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Commute Athlone to Portlaoise

  • 30-06-2008 8:53am
    #1
    Donie75
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,110 ✭✭✭


    Hi,
    I might have an opportunity to work back up near home. Has anyone done a daily commute from Athlone to Portlaoise? Is it tough? I've driven the road a few times in the morning rush hour and it does get very busy between Tullamore and Portlaoise. The new section of the M6 will take a few minutes off the journey also. With this new road the journey would be about 30km on Motorway and 40km on regular roads.

    Any comments?


Comments

  • #2
    ga2re2t
    Closed Accounts Posts: 134 ✭✭ga2re2t


    The new Tullamore bypass should help you out in about two years time:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N52_road#Tullamore_bypass

    You could also look into taking the train from Athlone to Portarlington and then drive between Portarlington and Portlaoise. It wouldn't be too much longer and it would probably be a lot less stressfull.You could of course mix and match so that you could have your car at the weekend.

    Good luck!


  • #3
    Donie75
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,110 ✭✭✭Donie75


    Yeah,
    I just had a look at the NRA website and the improvements on the route will definitely help a good bit. By late 2010 I could drive about 35km on motorway and dual carraigeway by going on the N6 to Kilbeggan and then drive down to Tullamore and around the bypass. So it would be easily Athlone to the Portlaoise side of Tullamore in 30mins. I also see that there is a ring road planned for Mountmellick. I'm sure the journey could be reduced to 50 or 60 minutes.


  • #4
    Bogger77
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,857 ✭✭✭Bogger77


    There's an unofficial way round M'mellick as it stands, cuts up to 15minutes of the time on a bad day.
    Train from Athlone to Port and back to P'loaise isnt really a goer, as a lot of trains that would stop in Portarlington and Portlaoise to make the journey possible, in the evenings, skip either or both stops.


  • #5
    Mailman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,571 ✭✭✭Mailman


    Midland roads ice badly in winter and the road from Tullamore to PortLaoise isn't nice.
    Renting is or definitely will be cheap in the future in both towns.

    Live in one and return home to the other at the weekend.
    Perfect opportunity to engage in polygamy; have a spouse in both towns.


  • #6
    ga2re2t
    Closed Accounts Posts: 134 ✭✭ga2re2t


    Bogger77 wrote: »
    Train from Athlone to Port and back to P'loaise isnt really a goer, as a lot of trains that would stop in Portarlington and Portlaoise to make the journey possible, in the evenings, skip either or both stops.

    I actually meant taking only the train between Athlone and Portarlington, then using a car between Portarlington and Portlaoise. It would avoid having to wait on a connecting train and you can drive straight to your work place. Granted, it seems longer and more complicated, but if you could do it 2 or 3 times a week then it should reduce the stress of driving all the time. Especially in the wet winter months.


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  • #7
    Bogger77
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,857 ✭✭✭Bogger77


    ga2re2t wrote: »
    I actually meant taking only the train between Athlone and Portarlington, then using a car between Portarlington and Portlaoise. It would avoid having to wait on a connecting train and you can drive straight to your work place. Granted, it seems longer and more complicated, but if you could do it 2 or 3 times a week then it should reduce the stress of driving all the time. Especially in the wet winter months.
    Leave a car sitting in port until they need it? Apart from the cost, and the added insurance risk of the car's main storage area being an unattended car park at a train station, it doesnt make sense for time point of view.

    The roads might be icy some mornings, but from when I was doing a commute in the midlands 3years ago, it was just a matter of driving sensibly. Travelling the N roads in the mornings is usually fine, as there's a fair volume of traffic on the N6,N52, N80 from about 5am.


  • #8
    FrCrilly
    Closed Accounts Posts: 528 ✭✭✭FrCrilly


    Donie75 wrote: »
    Hi,
    I might have an opportunity to work back up near home. Has anyone done a daily commute from Athlone to Portlaoise? Is it tough? I've driven the road a few times in the morning rush hour and it does get very busy between Tullamore and Portlaoise. The new section of the M6 will take a few minutes off the journey also. With this new road the journey would be about 30km on Motorway and 40km on regular roads.

    Any comments?

    I don't know if the Moate by-pass is open yet, but if it's not I'd suggest experimenting with back roads between Athlone and Clara. I know it's possible to take the Birr/Clonmacnoise Road from Athlone to come out at the Tullamore side of Clara. Avoiding Moate may be within your best interests until the by-pass opens.


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