport for over 6 hours.

    The flight is at 20:20. The OP will need to be there 90 minutes beforehand at 18:50. No more than that.

    There is an Aircoach through Ballsbridge at roughly 17:55, which is due to arrive at the airport at 18:30.

    The only drawback is that the coach is an hourly service.

    Alternatively, take the DART from either Sandymount or Lansdowne Road to Tara Street or Connolly and then the 747 from Busaras.

    Use www.a-b.ie for times.


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    #11
    TallGlass
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,935 ✭✭✭TallGlass


    bren2001 wrote: »
    They are ridiculous times to be leaving. The OP would be sitting in the airport for hours if he left then.

    As stated above, a 5.30 departure should get you there around 6.30 depending on traffic. I would personally leave at 5 and go across the East Link, up the malahide road (bus lane the whole way). I'd avoid the Port Tunnel but can see its benefit.
    lxflyer wrote: »
    This is absolute nonsense. I'm sorry but in all the time I've read boards.ie I've never read worse advice than this. Your option would have the OP sitting in Dublin Airport for over 6 hours.

    The flight is at 20:20. The OP will need to be there 90 minutes beforehand at 18:50. No more than that.

    There is an Aircoach through Ballsbridge at roughly 17:55, which is due to arrive at the airport at 18:30.

    The only drawback is that the coach is an hourly service.

    Alternatively, take the DART from either Sandymount or Lansdowne Road to Tara Street or Connolly and then the 747 from Busaras.

    Use www.a-b.ie for times.

    Folks, relax please ! I didn't see the time he mentioned I thought he had to be at the airport for 5PM/5:30PM.

    So yes, there is no need to go at the times I suggested.


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    #12
    bren2001
    Registered Users Posts: 6,633 ✭✭✭bren2001


    TallGlass wrote: »
    Folks, relax please ! I didn't see the time he mentioned I thought he had to be at the airport for 5PM/5:30PM.

    So yes, there is no need to go at the times I suggested.

    Still ridiculous times to be leaving, be in the airport far too early :P


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    #13
    TallGlass
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,935 ✭✭✭TallGlass


    bren2001 wrote: »
    Still ridiculous times to be leaving, be in the airport far too early :P

    I don't think so been honest and I know myself it is early, but the traffic at that roundabout is unpredictable as is all traffic at that hour of the day in the city. Ok maybe not 12:30 for a 5:30 flight but 1/1:30 I would be leaving, check in/arrive 2:30/3, pint or two and have some food. Rather be on time than stressing about been late for a flight.


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    #14
    bren2001
    Registered Users Posts: 6,633 ✭✭✭bren2001


    TallGlass wrote: »
    I don't think so been honest and I know myself it is early, but the traffic at that roundabout is unpredictable as is all traffic at that hour of the day in the city. Ok maybe not 12:30 for a 5:30 flight but 1/1:30 I would be leaving, check in/arrive 2:30/3, pint or two and have some food. Rather be on time than stressing about been late for a flight.

    Well if its a 5.30 flight your times are not so mad, I thought you wanted to arrive at 5.30. It wouldn't take 90 minutes during that time of the day but yeah, if you want to arrive early like that then fine. For a 5.30 flight, I'd probably leave 2.30/3 depending on exact location.

    The traffic at the roundabout is never that bad. Most I have ever spent on it is 5 minutes and that was trying to go to Swords during peak traffic. Typically fly through it.


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