Commute Advice Cork - Mitchelstown

Loppuun

Hello everyone!

I just stumbled upon boards.ie and just thought that one of you might just hold an answer to my question: I will come to live in Ireland next September, and I will work as a foreign language assistant in Mitchelstown. I have already visited both Cork and Mitchelstown, and I have decided to live in Cork, and commute to Mitchelstown four days per week.

It would seem that only Bus Eireann go from Cork to Mitchelstown on a daily basis: I have checked out their fares and commuting would cost me about 188 euros (!!) per months, which is a lot. Bus Eireann is expensive, I have gathered as much during my short stay in Ireland, I just didn't imagine it was this expensive. Commuting to Mitchelstown does not qualify for the Cork commuter ticket, if their website is anything to go by
I am now turning to you: is there any cheaper way for me to commute from Cork to Mitchelstown without forking out 190 euros?

I am sorry for the grammar mistakes I might've made, English is not my mother tongue

KCAccidental

unfortunately the bus is the only option if you can't drive. Mitchelstown is pretty far from the city.

dowlingm

if your employer is in the taxsaver scheme and you will pay tax at 20% PAYE rather than 41%, then you can get a monthly Cork-Mitchelstown for 160 Euro.
http://taxsaver.ie/Ticket-Calculator/Bus-Eireann-Point-to-Point/

Because you're only working 4 days/week then the monthly fare isn't as great a deal.

Can anyone speak to the current quality of equipment operating on a route like 245 (arriving Mitchelstown 0845) vs X8 (arr 0855)?

Carawaystick

It's a hundred km daily commute
It's going to cost a bit anyway you do it

foggy_lad

Could you change your living arrangements and live in Mitchelstown in September? You would then only have to pay for the bus when you want to go into Cork city rather than having to pay for going to work.

dowlingm

I'm from the area... I can see why OP would rather live in Cork. If you're from there it's one thing but multicultural social hotspot it ain't.

freshpopcorn

I'm from the area as well and its not to bad depending on what your looking for?
There's supermarkets, takeaways,pubs,resteraunts,gym and another opening later this year, various sports clubs.
Rent would also be a lot cheaper in the town compared to the city. Its a safe enough town in general. We've never had any major violent/serious crime happen. Obviously if your after an exciting night life Mitchelstown is not the town for you. But Cork City isn't great either. I'd recommend living in the town and commuting to Cork if you wanted. Its also easy enough to hop on the bus to Cork/Kilkenny/Dublin/Clonmel from the town.

Sir Arthur Daley

€188 per month for a 5 day a week commute is good value in my books. Try running a car on that.

corktina

it's a 4 day a week commute. Living in the city is the better option ,,,what would you find to occupy you in Mitch for the other three days andthe evenings?

freshpopcorn

corktina wrote: »

it's a 4 day a week commute. Living in the city is the better option ,,,what would you find to occupy you in Mitch for the other three days andthe evenings?

All they could find to occupy themselves in would be sports clubs/gym/pub.

corktina

they'd be superfit and drunk then. Much more to do in the City obviously

Calina

corktina wrote: »

it's a 4 day a week commute. Living in the city is the better option ,,,what would you find to occupy you in Mitch for the other three days andthe evenings?

Alternatively, rents in Michelstown are probably less than 188E a week so what's to stop the OP finding a room for three nights in Mitchelstown and having a primary base in Cork for the other four nights.

Loppuun

Thank you everyone for your quick answers!

I've been adviced many times to live in the city (by my future colleagues especially), and I have considered living in Mitchestown for some time before making the decision to live in Cork. I also got to visit both COrk and Mitchelstown, and as a student (though I'll lose the status for the upcoming year), Cork city sound much more interesting to me, though if it proves financially impossible for me to live in Cork, I'll live in Mitchelstown.

@dowlingm : Thanks a lot for the link! I'll look into it and see whether I'm "eligible" or not

Thanks a lot everyone for your insights and input, I don't know Ireland all that well and your messages are a big help!