Commute - what is my cheapest option for the journeys I am making?

TheBandicoot

Hi all, I've started a new job and have the commute worked out.

I take a Dublin Bus in the morning, for the longest distance band.
In the evening I take an Irish Rail train from Pearse to Clonsilla.
Some nights(3/5 at least) I would take a second bus for the shortest distance band.

Currently I am paying for this buy using the cash balance on my Leap Card(topup while I am in Irish Rail land), tagging on the bus in the morning on the right, and interacting with driver for the evening bus.

Is there a cheaper option, one of the Ramblers?

LXFlyer

Using LEAP epurse is probably the cheapest option if you intend to combine bus and rail.

If you were using the bus for both long journeys and not travelling at weekends, I'd say the Dublin Bus 30 day rambler would be cheaper.

See if your employer offers taxsaver tickets - then you would cut costs by using a monthly/annual bus & rail ticket.

Julius Seizure

Your bus is 2.50, train is 2.35. That's 4.85 a day, or 24.25 a week. Add on 3x1.80 and you've got 29.65 a week, excluding weekends and stuff. The multi operator cap is 40 so you're well below that at least.

If you could stick to Dublin Bus only a 30 day rambler works out at 4.58 a day, and saves you 8 euro over the course of 30 travel days (non consecutive). So I think 8 euro is enough to pay for the convenience of the train, but the rambler does have the advantage of letting you take as many buses as you want say a bus to town.

Would you be eligible for taxsaver? A non taxsaver bus+rail for 1 month is 156 which works out at 5.20 a day, less than what you're paying.

TheBandicoot

Yes, I can see there would be advantages to taking the bus home, but my experience is the lack of an outbound bus lane on the Navan Road makes evening peak journeys a painful affair and it is faster to just get the train and walk/bus from the station in that instance. I might try it one evening though and see if it works out.

Interestingly, a-b.ie actually gives the commute I take with the train+bus home as the best option when I put in my endpoints and times- it indicates the 39a would be 1h20m and I am inclined to agree.

Good point about the taxsaver thing, I asked actually and it's not done here- almost everyone cycles or walks here, only one other person takes public transport. Oh well..

Julius Seizure

TheBandicoot wrote: »

Yes, I can see there would be advantages to taking the bus home, but my experience is the lack of an outbound bus lane on the Navan Road makes evening peak journeys a painful affair and it is faster to just get the train and walk/bus from the station in that instance. I might try it one evening though and see if it works out.

Interestingly, a-b.ie actually gives the commute I take with the train+bus home as the best option when I put in my endpoints and times- it indicates the 39a would be 1h20m and I am inclined to agree.

Good point about the taxsaver thing, I asked actually and it's not done here- almost everyone cycles or walks here, only one other person takes public transport. Oh well..

I'm not surprised, I'm in castleknock and I much prefer the train. Would a 38 be any faster than a 39a? It doesn't go up through Stoneybatter. Or maybe you could take the train both ways? Would your employer be open to starting the scheme? I think there are PRSI savings for them or sosomething. Taxsaver works out cheaper than Student fares even, it's great.

foggy_lad

TheBandicoot wrote: »

Hi all, I've started a new job and have the commute worked out.

I take a Dublin Bus in the morning, for the longest distance band.
In the evening I take an Irish Rail train from Pearse to Clonsilla.
Some nights(3/5 at least) I would take a second bus for the shortest distance band.

Currently I am paying for this buy using the cash balance on my Leap Card(topup while I am in Irish Rail land), tagging on the bus in the morning on the right, and interacting with driver for the evening bus.

Is there a cheaper option, one of the Ramblers?

Currently you are paying approximately €29.65 for 5 days travel in the week. As stated the NON-Taxsaver monthly bus and rail ticket costs slightly less per day than you are paying and will allow you unlimited bus and rail travel for €5.20/day

http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Fares--Tickets/Tickets/2-Journey-Daily-Weekly/Bus--Rail-Tickets/

Adult Monthly Short Hop €156.00

Valid for unlimited travel for 1 calendar month
Valid on Dublin Bus scheduled services including Airlink and Xpresso (excluding Nitelink, Tours, Special Events and Private Contract services) and on DART and Suburban Rail services
CIE photo ID required

Also if you went for a yearly bus and rail ticket it includes any travel on the Nitelink and Airlink services and costs €1560 for 12 calender months.

http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Fares--Tickets/Tickets/2-Journey-Daily-Weekly/Bus--Rail-Tickets/

Adult Annual Short Hop €1,560.00

Valid for unlimited travel for 12 consecutive months
Valid on Dublin Bus scheduled services including Airlink, Nitelink and Xpresso (excluding Tours, Special Events and Private Contract services) and on DART and Suburban Rail service

Julius Seizure

foggy_lad wrote: »

Currently you are paying approximately €29.65 for 5 days travel in the week. As stated the NON-Taxsaver monthly bus and rail ticket costs slightly less per day than you are paying and will allow you unlimited bus and rail travel for €5.20/day

http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Fares--Tickets/Tickets/2-Journey-Daily-Weekly/Bus--Rail-Tickets/


Also if you went for a yearly bus and rail ticket it includes any travel on the Nitelink and Airlink services and costs €1560 for 12 calender months.

http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Fares--Tickets/Tickets/2-Journey-Daily-Weekly/Bus--Rail-Tickets/

Your calculations are a bit off there foggy. If (s)he only uses the bus 20 days a month then the Monthly Bus+Rail, which is a calendar ticket, would cost 7.80 a day. Let's say there's 4 working weeks in the month, and they stick with paying epurse. 4*29.65 gives you 118.6 which is 37.40 cheaper per month than the ticket you suggested, provided (s)he only travels as stated.

TheBandicoot

I might be wrong, but it seems to me that the price of the shorter bus trip is only €1.45. Details of a daily commute below, looks like 2.50 + 4.60 - 2.25 + 1.45 which is €6.30.

LXFlyer

That's correct.

You're paying €4.85 two days a week and €6.30 three days a week. That equates to €28.60 per week, excluding any weekend use. That averages out at €124 per month.

Currently the Monthly Bus/Rail Short Hop (not available from stations but only Dublin Bus ticket agents) is priced at €156.

It would only become worthwhile if your use increased dramatically, such as at weekends.

However if you can convince your employer to join the Taxsaver scheme it becomes a much better option. Let them know that they save on the employer PRSI on the cost of the ticket, while you save on tax, USC and PRSI.

The annual version at €1,230 is better value still.

Cookie_Monster

Does it have to be PT?
If your employer is part of the bike to work scheme you can pick up a bike and lights etc for a decent price with practically zero weekly cost.

Only around 20km: Pearse to Cloncilla is about 15km +5km allowance for second bus. Easily doable in under an hour.

TheBandicoot

Google Maps suggest it is about a 55 minute cycle. At my present level of fitness I am not interested in that much physical exertion in the morning or after a hard day at work, nor am I interested in interacting with Dublin traffic in that way. Sorry.