Travelling from Portlaoise to Dublin

lolly28

Would anyone have any advice about what would be the best way to travel from portlaoise to Dublin city centre on a daily basis for work?

foggy_lad

lolly28 wrote: »

Would anyone have any advice about what would be the best way to travel from portlaoise to Dublin city centre on a daily basis for work?

Train? Or the hourly Dublin coach to red cow luas and the luas into the city centre? There is also a very good bus service from bus Eireann now with the 12 and 8 stopping at the blue bridge and going non-stop into Dublin city centre.

veryangryman

Depends on where your working.

Coming from that end, id say the car + park and ride assuming your working city centre or southside.

Train is grand-ish.. myself i dont like the idea of needing 2 public transport changes but as i say, its different for everyone based on needs/tolerance of the general public

lolly28

I would be working around stephens green.

schemingbohemia

lolly28 wrote: »

I would be working around stephens green.

Train with City Centre add-on should get you to Stephens Green on the 145.

Does your employer use the www.taxsaver.ie scheme? Your monthly/annual train ticket is paid from your gross wages so you save on the Tax & USC/PRSI elements and your employer saves on USC/PRSI.

I did that trip for 3 years and it was mostly grand, though you do get very tired with commuting.

lolly28

schemingbohemia wrote: »

lolly28 wrote: »

I would be working around stephens green.

Train with City Centre add-on should get you to Stephens Green on the 145.

Does your employer use the www.taxsaver.ie scheme? Your monthly/annual train ticket is paid from your gross wages so you save on the Tax & USC/PRSI elements and your employer saves on USC/PRSI.

I did that trip for 3 years and it was mostly grand, though you do get very tired with commuting.

Thanks for all the replies! How did u find the trip of the train and the 145 bus! I am open to any suggestions? Even driving so far and then train/bus?

schemingbohemia

when I was doing the trip there were the old trains running the route which weren't the most comfortable, the new trains are better. Trains were generally on time but occasionally you'd have a major delay. I think there are more services now than when I was getting the train. Car Parking at Portlaoise was an issue when I was there, if you can get dropped down or walk there that would be better.

The 145 wasn't operating then it was the 92 and the 90. The frequency of the 145 is better than the 92 so it should be better now. it can be a head-wrecker if you just miss a bus.

Overall it was grand, some people sleep on the train, I couldn't but got loads of books read and you can get some work done on it as well. I'd have hated driving, did it a few times when I needed the car after work and I really hated it, too stressful and not a nice way to start the day.

Cookie_Monster

:eek:

how long does that take

schemingbohemia

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

:eek:

how long does that take

Is there a quote missing?

The train takes just over an hour, if you're lucky and there's a bus outside about to head off you could be in work in an hour and a half from leaving Portlaoise but on average probably closer to an hour and three quarters.

I stuck it for 3 years, not great you feel knackered during the week.

foggy_lad

There is one number 12 bus from Portlaoise at 7am that goes to Ballsbridge via Stephens green http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1302770042-12.pdf

Cookie_Monster

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Is there a quote missing?

The train takes just over an hour, if you're lucky and there's a bus outside about to head off you could be in work in an hour and a half from leaving Portlaoise but on average probably closer to an hour and three quarters.

I stuck it for 3 years, not great you feel knackered during the week.

nope, just a general question

3-3.5 hour round trips, ****!!

that's something I could never, ever do

lolly28

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

:eek:

how long does that take

Is there a quote missing?

The train takes just over an hour, if you're lucky and there's a bus outside about to head off you could be in work in an hour and a half from leaving Portlaoise but on average probably closer to an hour and three quarters.

I stuck it for 3 years, not great you feel knackered during the week.

Can I ask how much the train ticket was weekly/monthly?

westies4ever

lolly28 wrote: »

Would anyone have any advice about what would be the best way to travel from portlaoise to Dublin city centre on a daily basis for work?

I did it for 3 years from portarlington and i found it difficult. trains were unreliable and overcrowded. i sttopped doing it 5 years ago. However, I believe its much better now. On average, with train to hueston and bus to the green, your looking at 90 mins. You'd want to be getting a train around 7am. What time will you finish work in the evening? You can prob expect to get home for around 7pm.

Tbh, if your young with no ties, I'd be telling you to move up to the city as otherwise you can forget about a life during the week!

lolly28

I have ties so moving for 3 or 4 Years isn't an option unfortunately.

westies4ever

ah. its doable for while but I def advise being organised (dinners made and frozen, clothes ironed etc etc) and getting to bed early. It makes a huge difference and if you like your job its not too bad. I suppose the point I was making is that if you have a hectic social life during the week it'll be tough going.

i would go for the train/bus option. hope all goes well.

schemingbohemia

lolly28 wrote: »

Can I ask how much the train ticket was weekly/monthly?

the www.taxsaver.ie site should have it, but find out if your employer operates the scheme. it's of more benefit if you're paying tax at the higher rate (which is wrong). the bus that foggy lad pointed out should also be on that site too.

if you do get the taxsaver ticket it's a monthly/annual ticket you get, it's around €2.5k for the train and €2.2k for the Bus for the annual tickets, depending on which tax rate you're on the actual cost to you will be €1.1k or €1.5k (the site does the calculation for you).

LXFlyer

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

nope, just a general question

3-3.5 hour round trips, ****!!

that's something I could never, ever do

That may as be right now, but many people may not have that choice if, for example, they lose their jobs while having mortgage obligations - at this stage many people would take whatever job they could get even if they had to commute longer.

Other people had the problem of not being able to afford Dublin prices in the boom years.

lolly28

Thanks for all the replies! Really helpful!