How reliable are the Galway bus times?

Ballabriggs14

Starting a new job soon which will involve a fairly long ride on the 405. Google maps/timetables say it takes 30 minutes but I struggle to see how leaving at 12pm would take the same amount of time as leaving at 8am, especially with the lack of bus lanes.

GerardKeating

Ballabriggs14 wrote: »

Starting a new job soon which will involve a fairly long ride on the 405. Google maps/timetables say it takes 30 minutes but I struggle to see how leaving at 12pm would take the same amount of time as leaving at 8am, especially with the lack of bus lanes.

The 405 would have some bus lanes on Seamus Quirke Road.

What time are you travelling

Laviski

from end to end the bus ride should take no more than 30/35mins under normal circumstances. the max it should take is 40 mins.

from knocknacarra 12:00
eyre square - 12:20
ballybane stop near HP/Boston scientific- 12:40


now if some exceptional circumstances like the novena /galway races / arts festival / or unexpected road closures due to accidents.
you probably could be faster walking.

Ballabriggs14

GerardKeating wrote: »

The 405 would have some bus lanes on Seamus Quirke Road.

What time are you travelling

I would be alighting precisely at the very end of that bus lane :pac:

I'd be going in for 9 or half 9.

I just don't really understand how it can take 30 minutes regardless of the time of day. Unless they purposefully slow down during off-peak times. Due to the infrequency of the buses and lack of alternatives I'm worried that if I miss one I'm basically resigned to being well over an hour late. I've also noticed Galway buses have a tendency to pass by stops earlier than scheduled, which is even worse really!

Laviski

i take that bus daily and really does depend on the driver you have on that day.

i get to start for 8am generally it arrives every morning for 7:50 - 7:55 enough time to be at work for 8. but on occasion you do get captain slow and arrives at 8 or after, thus late for that day. doesn't happen too often but does piss me off, considering there is so little traffic and takes it real real slow to the point cars overtake him. I have on occasion seen he was driving and decided to go back to the house and get the bike as it was not raining and be in for work early.

the only time table you should consider are the times its supposed to leave the main stops and judge yourself on a best case scenario how long it would take you if it was you who was driving. Always assume they leave the terminus stop and don't pickup anyone until to stop you are at. Use that as your guideline and you can't go too far wrong or just be there at the stop knowing they are just leaving knocknacarra main stop.

Ballabriggs14

Laviski wrote: »

but on occasion you do get captain slow and arrives at 8 or after, thus late for that day. doesn't happen too often but does piss me off, considering there is so little traffic and takes it real real slow to the point cars overtake him. I have on occasion seen he was driving and decided to go back to the house and get the bike as it was not raining and be in for work early.

That's pretty bad form if the same driver is consistently late without any extraneous circumstances. I'd put in a complaint if that happened to be a few times, especially with the amount of money they charge - which seems to rise every single year.

the only time table you should consider are the times its supposed to leave the main stops and judge yourself on a best case scenario how long it would take you if it was you who was driving. Always assume they leave the terminus stop and don't pickup anyone until to stop you are at. Use that as your guideline and you can't go too far wrong or just be there at the stop knowing they are just leaving knocknacarra main stop.

Good advice, will bear it in mind. Although getting there early is easier said than none for me...

Laviski

Ballabriggs14 wrote: »

That's pretty bad form if the same driver is consistently late without any extraneous circumstances. I'd put in a complaint if that happened to be a few times, especially with the amount of money they charge - which seems to rise every single year.


Good advice, will bear it in mind. Although getting there early is easier said than none for me...

technically he is not late if he arrives at the stop at 8, as he would be on time to make the return trip to eyre square. its just what you get to deal with unfortunately. but anyways you have the info you need, you just need to keep an eye on news if anything happens where road closures in place. anything at all goes wrong in the city you could be faster walking, that isn't a joke.

gordongekko

Ballabriggs14 wrote: »

I would be alighting precisely at the very end of that bus lane :pac:

I'd be going in for 9 or half 9.

I just don't really understand how it can take 30 minutes regardless of the time of day. Unless they purposefully slow down during off-peak times. Due to the infrequency of the buses and lack of alternatives I'm worried that if I miss one I'm basically resigned to being well over an hour late. I've also noticed Galway buses have a tendency to pass by stops earlier than scheduled, which is even worse really!

the journey probably takes 15-20 mins and the timetable allows 30 minutes to take account of traffic. The times except the start and end point are guides only.

Laviski

gordongekko wrote: »

the journey probably takes 15-20 mins and the timetable allows 30 minutes to take account of traffic. The times except the start and end point are guides only.

timetable allows 20 minutes
new time table 405 is every 20 mins
old timetable 30 mins.

ErnieBert

I often get the 402 at various times and it is arrives at my local bus stop on the minute.

Harps

I got the 405 every morning for a year and always found it perfectly reliable, I got on at the first stop and the bus was usually there a few minutes early so left exactly on time, even with heavy traffic and a lot of people getting on and off it'd rarely take more than 25 minutes to Eyre Square. You will of course get a blip every once in a while but can't say I ever had any complaints with the service