Getting from Saggart to Blackrock - No idea where to start...

tomhenryford

Hi again,

Still haven't made up my mind as to which option would be best.

At the moment, I'm down to:

1) Luas to Rialto and 17 bus to Blackrock

2) 65B and 17 buses to Blackrock

3) Rent a car and drive.


I have been looking at both the bus links included on page 1 of the thread, I'm ok with the timetables but I haven't a clue what is meant by 'fare stages' at the bottom of the page and what the double numbers mean beside it. I'm trying to work out the cost of the both buses versus the cost of the Luas and the bus.

I worked out the Luas to Rialto as €4.80 return every day.

Also, on the 17 bus route, I see there is a stop on Blackrock Main Street before Blackrock station (which of those stops would be closer to Elite Fitness does anyone know?)

NoCrackHaving

tomhenryford wrote: »

Hi again,

Still haven't made up my mind as to which option would be best.

At the moment, I'm down to:

1) Luas to Rialto and 17 bus to Blackrock

2) 65B and 17 buses to Blackrock

3) Rent a car and drive.


I have been looking at both the bus links included on page 1 of the thread, I'm ok with the timetables but I haven't a clue what is meant by 'fare stages' at the bottom of the page and what the double numbers mean beside it. I'm trying to work out the cost of the both buses versus the cost of the Luas and the bus.

I worked out the Luas to Rialto as €4.80 return every day.

Also, on the 17 bus route, I see there is a stop on Blackrock Main Street before Blackrock station (which of those stops would be closer to Elite Fitness does anyone know?)

The 17 is a truly awful bus service, notoriously slow and nearly always late (well used to be back in 2010/2011, maybe it's improved now), really would be wary of relying on it.

Also the difference between Blackrock Main Street and the station is about 50 seconds walking so really wouldn't matter

tomhenryford

NoCrackHaving wrote: »

The 17 is a truly awful bus service, notoriously slow and nearly always late (well used to be back in 2010/2011, maybe it's improved now), really would be wary of relying on it.

Also the difference between Blackrock Main Street and the station is about 50 seconds walking so really wouldn't matter

Aw really? I thought it was a new route, this is the link I was given: http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Your-Journey1/Timetables/All-Timetables/New-Route-17/

If you had the choice though, would you pick the two buses or the Luas and bus option?

Babooshka

tomhenryford wrote: »

Aw really? I thought it was a new route, this is the link I was given: http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Your-Journey1/Timetables/All-Timetables/New-Route-17/

If you had the choice though, would you pick the two buses or the Luas and bus option?

Hi! I don't know what the 65B is like in the mornings but I work in Citywest and I used to get it to Terenure to make a connecting bus to Knocklyon and that took me almost two hours to do it. 65B several times never arrived, but that was always on Friday afternoons at about 4pm, I think maybe that they just used to decide to quit early and to hell with their passengers as it was a Friday, you could be ok in the morning time, if you could check that bit out you might be ok.

uch

I'd go with the Luas & Dart option, it's the only option that you can gauge accurately

NoCrackHaving

tomhenryford wrote: »

Aw really? I thought it was a new route, this is the link I was given: http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Your-Journey1/Timetables/All-Timetables/New-Route-17/

If you had the choice though, would you pick the two buses or the Luas and bus option?

Maybe it's a new route to an extent but looks very similar to the old 17 route.

Personally I'd hire a car for the two weeks, cuts a journey of an hour and a half each way down to 35-40 minutes depending on traffic.

tomhenryford

uch wrote: »

I'd go with the Luas & Dart option, it's the only option that you can gauge accurately

I know, I have been speaking with them in Elite and they recommend the Luas to Connolly and DART to Blackrock option as best. They said the DART is only 20 minutes from Connolly. I think I'll manage the timing a lot better than I would with buses.

I'm so bad I can't even visualise where the DART is at Connolly station, I've been there loads of time but usually platform 4 Sligo to Dublin train and I never look one side nor the other.

So unlike booking rail tickets in advance, with the DART do you just show up like you would for a bus and wait for it to come? I plan on getting one of those Leapcards.

languagenerd

Just one other thing to note - very early in the morning or late at night, the Luas trams from Saggart are just shuttles to Belgard (you get off there and get on the next one to town), so you might need to factor that in. They usually run them close together though so it wouldn't be a long wait in the mornings (late at night it could be).

Also, if the tram is going to The Point, just get off at Busaras (it's right across the road from Connolly).

EDIT: You can use the Leap Card on the Dart. Just tag on at the station and go to the Dart platforms (no booking or anything).

Konata

tomhenryford wrote: »

I know, I have been speaking with them in Elite and they recommend the Luas to Connolly and DART to Blackrock option as best. They said the DART is only 20 minutes from Connolly. I think I'll manage the timing a lot better than I would with buses.

I'm so bad I can't even visualise where the DART is at Connolly station, I've been there loads of time but usually platform 4 Sligo to Dublin train and I never look one side nor the other.

So unlike booking rail tickets in advance, with the DART do you just show up like you would for a bus and wait for it to come? I plan on getting one of those Leapcards.

Y'know when you go through the ticket barriers at Connolly and the Sligo train is usually straight in front of you? Well this time head over to the far left and there're signs to follow then for the DART platforms. You just turn up and wait for it to come indeed. You scan your Leapcard (or pop in your ticket - buy at the same ticket machines as the train tickets) to get through the ticket barriers, and scan out at the station you get off at. I've never been to Blackrock DART station so I don't know if it's an exit barrier or a pole like at the LUAS stations - someone else might drop in with that info.

LXFlyer

tomhenryford wrote: »

Hi again,

Still haven't made up my mind as to which option would be best.

At the moment, I'm down to:

1) Luas to Rialto and 17 bus to Blackrock

2) 65B and 17 buses to Blackrock

3) Rent a car and drive.


I have been looking at both the bus links included on page 1 of the thread, I'm ok with the timetables but I haven't a clue what is meant by 'fare stages' at the bottom of the page and what the double numbers mean beside it. I'm trying to work out the cost of the both buses versus the cost of the Luas and the bus.

I worked out the Luas to Rialto as €4.80 return every day.

Also, on the 17 bus route, I see there is a stop on Blackrock Main Street before Blackrock station (which of those stops would be closer to Elite Fitness does anyone know?)

I don't want to be abrupt, but I gave you the fastest option of the lot in my post above.

I also told you to use the national journey planner at www.a-b.ie.

That is LUAS to Abbey Street, walk to Tara Street, and DART to Blackrock.

Nothing else will come close.

You will be wasting time and money if you do anything else, but that's up to you.

slinky2000

Yea I agree with the above. Why would you go all the way to Connolly to get the dart when you can walk from abbey street to Tara St in about 5minutes.

messrs

OP - if you are using public transport look into buying a leap card - its €5 for the card (refundable) so basically you get a card in a shop, give them €20 and then its €5 for the card and you will have €15 travel credit - a lot easier than having to have correct change all the time. If you are travelling by Luas you just tag on and of before and after each journey and if by bus, just place your card on the reader beside the bus drive and state your destination and he will deduct the relevant fare.
If you live right beside the Luas then id go with the Luas to city and bus/dart to Blackrock option - again bearing in mind the time you are travelling at and the traffic - I think the number 7 also goes out to blackrock -
have you looked into the cost of hiring a car? I know a girl I worked with hired out a car for 10 days and it was crazy expensive, daily rate for car & daily insurance rate - maybe she was just unlucky and went to the wrong place but she was in a hurry with it so just went with it.

slinky2000

Would cycling be an option? I'm sure you could pick up a cheap bike somewhere

1hr8min according to google

https://www.google.ie/maps/dir/Saggart,+Co.+Dublin/Blackrock,+Co.+Dublin/@53.3078505,-6.3829443,12z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x48677468821a43df:0xa00c7a9973229e0!2m2!1d-6.4431841!2d53.2808397!1m5!1m1!1s0x486708c0d4a91e95:0x2600c7a819b930f1!2m2!1d-6.1770668!2d53.300791!3e1

messrs

maybe try this website

www.carsharing.ie

don't know if there would be anything on it, but if its only for 2 weeks you maybe be able to get lift with someone that lives close by - even change your location from Saggart to Tallaght, if there was someone going you could always get luas to square and meet someone there

LXFlyer

NoCrackHaving wrote: »

The 17 is a truly awful bus service, notoriously slow and nearly always late (well used to be back in 2010/2011, maybe it's improved now), really would be wary of relying on it.

Also the difference between Blackrock Main Street and the station is about 50 seconds walking so really wouldn't matter

The 17 is not a truly awful service by any means, but it is not designed to take people from Rialto to Blackrock, which is the mistake so many people seem to make.

The route is designed to facilitate shorter trips between major traffic generators, trips such as Rialto to Crumlin Village or KCR, Crumlin to Rathfarnham, Terenure & Rathfarnham to Nutgrove or UCD for example.

tomhenryford

slinky2000 wrote: »

Would cycling be an option? I'm sure you could pick up a cheap bike somewhere

1hr8min according to google

https://www.google.ie/maps/dir/Saggart,+Co.+Dublin/Blackrock,+Co.+Dublin/@53.3078505,-6.3829443,12z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x48677468821a43df:0xa00c7a9973229e0!2m2!1d-6.4431841!2d53.2808397!1m5!1m1!1s0x486708c0d4a91e95:0x2600c7a819b930f1!2m2!1d-6.1770668!2d53.300791!3e1

I'm not from Dublin, I live in Sligo and never cycle, I don't even own a bike. I couldn't imagine cycling in a major city with no experience would be a good place to start but thanks anyway.

tomhenryford

lxflyer wrote: »

I don't want to be abrupt, but I gave you the fastest option of the lot in my post above.

I also told you to use the national journey planner at www.a-b.ie.

That is LUAS to Abbey Street, walk to Tara Street, and DART to Blackrock.

Nothing else will come close.

You will be wasting time and money if you do anything else, but that's up to you.

No it's ok, I'm just finding it hard to visulize things. If you can just see it from my point of view for a sec, or try and bare with me while I explain...

I looked at the Luas red line route map and (to me) there seems to be very little distance between Abbey Street and Connolly Station so my thinking on it is, is it not worth just staying on the Luas which goes straight to the station to save the walk and get the DART at Connolly.

I don't see what exactly I am saving on by getting the DART at an earlier Luas stop.

(When I say 'save the walk' I haven't a problem with walking it's just I have ZERO sense of direction, I'm very bad, and if the Tara Street station isn't straight on front of me I'll have a job finding it, albeit 5 minutes or not).

I'm familiar with Connolly more so, than any other station so that's why I'm inclined to stick with what I know.

I have used the JP and Irish Rail and the only difference I can see is that the DART journey time is 5 minutes less to Blackrock but I'll be walking for 5 minutes anyway.

Maybe I'm missing something...or maybe I'm missing a big saving on time between the Abbey St and Connolly stop but I can't get the journey time info on the Luas website. Hope you can see where I'm coming from, if I'm totally wrong please tell me and I do appreciate your advice.

messrs

Connolly is 2 stops after Abbey Street - next one is Bus Aras, then Connolly straight after ( just make sure to check luas is going to Conolly as if not it will be going straight to the point) in saying that Connolly is literally across the road from Bus Aras so if luas you are on is going to the point get of at Bus Aras instead. Then DART straight to Blackrock - still reccomed getting the leap card OP as you save on fares with this aswell, don't know what the savings are for luas or DART but on Dublin Bus a cash fare which would be €3.30 only costs €2.60 when using leap card

LXFlyer

tomhenryford wrote: »

No it's ok, I'm just finding it hard to visulize things. If you can just see it from my point of view for a sec, or try and bare with me while I explain...

I looked at the Luas red line route map and (to me) there seems to be very little distance between Abbey Street and Connolly Station so my thinking on it is, is it not worth just staying on the Luas which goes straight to the station to save the walk and get the DART at Connolly.

I don't see what exactly I am saving on by getting the DART at an earlier Luas stop.

(When I say 'save the walk' I haven't a problem with walking it's just I have ZERO sense of direction, I'm very bad, and if the Tara Street station isn't straight on front of me I'll have a job finding it, albeit 5 minutes or not).

I'm familiar with Connolly more so, than any other station so that's why I'm inclined to stick with what I know.

I have used the JP and Irish Rail and the only difference I can see is that the DART journey time is 5 minutes less to Blackrock but I'll be walking for 5 minutes anyway.

Maybe I'm missing something...or maybe I'm missing a big saving on time between the Abbey St and Connolly stop but I can't get the journey time info on the Luas website. Hope you can see where I'm coming from, if I'm totally wrong please tell me and I do appreciate your advice.

OK, if you take the LUAS to Connolly, you then have to walk from the LUAS to one of platforms 5 or 6 to go southbound, which is not insignificant.

However, if you get off at Abbey Street, you will have walked to Tara Street Station by the time the tram is only arriving at Connolly, if not beforehand.

This could be the difference between catching one DART or having to wait for the next one. Given you want to keep your commuting time to a minimum that I would suggest is kind of important.

As for knowing one station better than another, Tara Street is a station that only has one southbound and one northbound platform. You are seriously over-complicating this.

Here is the walk from Abbey Street LUAS stop to Tara Street Station on Google Maps. Follow the dotted line. https://goo.gl/maps/bvYBn

Just please accept this - it is shorter if you are going southbound on the DART.

Why don't you do a trial run and familiarise yourself - the location of Tara Street Station is not that hard to find - it's at the southern side of the railway bridge over the Liffey.

As others said - get a LEAP card and load the epurse with cash. You tag on and tag off on both the LUAS and on the DART.

Fares will be:

Morning
LUAS: €2.24
Irish Rail: €2.05

The system will apply a €1 discount to the second fare (once you start it within 90 minutes of the first one), which means a total fare of €3.29.

On the return trip, the LUAS will cost €2.19, (a higher fare applies in the morning peak) which means the total fare will be €3.24.

Idbatterim

hire a car, will be easier if you are over 25 as they wont have the under 25 loading... That trip any other way is a joke!

http://www.rentalcars.com/SearchResults.do;jsessionid=07ED81584E5DB597A32C930618A5810B.node391a?dropCity=Dublin&doMinute=30&location=-1&driversAge=25&doHour=11&filterName=CarCategorisationSupplierFilter&locationName=Dublin+%28All+areas%29+&searchType=allareasgeosearch&doFiltering=true&puSameAsDo=on&city=Dublin&puHour=11&dropCountryCode=&dropCountry=Ireland&puDay=8&filterTo=49&dropLocation=-1&driverage=on&doDay=22&countryCode=&dropLocationName=Dublin+%28All+areas%29+&country=Ireland&enabler=&filterFrom=0&puMonth=6&puMinute=30&doMonth=6&doYear=2015&puYear=2015&fromLocChoose=true&filter_carclass=economy&filterAdditionalInfo=&advSearch=&exSuppliers=&displayPricePerDay=false

if you only need it Monday to Friday, hire in city centre and collect on Monday and drop back on Friday and the same the following week, or just keep it and pay the little extra to avoid the hassle.

This is the problem with the crap transport network we have, anyone who can drive would be out of their mind to undertake certain journeys in this city, as getting into the city centre is straight forward, but the rest of it...

If we had Dart Underground and the more frequent dart service that is due to begin soon AFAIK, i.e. every 10 minutes at peak, it would be a lot more feasible...

spurious

Re Connolly DART - there's a right hoof to the train once you get into the building. You'd nearly be at Tara Street with the same amount of walking (slight exaggeration, but partly true).

tomhenryford

spurious wrote: »

Re Connolly DART - there's a right hoof to the train once you get into the building. You'd nearly be at Tara Street with the same amount of walking (slight exaggeration, but partly true).

A right hoof? Sorry, I haven't had my breakfast yet...

spurious

tomhenryford wrote: »

A right hoof? Sorry, I haven't had my breakfast yet...

A long walk. Used to be a DART entrance where you walked in and once up the stairs were at the DART platforms, now you come in near the LUAS and walk all over the place to get to the platforms. The walk from Abbey Street LUAS to Tara Street, where the platforms are near the entrance is much easier.

Gran Hermano

I would not recommend driving unless OP can confirm they have access to cheap and convenient parking in Blackrock.

SteM

No way I'd do this journey on 2 busses,even if it was only for 2 weeks. Luas and dart is the way to go if you want to save your sanity. Otherwise drive which is certainly the quickest way. There's no way it's a 30-40 minute cycle, certainly not back to Saggart which is uphill.

nc19

Cycle

Frank Grimes

nc19 wrote: »

Cycle

He already said he doesn't cycle, twice I think.

K.Flyer

lxflyer wrote: »

OK, if you take the LUAS to Connolly, you then have to walk from the LUAS to one of platforms 5 or 6 to go southbound, which is not insignificant.

However, if you get off at Abbey Street, you will have walked to Tara Street Station by the time the tram is only arriving at Connolly, if not beforehand.

This could be the difference between catching one DART or having to wait for the next one. Given you want to keep your commuting time to a minimum that I would suggest is kind of important.

As for knowing one station better than another, Tara Street is a station that only has one southbound and one northbound platform. You are seriously over-complicating this.

Here is the walk from Abbey Street LUAS stop to Tara Street Station on Google Maps. Follow the dotted line. https://goo.gl/maps/bvYBn

Just please accept this - it is shorter if you are going southbound on the DART.

Why don't you do a trial run and familiarise yourself - the location of Tara Street Station is not that hard to find - it's at the southern side of the railway bridge over the Liffey.

As others said - get a LEAP card and load the epurse with cash. You tag on and tag off on both the LUAS and on the DART.

Fares will be:

Morning
LUAS: €2.24
Irish Rail: €2.05

The system will apply a €1 discount to the second fare (once you start it within 90 minutes of the first one), which means a total fare of €3.29.

On the return trip, the LUAS will cost €2.19, (a higher fare applies in the morning peak) which means the total fare will be €3.24.

This is the best advise so far. It has set time frames so you can determine exactly how long it will take to get from A to B and back.
The only other quicker way would be to consider a taxi or driving, Saggart to Blackrock 30 - 40 mins depending on traffic.
Saggart onto Tallaght Blessington Rd, onto M50 southbound, then take exit 14, keep left onto Leopardstown rd, 2nd exit off next roundabout onto Brewery Rd, left at the end onto Stillorgan dual carriageway, right at next lights onto Stillorgan Park Rd, left at crossroad intersection onto Carysfort Ave and straight down Carysfort Ave into Blackrock village.

tomhenryford

Thank you everyone for your replies and help and patience!....Definitely decided on lxflyer's advice on Luas to Abbey Street and Dart from Tara St. and I'll get the Leap Card for sure.

Not going for a few weeks yet thankfully, can't saying I'm looking forward to it but ye have all been great, thanks a mill.

tomhenryford

K.Flyer wrote: »

This is the best advise so far. It has set time frames so you can determine exactly how long it will take to get from A to B and back.
The only other quicker way would be to consider a taxi or driving, Saggart to Blackrock 30 - 40 mins depending on traffic.
Saggart onto Tallaght Blessington Rd, onto M50 southbound, then take exit 14, keep left onto Leopardstown rd, 2nd exit off next roundabout onto Brewery Rd, left at the end onto Stillorgan dual carriageway, right at next lights onto Stillorgan Park Rd, left at crossroad intersection onto Carysfort Ave and straight down Carysfort Ave into Blackrock village.

Thanks for the route, I'm going to keep note of it as it's written down here because it's the same route as someone else suggested to me if I was driving but their notes were a lot more complicated. I had a look at the map and this pretty much sums it up perfectly so thanks.