Mallow to Cork Commute

SteffingHell · 10-07-2014 12:25pm #1

Does anyone here commute from Mallow to Cork city on a daily basis? I'm trying to figure out how to go about it and all the information I'm finding is scarily expensive!

Can someone advise me on whether the bus or the train is better, or what the cheapest options are? I'm very confused.

I'm not from Cork and the bus driver the other day told me there are no such things as monthly tickets between Mallow and Cork!

KCAccidental · 10-07-2014 1:40pm

taxsaver monthly or annual ticket might be your best bet for the train I'd say.

SteffingHell · 10-07-2014 2:28pm

Yeah thats all I could find. It's like €105 a month for the bus ticket and €84 for the monthly train ticket. Shocking! I have no choice though really. My wages will be savaged

LXFlyer · 10-07-2014 2:33pm

SteffingHell wrote: »

Yeah thats all I could find. It's like €105 a month for the bus ticket and €84 for the monthly train ticket. Shocking! I have no choice though really. My wages will be savaged

Do you really think €84 is that much for a full month of unlimited travel between Mallow and Cork?

It's roughly €3.65 per day assuming you don't use it at weekends.

SteffingHell · 10-07-2014 2:38pm

Well that's through the taxsaver website, and I'm not even sure if the company I work for is registered with them. If they are not, there is no such thing as a monthly ticket, so I'm not sure what ticket to get then. Also the earliest the bus gets you into the city is half 8, which isn't early enough for some of my hours.

dowlingm · 10-07-2014 2:40pm

SteffingHell - can I ask, how cheap did you think it could yet? That's 4 Euros per weekday day for rail or 5 for bus, round trip, although to be fair that only gets you to Parnell Place or the Lower Glanmire so you might need Leap too.

To the board: is there some issue about extending the Cobh/Midleton arrangement to Mallow, or is the fact that it's a mainline rail route a complication?
http://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=331

EDIT to add that I think it's iniquitous that taxsaver is denied to employees whose employers won't play ball.

Losty Dublin · 10-07-2014 2:43pm

lxflyer wrote: »

It's roughly €3.65 per day assuming you don't use it at weekends.

Less than the price of 3 litres of diesel for a return trip or two trips on a city bus. Frankly it's almost too cheap at that rate!

SteffingHell · 10-07-2014 2:54pm

Jaysus, it just sucks that it's another lump sum to be taken out of minimum wage every month is all.

TheBandicoot · 10-07-2014 5:07pm

SteffingHell wrote: »

Jaysus, it just sucks that it's another lump sum to be taken out of minimum wage every month is all.

Well what choice do you have? You have to get to work.

SteffingHell · 10-07-2014 5:38pm

Yep, that's why I came here. To make sure I have all the options in front of me and can make an informed decision. It still sucks, choice or no choice.

cgcsb · 10-07-2014 5:57pm

84 per month is very reasonable for a long distance commute. There should be more options on Cork Commuter trains though.

TheBandicoot · 10-07-2014 6:03pm

Yeah, it seems really ridiculously low to me alright. I pay more than that a month to get the bus a much shorter distance between a Dublin city suburb and the city centre.

cgcsb · 10-07-2014 7:54pm

Assuming that you're renting, is it cheaper/similar price to rent somewhere closer to your work? If it's a few extra quid to rent a place in the City you'd be as well off living in town.

Victor · 11-07-2014 12:39am

If you are working in Cork, why would you move to Mallow? You have the extra cost of travel and will waste a huge chunk of your life travelling or waiting to travel. I suggest you live in the city - quite a bit of it is within walking distance of the city centre.

At minimum wage, €8.65/hour, you will earn about €17,542 per year and pay about €208 in income tax and €547 in USC. http://download.pwc.com/ie/budget2014/index.html

You won't be able to reduce the amount you pay for tickets by more than this €755 (€63 per month).

SteffingHell wrote: »

Yeah thats all I could find. It's like €105 a month for the bus ticket and €84 for the monthly train ticket. Shocking! I have no choice though really. My wages will be savaged

http://www.railusers.ie/passenger_info/fare_calc_2014.php?station_from=MLLOW&station_to=CORK&stage1=Submit+Query

Welcome to the Rail Users Ireland Fare Calculator!

This version is the November 1st/December 1st 2013 fare revision

Station From: Mallow
Station To: Cork (Kent)

The journey distance is: 33.45km, fare zone CE future zone C via route CORK

Ticket Adult Child Student Family
Single €11.20 €5.50 €10.60
Open Return €19.20 €9.50 €13.30 €38.50
Day Return €18.00 €9.00 €24.50
Weekly €47.00 €37.00
Monthly €175.00 €121.00
Annual €1,750.00

http://www.busfare.co.uk/eireann.html

Service 243
8.50 : Adult Single
13.00 : Adult Return
7.20 : Child Single
10.00 : Child Return
8.00 : Student Single
11.00 : Student Return
51.50 : Student 10 Jny
36.50 : Family Return
9.70 : Child Day Return
33.00 : Child 10 Jny
12.00 : Adult Day Return
58.00 : Adult 10 Jny

dowlingm · 11-07-2014 2:23am

If OP is on minimum wage is it fair to say he is only eligible for the 20% taxsaver rather than 41? That makes a sizeable difference in the possible savings... Instead of 105.60 then it's more like 151.80...

schemingbohemia · 11-07-2014 10:32am

dowlingm wrote: »

If OP is on minimum wage is it fair to say he is only eligible for the 20% taxsaver rather than 41? That makes a sizeable difference in the possible savings... Instead of 105.60 then it's more like 151.80...

Yep it's one of the things about taxsaver that rankles a bit. Cheaper for the wealthier.

However, could the thinking be that those on the higher tax bracket would be more likely to not use public transport whereas those on the lower tax bracket would be using it anyway/

Mrs OBumble · 11-07-2014 1:17pm

Why would any even consider a commute that long for a minimum wage job????

dowlingm · 12-07-2014 12:50pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Why would any even consider a commute that long for a minimum wage job????

because the dole is soul destroying and he needs to build experience for his cv?

In Canada anyone can claim transit passes but only at tax year end, only at 15pc and if your income isn't big enough to pay net tax you get no additional benefit so it's fairer in some ways but the very poorest get nowt.

Mallow to Cork Commute

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