Cheapest way to commute from Galway

karen89

Hi, there seems to be a lot of student fares etc available, the mind boggles, can someone tell me which is the cheapest option to commute daily from Galway to Athlone IT
Thanks

paul9mm

I usually use the Citilink bus service.
http://www.citylink.ie/
From Loughrea, it's €52 for a 10 journey ticket (ie a five day pass). You buy on the bus Monday morning.
[From the citilink site.."A 10 Journey Ticket can be purchased on board the coach and is valid for one week from date of purchase. A 10 Journey Ticket is only valid for 5 outward journeys and 5 return journeys which must be taken before the expiry date on the ticket. 10 Journey Tickets are available on our Commuter services."]

NB: The problem with this ticket is that you will not be into AIT until approx 9.15, so you're looking at getting into a 9am class at a min of 9.20am. Also, if you get your timetable and it allows you to leave early Friday & you can get the 1.45pm, call the citilink phone no. (a min of two hours before departure!) and "confirm" your return seat. Why? Friday at 1.45 is almost always booked solid and a crush to get on. Usually the driver will ask, "who's on the list? They have priority" As you have confirmed your place and on the list, you get on first. This may sound sneaky, but mid-November, pissing rain and cold, being able to get a seat hassle-free is totally worth it.
As you are a first year, your timetable is going to change wildly over the next few weeks, so what you see now will look wildly different the closer you get to September. This is the link BTW:
http://timetable.ait.ie/students.htm

BTW, when you get your photo taken for the photo ID during induction/registration, this is the same bloody photo they use for the next three/four years! So, when they take the photo, smile and if not 100% happy, ask (politely) the nice registration person if you can check before they laminate it.
Let me know if you need any more info, going into year four, so been through the system!
Hope this helps.

karen89

Thanks Paul, its my daughter that is starting nursing and has now decided she would be better to move :eek:

paul9mm

No problem, hope all goes ok.
BTW, there is a pretty good Boards message thread somewhere on student accommodation. Basically, avoid Willow Park -it's across the road from the college but rough.