Any long distance commuters to UCD?

tgdaly

I started this thread, because I had seen many about commuters who go to UCD from places like North Dublin or Nass, but didn't see many from people coming from farther afield. So just wondering is there many like myself who come from a long way away? I myself commute from Tullamore (Offaly) every day to UCD. According to Google Maps that is a journey of over 110km a day. Let me break it down for you: As I live just outside Tullamore I cycle to the train station every day, around 20, 25 mins. Then I get the train to Dublin, around 1hr 10mins, Then a bus from Heuston Station to UCD, 30-45 mins depending on traffic. Same journey home as well. So I spend nearly 4hr 30 mins every day travelling. That is bad in itself but I find it is also hard to get involved in things, as you just don't have the time. It is difficult to make friends, etc. I will be doing my third year in Septmber of an Arts Degree (History and Geography) so I imagine the volume of work I have will be quite difficult to complete with all the travelling. I have been doing this since semester two of year one, as I could not afford to rent anymore. So if there is anyone else with a similar situation it would be good to here from ye, post your replies

Muir

My friend comes from Dundalk every day which is a similar distance. We're doing Engineering so the hours can be pretty long with labs, can be in 9-6 with a 1 hour break. I imagine it's pretty tough going doing all that travelling.
If you google the UCD general timetable you should be able to check what your hours are like this year. I know some people from Arts who had considerably less hours in college in third year, so hopefully it might be the same for you.
There are quite a few people who commute from further afield, and I think more bus services are trying out going direct to UCD now instead of just to town. I can even spend over 2 hours travelling a day even though I live in South Dublin and only have to use one bus. Maybe if you wanted to go out in Dublin with friends you could stay at someones house? Or there are some hotels around Harcourt Street in town that do really cheap deals (30 a night for 2 people b&b midweek). You could try something like that maybe.

tgdaly

Ye like I mean I have friends who I stay with, but you don't like to ask people all the time. And I mean we all know the standard that Dublin Bus and Iarnrod Eireann are at, which doesn't help either

charliehotel

Hoping to get into UCD for BComm Intl.

Parents are keen on making me doing a 2hr one-way commute each day.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how much should I be persuading them to let me get Accomodation close to campus and to avoid the *horrible * commute?

Doug89

charliehotel wrote: »

Hoping to get into UCD for BComm Intl.

Parents are keen on making me doing a 2hr one-way commute each day.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how much should I be persuading them to let me get Accomodation close to campus and to avoid the *horrible * commute?

Oh it's awful, zero craic as the OP said. If it's a case of them being overprotective then 10, but if it's a case of them genuinely not being able to afford it then a lot less I guess....

HavingCrack

I know someone who commutes (commuted should I say, we're finished now ) from Mullingar every day. They drove rather than took public transport though.

Conor108

Jesus I thought my ~2 hour commute from North Dublin was bad.

You win, OP.

Wisco

I commute daily from Kilkenny- thought about going by train/bus, but it takes too damn long so drive instead. A bit head wrecking, but I want to put off living in Dublin as long as possible, and as my costs work out about the same as moving up for me. Podcasts are my friend, couldn't manage it without something decent to listen to on the way in!

Crow92

A guy in my course studying architecture commuted from monaghan Daily for a whole year, Bus eireann bus to Dublin then had to get a bus to and from town to ucd

mumtoe&e

Another commuter here...
I come from baltinglass, west wicklow every day!
Approx 110km a day... I spend roughly 4 hours commuting per day! Petrol is a killer!
I'm a mature student with children so don't have the option of staying up in Dublin!
It's tough, very tough, but like everything else, if you want something enough you will make it work!

I would absolutely never expect my children to do this commute to & from college every day though!

HavingCrack

I have a lecturer who commutes from Belfast 3 days a week by train :eek:. He says that getting to Dublin isn't too bad but getting the bus out to UCD is the part of the journey that just kills ya..