New to Dublin - advice on transport and where to live please

melodies

Hi all

Your advice would be much appreciated re my bunch of questions below (am a newbie to Dublin) as I am trying to figure out places to live here:

I wondered whether there is a website for Dublin which gives comprehensive listings of the transport route, times and prices from places in Dublin & North Wicklow to the Centre for commuting to work? Something similar to commutefrom.com for London. I would most likely work in the central business district.

One option : if I lived within 20 or 30 mins walking distance of the centre, would there be on-road parking?

Another option: would I be looking at a hour's commute from Bray to Dublin on Dart and on train?

Hope I don't put anyone's nose out of joint now, but have been offered a place in a friend's place in Finglas and Google shows Finglas as being very rough, while my friend says it's not - what do you think?

Would the longest commutes by bus from the outreaches of town be 45 mins approx?

Do I stand a chance of getting longer term accommodation before I have a job? Am staying in temporary accommodation at the mo.

Thanks in advance

Lovely Bloke

Where in Finglas, first of all, I live there and my particular part of Finglas is ok, but there are definitely parts I wouldn't walk through given a choice.

It's less than 30mins by bus into the CC.

With Bray, depending on location again, the commute could be an hour, could be an hour and a half if you are in a part of Bray with no bus link to the train station (or the CC).

Where in the CC are you looking to work, when you say CBD do you mean the IFSC? But yeah, anywhere 30minutes drive away would have free on-street parking I'd think. (are you Aussie, CBD is a very Aussie term)

If you are working in the IFSC you'd be better off looking at places on the Northern part of the DART line - places like Raheny, Kilbarrack, Killester, Donnycarney, Clontarf - and places near to those like Artane, Coolock.

My best advice is to go and live with your mate for a while, get to know the city and take it from there.

spurious

Your response to Finglas will very much depend on where you've lived before.

For some precious folk, 'rough' could mean anything from hourly stabbings to people not reading the Irish Times.

tricky D

For transport options try: http://www.a-b.ie for public transport and Google Maps http://maps.google.ie for some other options.

cgcsb

If you've lived in London before, there probably aren't any parts of Dublin that you would consider 'rough' by comparison. There's a few council sink estates. Crime here is very low, when Irish people refer to a 'rough' area they mean there's comparatively high unemployment and girls wearing pyjamas, but violence and violent crime would not be common anywhere. Murders and serious assaults that you see in the news are typically confined to groups of gangster/dealers.

Interested Observer

melodies wrote: »

Hi all

Your advice would be much appreciated re my bunch of questions below (am a newbie to Dublin) as I am trying to figure out places to live here:

I wondered whether there is a website for Dublin which gives comprehensive listings of the transport route, times and prices from places in Dublin & North Wicklow to the Centre for commuting to work? Something similar to commutefrom.com for London. I would most likely work in the central business district.

One option : if I lived within 20 or 30 mins walking distance of the centre, would there be on-road parking?

Another option: would I be looking at a hour's commute from Bray to Dublin on Dart and on train?

Hope I don't put anyone's nose out of joint now, but have been offered a place in a friend's place in Finglas and Google shows Finglas as being very rough, while my friend says it's not - what do you think?

Would the longest commutes by bus from the outreaches of town be 45 mins approx?

Do I stand a chance of getting longer term accommodation before I have a job? Am staying in temporary accommodation at the mo.

Thanks in advance

It's about 40 mins from Bray to the city centre on the DART.

Finglas has a reputation but in reality there are thousands and thousands of people living there who go about their business every day without any trouble finding them. I suspect you'll be fine.

If you get an apartment in the city centre, if it's in an apartment block there's a good chance it'll come with a parking spot. Otherwise some Georgian houses are split into apartments and if you live in one of those you can apply for an on-street parking permit for the road you live on.

Journey planner: http://www.transportforireland.ie/

helimachoptor

Finglas :eek:

Op Bray as mentioned is about 40 mins on the train, however that assumes there are
- No leaves on the line (autumn into winter)
- No flooding due to high tides (all year round but mostly winter)
- No one has crashed into the level crossing gates, probably 1-2 a year
- No one has thrown themselves in front of a train 1 is too many but it does happen
- There's a signal or junction failure, generally there happen northside at Howth so trains will run into Connelly or Pearse or Grand Canal


Coming home on the dart can be intimidating depending what you're used to, after 10pm, you could be the only person in the carriage past Dun Laoghaire and the stations past DL dont have open ticket offices so anyone can get on past 7 or 8 i think.


Another option is the 145, it goes pretty quick into Donnybrook then starts to slow down and will grind to a halt for the next few years due to the Luas works.


You could drive to Cherrywood if you were in Bray and get the Luas in, really depends on where you'll be working

Birneybau

helimachoptor wrote: »

Finglas :eek:

A bit sheltered are we?

melodies

Hey all

Many thanks for some really useful info!! Thanks for taking the time.

It would be the Charlestown area of Finglas. Re work, I don't know exactly where yet but possibly the IFSC area and I guess a 15 min walk from Connelly down to the southside should I need it wouldn't be a prob.

Well the good news is I have lived in some very poor and some quite affluent areas of London so am not overly 'sheltered' thank goodness - so from the sound of things I could probably handle Finglas.

Bray also sounds good except for the 'leaves on the track' - similar to London train delays. Wow, does the sea flood the track - seriously.

Well, thanks again everybody - really useful info.

x

Mentioned above being left the only person on the train past Dun Laoghaire - never been my experience! A lot of people have moved out to Bray for the rent prices, which is reflected in the last year since rents in Bray are rising steadily too! The Dart is usually reliable cept for mentioned above - I did find the dart commute very tiring after a while though (went to college in Bray while living in Ranelagh). Greystones would add an extra ten minutes to your train journey, and doesn't have as many accommodation options, but it seems to be still a little cheaper.

Arbiter of Good Taste

melodies wrote: »

Hey all

Many thanks for some really useful info!! Thanks for taking the time.

It would be the Charlestown area of Finglas. Re work, I don't know exactly where yet but possibly the IFSC area and I guess a 15 min walk from Connelly down to the southside should I need it wouldn't be a prob.

Well the good news is I have lived in some very poor and some quite affluent areas of London so am not overly 'sheltered' thank goodness - so from the sound of things I could probably handle Finglas.

Bray also sounds good except for the 'leaves on the track' - similar to London train delays. Wow, does the sea flood the track - seriously.

Well, thanks again everybody - really useful info.

x

OP, if you were in the IFSC, you might consider Stoneybatter. It's walking distance into town or you have plenty of buses and the Luas to choose from. If it was me, I would much prefer there over Finglas

moc moc a moc

spurious wrote: »

from hourly stabbings to people not reading the Irish Times.

These two offenses are directly related. How many perpetrators of stabbings do you think read the Irish Times?

newacc2015

melodies wrote: »

Hey all

Many thanks for some really useful info!! Thanks for taking the time.

It would be the Charlestown area of Finglas. Re work, I don't know exactly where yet but possibly the IFSC area and I guess a 15 min walk from Connelly down to the southside whole I need it wouldn't be a prob.

Well the good news is I have lived in some very poor and some quite affluent areas of London so am not overly 'sheltered' thank goodness - so from the sound of things I could probably handle Finglas.

Bray also sounds good except for the 'leaves on the track' - similar to London train delays. Wow, does the sea flood the track - seriously.

Well, thanks again everybody - really useful info.

x

Charles town is fine. If it's the new development. I dont think there is any social housing in it and the social housing around it is fine. Up until about 15 years ago, that entire area was a farm. There is a massive thread on boards about the shopping centre there.The 140 is an excellent bus to town. The 83 and 9 are good too.

You should have no issues in Charles town. Although it's like an American style suburb. It's housing and a shopping centre. There is nothing in between it. It's a grand area to live in

schemingbohemia

helimachoptor wrote: »

Finglas :eek:

Op Bray as mentioned is about 40 mins on the train, however that assumes there are
- No leaves on the line (autumn into winter)
- No flooding due to high tides (all year round but mostly winter)
- No one has crashed into the level crossing gates, probably 1-2 a year
- No one has thrown themselves in front of a train 1 is too many but it does happen
- There's a signal or junction failure, generally there happen northside at Howth so trains will run into Connelly or Pearse or Grand Canal


Coming home on the dart can be intimidating depending what you're used to, after 10pm, you could be the only person in the carriage past Dun Laoghaire and the stations past DL dont have open ticket offices so anyone can get on past 7 or 8 i think.


Another option is the 145, it goes pretty quick into Donnybrook then starts to slow down and will grind to a halt for the next few years due to the Luas works.


You could drive to Cherrywood if you were in Bray and get the Luas in, really depends on where you'll be working

This is overblown nonsense. The number of services affected by any of the above is miniscule. The DART isn't intimidating after 10pm, there are generally enough people on the DART to make you feel safe, and I'm not sure how being the only person in a carriage can be dangerous.

helimachoptor

Birneybau wrote: »

A bit sheltered are we?

not at all, i was trolling baldy

Believe me, where i grew up, hanging people off the block of flats they lived in for unpaid drug debts was a pretty regular occurrence, not much shocks me.

schemingbohemia wrote: »

This is overblown nonsense. The number of services affected by any of the above is miniscule. The DART isn't intimidating after 10pm, there are generally enough people on the DART to make you feel safe, and I'm not sure how being the only person in a carriage can be dangerous.

some people dont like being alone, the dart is a lonely experience on a dark night, anyone could get on as the stations are unmanned and the driver could be a couple of hundred feet away with no idea whats happening.

I stopped getting the dart because i was sick of the issues i mentioned, maybe i just had bad luck but i know many people i work with have moved to alternative commuting methods due to frustration with the dart

LXFlyer

Given that late night DARTs are generally shortened to 2 car I'm not sure that anyone would be alone in a carriage.

Also, the 145 bus would continue to have a reasonably clear run as far as Lower Leeson Street before getting into any traffic snarl up caused by the LUAS works.

The OP could walk from Leeson Street bridge if that is an issue.

MrMorooka

You haven't mentioned your budget for accommodation, that will determine everything.

helimachoptor

lxflyer wrote: »

Given that late night DARTs are generally shortened to 2 car I'm not sure that anyone would be alone in a carriage.

Also, the 145 bus would continue to have a reasonably clear run as far as Lower Leeson Street before getting into any traffic snarl up caused by the LUAS works.

The OP could walk from Leeson Street bridge if that is an issue.

I hadnt realised that.

the buses using the n11 qbc normally begin to hit traffic at donnybrook as there's limited opportunities to overtake other buses and the car lane is normally bumper to bumper

gaiscioch

New to Dublin -... where to live

"If it hasn't got a rock or a knock in it, it's probably not worth looking at."

Property advice I received in 2006 from a late middle-aged Blackrock woman lady.

MarkAnthony

Go North my Son, North on the DART line where you will find scantly clad young ladies, interesting accents, and friendly working class people and cheap housing - in Dublin terms at least.

Buses Suck.

MarkAnthony

MarkAnthony wrote: »

Go North my Son, North on the DART line where you will find scantly clad young ladies, interesting accents, and friendly working class people and cheap housing - in Dublin terms at least.

Buses Suck.

God, that really described Sutton, Howth, Malahide and Portmarnock! Nail on head there.

helimachoptor

helimachoptor wrote: »

I stopped getting the dart because i was sick of the issues i mentioned, maybe i just had bad luck but i know many people i work with have moved to alternative commuting methods due to frustration with the dart

I can only assume you stopped taking the Dart about 20 years ago. None of the things you mentioned have been an issue in, at a guess, about 15 years now. I do recall the Dart being rough at night and a lot less reliable when I first started using it, but in all the years I've been regularly travelling on it now, couldn't fault it. I far prefer it to using buses.

MarkAnthony

Deleted User wrote: »

God, that really described Sutton, Howth, Malahide and Portmarnock! Nail on head there.

LOL Used to do security in Portmarnock I think it perfectly describes it bar the friendly bit once some of the lads get a few beers on them.

As for Malahide plenty of working class people live there.

Howth dunno, Sutton is minorly posh in places.

MarkAnthony

MarkAnthony wrote: »

LOL Used to do security in Portmarnock I think it perfectly describes it bar the friendly bit once some of the lads get a few beers on them.

As for Malahide plenty of working class people live there.

Howth dunno, Sutton is minorly posh in places.

Now that made me laugh. Have you even been there?

Anyway, this is unhelpful to the OP, but to say that northside on the Dart line is not anywhere near as rough as stereotypes will have you think.

MarkAnthony

Deleted User wrote: »

Now that made me laugh. Have you even been there?

I live down the road.

Deleted User wrote: »

Anyway, this is unhelpful to the OP, but to say that northside on the Dart line is not anywhere near as rough as stereotypes will have you think.

Perhaps our calibration of posh and rough is different. However agreed, I've lived on both the North and South of Dublin. I prefer the Northside. I'm working class and my wife is middle class and neither of us with English accents on us get any bother. In fact my neighbours are lovely and I suposed to be in a 'rough' bit.

Got in to an argument with 3 lads last weekend making a load of noise at 4am - ended up being invited in for a drink!

John_Rambo

helimachoptor wrote: »

Believe me, where i grew up, hanging people off the block of flats they lived in for unpaid drug debts was a pretty regular occurrence, not much shocks me

Did you take the poison? From the poison stream?

Muahahaha

newacc2015 wrote: »

Charles town is fine. If it's the new development. I dont think there is any social housing in it and the social housing around it is fine. Up until about 15 years ago, that entire area was a farm. There is a massive thread on boards about the shopping centre there.The 140 is an excellent bus to town. The 83 and 9 are good too.

You should have no issues in Charles town. Although it's like an American style suburb. It's housing and a shopping centre. There is nothing in between it. It's a grand area to live in

Agree with this. I've lived in Charlestown for 5 years and it's generally been pretty good. The 140 is quick and reliable and you can find everything you need with six different supermarkets within a mile of each other. If the OPhas lived in rough suburbs on London then Charlestown in Finglas will be a breeze.

melodies

Thanks everyone - all useful stuff (even the bit about the scantily clad young ladies lol - though that won't bother me too much as I'm a lady too)

Can you hear the M50 from Charles town?
Is 500pcm plus 20 bills ok would you think for Charles town?

Saw a place beside the guinness storehouse yesterday for 450pcm plus 50 bills. It would be great for walking to/from town and to/from phoenix park but does guinness factory get a bit stinky at times (and problem when the wind changes?).

melodies

PS My budget is around 400 to 500 in a shared house.

"interesting accents, and friendly working class people" - I from Sandymount one morning along back roads in to town and I stopped to put on some lip balm. A little old women spotted me and started up some banter and told me the benefits of glycerin and rosewater ... with a proper Dublin accent, though I haven't a clue whether working or middle class. Have to say it was music to my ears and reminded me of the wittiness of cockney girls in London.

melodies

pps DublinBus people said that the trams are totally packed at rush-hour "squashed up against the window like sardines". Is that really the case - is it the same or worse than London tubes at rush hour?

strandroad

melodies wrote: »

Saw a place beside the guinness storehouse yesterday for 450pcm plus 50 bills. It would be great for walking to/from town and to/from phoenix park but does guinness factory get a bit stinky at times (and problem when the wind changes?).

There's a smell, but not a stink in my opinion. It smells like brown bread or pumpernickel. Not all the time either. Some streets in this area are better than others, you might want some local research. I still think they'd be above any rough London areas!