Commuting to Dublin from Navan

yyho88

Hi all,
I am moving back to Navan soon after a number of years abroad. I've heard horror stories about the commute to the city. I'd be working Southside in the Stephens green area and was wondering if anyone knows best ways to commute there these days? I used to get the bus but was northside and was more doable. I'd like to drive as far as I can. 
I was thinking park and ride to Balally and luas back in, but not sure if there would be a serious battle for parking spaces/crazy traffic trying to get across to Balally int he first place. Appreciate any thoughts!

mr_edge_to_you

It’s doable! Not sure what the buses are like but as far as I know the route is well serviced.

I’ve been using the train for the last (nearly) 3 years. You can get from M3 Parkway to Pearse St in around an hour but this will involve 2 trains. The train is a disaster in the winter - it’s never on time.

I used to use the M3-Docklands and walk from Docklands to Baggot St. This train is regularly late, significantly overcrowded and only operates a limited service. I’d do my best to avoid this option.

I recently changed jobs and my new workplace is on Harcourt St beside the luas stop. So I changed my commute from from the M3 to Coolmine. It costs €9 to park there for the week and get off at Broombridge. I then get the Luas from Broombeodge. It works really well for me. It doesn’t make my commute any shorter but it’s definitely more flexible as the line between Coolmine and Broombridge is well serviced during peak hours by both Maynooth and M3 lines.

I’d check out the buses though and see if they will work for you. I know a lot of people park at Tara Na Ri and Ross Cross on the old N3 and get the bus in to town.

The hours you work will have a significant influence on your commute - stating the obvious there but a flexible employer can make a huge difference.

Agent_47

Get the train from M3 parkway and drop onto the Maynooth to pearse train at Clonsilla. Some services such as the 7.40 are regular as clockwork. Get off at Tara street and stroll up to Stephens green.

Coolmine is a pigs ear to get in and out of. I had a taxsaver ticket (annual car park) for it costing 220 € but by far the M3 parkway which is currently free guarantees you a seat.

I lasted 5 months on the bus, expensive and could not guarantee when I would get to work. Flicked onto the train and can gage to a minute when I will be there. No faffing about with studdies looking for change, no queuing ..........

yyho88

Thanks all for your thoughts. I think getting to Pearse is definitely the best if I'm to get the train, as I'll be just off Harcourt St so Tara St would be slightly too far. 
I am also thinking maybe Navan Road parkway and then train to Pearse. Have ye had any experience with that station?

tara83

In my experience depending on the time of day and year reaching Navan Road station can be a pain, traffic not moving from Clonee slip. I've found it less stressful to drive to M3 parkway and get train from there.

Basically you are leaving home at the same time to get a later train from Navan Road and paying for parking and no seat on train. Having said that I quite like the walk from Docklands so I don't bother swapping over trains.

You could look at getting Luas from Broombridge if you got Docklands train as well

mr_edge_to_you

If they had a sufficient capacity on the Docklands line it would be a much better option! On numerous occasions I arrived 17:53/54 and there physically isn’t room to get on the train.

chewed

I've started using the NX bus from Navan and find it very handy. I get off at Westland Row and walk up to work from there. The 6.45 bus gets me in before 8am. Getting home can be a bit of a pain and can take up to 2 hours. But overall I find the service very reliable.

tara83

mr_edge_to_you wrote: »

If they had a sufficient capacity on the Docklands line it would be a much better option! On numerous occasions I arrived 17:53/54 and there physically isn’t room to get on the train.

Fully agree yet NTA reporting yesterday the station is under utilised and needs to be moved 🙄🙄

TheQuietFella

The Navan Express (NX) departs from Market Square and goes direct to Dublin.
It stops at Merrion Square & Wilton Terrace if I'm not mistaken.
You can get the return from Beresford Place, next to the Customs House.

mr_edge_to_you

tara83 wrote: »

Fully agree yet NTA reporting yesterday the station is under utilised and needs to be moved 🙄🙄

You’re kidding?

I reckon if they had more frequency on that line and gave that line priority over the Maynooth line the numbers was shoot up. It would be a real alternative for so many.

tara83

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/irelands-newest-train-station-could-move-because-of-major-shortfall-in-passengers-36916197.html

I don't understand the passenger numbers as the NTA 2016 count reports 1800 outbound boardings on the count day and numbers have shot up in the last 2 years

I can only assume they took an average over 7 days instead of 5 days not considering it's closed at weekends

yyho88

I don't mind getting the bus up, it's the bus home that is painful. Trekking across down, if you're working late and you've just missed one you have to wait half an hour/an hour, i was home at Xmas and I had missed one, another was going but not from busaras, it ended up taking almost 3 hours from when I left Southside to get back to Navan. I couldn't deal with that during the week, I would have no evenings during the week at all.
Thanks for all the suggestions, I think I will try them all out

Agent_47

2016 says it all, in 2017 there were new buildings opened near Docklands and it definitely increased. M3 parkway caters for 1200 cars it is regularly 2/3 full. Then add in the passengers along the way.

I'd say it is near 2,500 now per day. When the NTMA building opens that will pull further flesh onto the raillink and then it will be too late to do any thing. They need more frequent capacity now

mr_edge_to_you

I think you’re snookered no matter option you take in the evening. On Tuesday evening I got off the Maynooth train in Coolmine. By the time I got out of the car park it was 18:25 and the level crossing gates had shut again to let the Docklands-M3 pass. It’s scheduled to pass Coolmine at 18:12.

It’s worse in the winter as Irish Rail blame the delays on “low rail adhesion” which is the technical term for leaves on the line.

Thankfully my job is well rewarded so it’s easier to justify the trade off in family time vs commuting.

Agent_47

Op, My Navan to docklands journey is now 30 mins car, 35 mins train in and then out. No faffing about with buses. Just don't get fooled now colleges are off and schools shortly, September brings a real eye opener.

mr_edge_to_you

I note in one of the previous posts that the OP mentioned working late. This was one of the issues I had with Docklands. I would regularly work until and after 7pm. This resulted in getting the 20:10 from Pearse and then changing in Clonsilla. Only 4 weeks in my new job, I don’t miss that aspect to it.

yyho88

Hi all, thought I would update for those of you who are interested. I've started parking in the Ramparts (€2.50 a day), and getting the Sillan Tours bus up to Dublin - drops off at O Connell St, Trinity & Merriow Row and beyond to UCD. It only takes an hour 10 in mornings, about 1.15 in evenings. I'm not sure how easy the bus will be easy to get on when colleges go back though so I may change my commute again then!!

chewed

yyho88 wrote: »

Hi all, thought I would update for those of you who are interested. I've started parking in the Ramparts (€2.50 a day), and getting the Sillan Tours bus up to Dublin - drops off at O Connell St, Trinity & Merriow Row and beyond to UCD. It only takes an hour 10 in mornings, about 1.15 in evenings. I'm not sure how easy the bus will be easy to get on when colleges go back though so I may change my commute again then!!

yeah, don't be fooled by the summer commute times! As soon as schools/colleges start up you can easily add another 20-30 mins to your journey times.

chewed

Has the NX route into Dublin changed again? I use it sporadically these days, but on yesterday's 6.05 bus into city, the driver took a different route from Blanchardsown turn off and up through Finglas, back onto N2 again! Maybe he was avoiding traffic, but I wasn't sure where I was when I awoke!!

Vicxas

chewed wrote: »

Has the NX route into Dublin changed again? I use it sporadically these days, but on yesterday's 6.05 bus into city, the driver took a different route from Blanchardsown turn off and up through Finglas, back onto N2 again! Maybe he was avoiding traffic, but I wasn't sure where I was when I awoke!!

It seems the NX now goes up into Dublin through Finglas/Glasnevin and down through Phibsborough.

Which during rush hour traffic seems a bit mental to me.

sofireland

Vicxas wrote: »

It seems the NX now goes up into Dublin through Finglas/Glasnevin and down through Phibsborough.

Which during rush hour traffic seems a bit mental to me.

Oddly enough, it seems to get through quicker than when it went via Phibsboro Church.
The evenings are a total killer, I get it at wilton in the evening, and it's a minimum of 2 hrs when you factor getting to Beresford through town at peak traffic, then dealing with the driver change.

My taxsaver runs out in June, so going to trial the Train - in Ballsbridge, so Lansdowne be good. I'll also give Sillan a whirl too.