Commuting - Greystones to Sandyford for Luas or other options

keeds31

Hi everyone,

Opinions welcome on the following please...

Have just relocated to Greystones from France (came for the weather ;-) ) and will be commuting into Dublin where I will be working on Stephens Green.

On a pure timetable basis, the best option looks to be drive to Sandyford (I am quite an early bird so happy to get there early for a parking space) and then take the Luas, I estimate around 20-25 mins drive leaving Greystones around 7am which I think should get me to Sandyford for around 7.25 and then into Stephens Green by around 7.45 ish.

Having said that, I have a few doubts for the return trip - how bad is Sandyford for getting out at peak times ??

Feel free to offer any and all opinions,

Thanks, Jeremy

punisher5112

Dublin bus 84x

Or

Get dart into city.

loyatemu

there's a Luas P&R at Carrickmines too and its right beside the M50 so might be less prone to getting stuck in traffic, though only half the trams continue past Sandyford so you might have a longer wait.

7am Dart will get you to Pearse for 0750, 10 mins walk to the Green, so not as quick as the Luas option (assuming traffic is that light at 7am)

keeds31

Thanks Punisher,

So you think that the Dart - 50 mins on Dart and then 10 mins walk to St Stephens Green

and / or

84x bus seems to 7.00am Greystone's arriving Stephens Green also around 8am....

will be cumulatively quicker and easier than the Luas Option or just overall less aggravating than the drive / park option ?

Cheers, J

loyatemu

keeds31 wrote: »

Thanks Punisher,

So you think that the Dart - 50 mins on Dart and then 10 mins walk to St Stephens Green

and / or

84x bus seems to 7.00am Greystone's arriving Stephens Green also around 8am....

will be cumulatively quicker and easier than the Luas Option or just overall less aggravating than the drive / park option ?

Cheers, J

At 7am, driving to the Luas is probably the faster option, but you might hit traffic coming back in the afternoon (depending on the time you leave).

Google Maps will give you an idea of relative times - just put your departure time into the directions tool and it will work it out based on the usual traffic at that time.

Jolisa94

The Luas gets very busy in the morning, but since you plan to get it before 7.30, you should have no problems.

Would also reccomend the Carrickmines P+R, it’s easy to get to and also half the price of Sandyford @ €2 per day. The trams are less frequent, but once you start using its you’ll get used to the timetable and can adjust accordingly. You also need to consider your return time in the evening, the Luas is jam packed from about 5.30 pm, and traffic on the M50 is heavy, so your return journey may not be quite so comfortable.

The Dart is also a good option, with less driving required. Also consider that from mid-December, there’s a new section of the luas opening and you can use that to get from tara street to stephens green, if you really don’t want to walk.

I personally don’t like the bus, but it’s still a valid option.

Best way would be to try out all these options and se what suits you best.

setanta1000

Hi Keeds,

I think the bigger differential in time is in the evening rather than the morning - Sandyford is a pain in the evening (and so Loyatemu's Carrickmines suggestion is a good one) but so is the M/N11 junction before Bray - it's a car park most evenings.  However, if you're leaving Dublin after 6.30 in the evening it's probably ok by then.

The DART is grand in the morning but going home you need to time your leaving so you get a Greystones DART - The LUAS has more frequency to Carrickmines / Sandyford.

keeds31

Thanks everyone. Going to start by trying the Carrickmines Luas on Thursday.
Cheers, Keeds

the Lamb Post

Beware of the N11 driving.... even at 7.00am.

I leave Charlesland at 6.45am most mornings and lately have only reached Courneslscourt at 7.15. I can't comment on the M50 once the M11 ends as I follow the N11 in.

Traffic is definitely getting heavier, even at the earlier times.

Coming home the M50/M11/N11 merge usually builds from 4.30pm onwards.

Hope this helps.

cdeb

Sandyford to Charlesland is an hour or so in rush hour traffic. If there's a crash, forget the M50 and go via Enniskerry - still about an hour. Getting from the Sandyford car park to the M50 could easily take 20 minutes on a bad day. It's horrible.

Agree with the suggestion of using Carrickmines instead. And while the DART may be slower on the way in, it'll probably be quicker going home, so it's worth keeping in mind. The M50 is something to keep off your commuting plans if at all possible.

Stephen15

I wouldn't bother with the Luas option if I were you too much potential to get stuck in traffic around the school run is a nightmare and could outweigh the benefits of public transport.

keeds31

Thanks all, much appreciated

loyatemu

Stephen15 wrote: »

I wouldn't bother with the Luas option if I were you too much potential to get stuck in traffic around the school run is a nightmare and could outweigh the benefits of public transport.

In the morning? School run won't affect you if you're leaving at 7 - the earliest school in Greystones is Temple Carrig which starts at 8.15

Stephen15

loyatemu wrote: »

In the morning? School run won't affect you if you're leaving at 7 - the earliest school in Greystones is Temple Carrig which starts at 8.15

Apolgies I must have misread the post but TBH the Dart sounds like the easier and more direct option despite the walk to St.Stephens Green as by the time you drive to Sandyford or Carrickmines get parking and wait for a Luas you could be well into the Dart journey.

Blandpebbles

Avoid driving, take the dart.

Plastik

Depending on where you are working on Stephens Green you could be a 10-15 minute walk from Pearse St station when you alight the Dart in town. That's on top of a 5-10 minute walk from the Park and Ride in Greystones to the Dart. Driving to the Dart. Waiting for the Dart. And spending the best part of 50-55 minutes on the Dart itself. I used the Dart daily for many a year, but I was working only 5 minutes from the nearest station. I'm not so sure that I would have been as keen were I looking at your option.

For me the two options would be Luas vs the 84x bus which will drop you on Stephens Green itself. I've never used the Luas for commuting so can't give an opinion on it other than at least it also takes you straight to Stephens Green.

artvandelay48

setanta1000 wrote: »

Hi Keeds,

I think the bigger differential in time is in the evening rather than the morning - Sandyford is a pain in the evening (and so Loyatemu's Carrickmines suggestion is a good one) but so is the M/N11 junction before Bray - it's a car park most evenings.  However, if you're leaving Dublin after 6.30 in the evening it's probably ok by then.

The DART is grand in the morning but going home you need to time your leaving so you get a Greystones DART - The LUAS has more frequency to Carrickmines / Sandyford.

Driving to the Bray dart might be a good option. Traffic would be light at 7ish and it gives you the option of getting the bray darts home. Driving to Sandyford at 7 might take longer than expected. I have seen traffic starting earlier and earlier and if you are going through kilmac, there always seems to be some congestion there.

cdeb

Bray is horrific for traffic. It's an option if avoiding rush hour maybe. Though even then I'd say you'd end up taking more time, not saving it

BigGeorge

The drive to sandy ford / Luas option is really good, have been doing it for years. Earlier is obviously better, at 7am would be 45 mins from house to top of grafton st. if you want the exercise, its a 10km approx run or cycle to the city centre

Evenings are another matter , could be 50 mins from sandy ford to greystones, best to use google maps to track the congestions area

punisher5112

Dublin bikes could be an option also if one located at or near dart.

Stephen15

I would consider maybe the 84x in the morning and the Dart in the evening there is a chance you might be able to get a Gorey/Rosslare train in the evening which would shave off considerable journey time also.

cdeb

The Wexford train is no quicker than the DART (because it can't pass out, so it just gets stuck behind a DART and has to go the same speed)

fleet

Dart to Pearce and 10 minute walk.

Transfers are a nightmare in Ireland. Most are uncovered treks in the rain. Bicycle or walk to Greystones DART, job done.

Plus if the Dart breaks down the you have the option of the 84x from outside the Dart station.

Eponymous

Used to commute by driving to Carrickmines and Luas from there, but gave up at the start of the year as the evening commute was taking longer and longer.

Use the DART or the 84X now depending on what time of the morning I'm leaving Charlesland. The 84X which passes through Charlesland at 06:45 is the only one that you can be certain will hit St Stephen's Green at 8am. Sometimes the 07:00 through Charlesland will, usually not. The 07:00 Dart should have you on SSG at 08:00 or just after. The diesel service that comes through Greystones at 06:50(ish), will buy you a few extra minutes for your walk from Pearse.

punisher5112

Buy a fold up bike throw in bag option to take on bus or dart whichever you decide.

loyatemu

punisher5112 wrote: »

Buy a fold up bike throw in bag option to take on bus or dart whichever you decide.

Dublin Bikes - there's a station 2 mins walk from Pearse (outside the Pearse St. gate into Trinity) and you'll definitely get a bike prior to 8am. Several stations around the Green. Or buy a old bike on Facebook/Adverts and leave it at Pearse (there are racks in the station and outside both entrances).

punisher5112

loyatemu wrote: »

Dublin Bikes - there's a station 2 mins walk from Pearse (outside the Pearse St. gate into Trinity) and you'll definitely get a bike prior to 8am. Several stations around the Green.

Mentioned that to op.
As I did dart and 84x

Stephen15

Eponymous wrote: »

Used to commute by driving to Carrickmines and Luas from there, but gave up at the start of the year as the evening commute was taking longer and longer.

Use the DART or the 84X now depending on what time of the morning I'm leaving Charlesland. The 84X which passes through Charlesland at 06:45 is the only one that you can be certain will hit St Stephen's Green at 8am. Sometimes the 07:00 through Charlesland will, usually not. The 07:00 Dart should have you on SSG at 08:00 or just after. The diesel service that comes through Greystones at 06:50(ish), will buy you a few extra minutes for your walk from Pearse.

You mean the 184, the 84x dosen't serve Bray. The 84 also serves Bray Dart station and goes to Newcastle via Greystones but dosen't Charlesland afaik.