Transport advice - got to get to Balbriggan

LadyMayBelle

Hello there

New to Dublin, and after getting a job- in Balbriggan. Really happy with the job, but not the location as it's ages outside the city! Anyways. I am looking for the best routes and taking advice on getting there- i don't start til Sept. Im in Phibs at the mo but likely looking to be in Drumcondra/Clontarf ish area for accommodation (partner is based in Santry for work).

I am finding it confusing using the transport for Dublin site, and apart from the 101 bus Eireann bus, I only trains every 45 minutes or so from Connolly. Trying to figure out prices is harder...maybe it's just me? I start at 9:30, but 9am on fridays.

I appreciate advice from anyone who does the commute, or has done it, how they've found it and what they'd recommend in my situation..

January

The number 33 bus (Dublin Bus) goes to Balbriggan too I think... it's not the most frequent service either. I reckon your best bet would be train.

January

Moved from Dublin City to Commuting & Transport.

Vic_08

If living in Drumcondra then Bus Eireann 101 would be the most convenient, picks-up outside Drumcondra rail station.

Dublin Bus 33 also picks up here but is a very slow journey to Balbriggan.

If living in Clontarf then rail would be the best choice, it would require changing from DART to commuter services at Howth Junction or Malahide.

If your partner is in Santry then maybe you should consider living somewhere out that direction or even farther out as it would be a shorter commute for both of you.

Both the 33 and 101 operate via Santry and pick-up along the R132 (old Airport Road)


There are a number of fare options, if your employer participates in the taxsaver scheme then one of the tickets through this would be the best value overall.

Outside this, assuming you make 5 return trips a week;

Dublin Bus: €33 cash or €26 with Leap card. Leap weekly cap (Mon-Sun) is €27.50 so if you make extra bus trips during the week you will only pay €1.50 more.

Bus Eireann: cheapest fare would be €43.60 buying a 10 journey Dublin-Balbriggan ticket on their website. The same fare bought on the bus is €45.90. A 7 day Green Zone Leap fare is also €45.90

Irish Rail: Using Leap Card credit up to the weekly cap of 35.50 would be the cheapest short term fare, an annual Short-hop ticket at €1420 would be cheaper overall.

For comparison, if you are earning the top rate of tax then an annual Bus Eireann Taxsaver Green Zone would cost you €1016.75 which is €21.18 per working week, considerably less than half the cheapest regular fare available.

Links:
www.dublinbus.ie
www.buseireann.ie
www.irishrail.ie
www.leapcard.ie
www.taxsaver.ie

Losty Dublin

Balbriggan is a fairly spread out town and area so where your work place is will have a bearing on your preferred mode of transport.

A few friends of mine live/lived out there. A few used the train as it was close to them and the quickest option. Others used the Bus Eireann service as it was closer to them than the train and far quicker than the 33. A girl I know faces a 30 minute walk from the train to her work place in the town. A few again had little option but to drive into work as they were outside of the town and well out of reach from public transport or on shift patterns.

n97 mini

I lived in lower Drumcondra and worked in Balbriggan, a long time ago. Back then the bus took forever, but the train from Connolly was relatively quick. Drumcondra station wasn't open at the time, but it might even work out that you could use it to get to Connolly if you're lucky, to get a connection to Balbriggan.

Carawaystick

I'd say the business in Balbriggan are fairly contained, the only outliers are the tesco shopping centre and arro or the kitchen shop up in Stephenstown, or Dunnes Stores.

The BÉ 101 should be the best bet, you'll be going against the flow of traffic, the Cat and Cage is fixed.

I dunno for sure but I'd say it picks up at Drumcondra train station, which is just a short walk down ncr/royal canal/Whitworth rd from Phibsboro.

It drops you off at the carpark opposite the RC church in Balbriggan. The passport Office is nearby, as AIB, wavin, jack <something> outdoor gear, and it's only a few minutes walk to the hotel, library and main street.

There might be another stop neat the cop shop in Balbriggan too

Csalem

Going from South to North in the town, the 101 stops: outside the Church on Dublin Street; outside the community centre/Bank of Ireland (which is the stop for the town centre) on Dublin Street; outside SuperValu (closest stop to railway station) on Drogheda Street; before and after the Garda Station.

The Church is at the start of the inner ring road, and the Garda station is at the end of the inner ring road. The bus uses the main road (Dublin Street/Bridge Street/Drogheda Street) between the two which goes through the centre of the town.

If you are working in Millfield Shopping Centre it is about a 15/20 minute walk from the railway station/Drogheda Street.
The area around the Passport Office/AIB is about 5/10 minutes from the bus stop on Drogheda Street.

There is a town bus that runs from the station to the shopping centre every hour and costs €1.60. It also serves other parts of the town and you can find out more info on Bus Eireann site. It is route 104.

I wouldn't recommend the 33 as it is very slow. The 06:20 from Abbey Street does get to Balbriggan in and around 65 minutes but the rest take about 100 minutes.

The 101 is a scheduled to take 1 hour from Dublin to Balbriggan and is pretty reliable. I think the latest I ever get to Balbriggan was 5 minutes late, and normally it is one or two minutes early.

The train is the quickest at 45 minutes from Dublin Connolly.

harry Bailey esq

I travel from Balbriggan to Dorset St and vice versa.Between 15-20 times a week. The 101 is by far the best option.Its certainly the best in getting you to the part of Balbriggan you want to be.Realistically, the train only serves a very limited part of the town.Also,there is a private express service that runs from millfield shopping centre to the convention centre and back using the port tunnel.

Csalem

harry Bailey esq wrote: »

I travel from Balbriggan to Dorset St and vice versa.Between 15-20 times a week. The 101 is by far the best option.Its certainly the best in getting you to the part of Balbriggan you want to be.Realistically, the train only serves a very limited part of the town.Also,there is a private express service that runs from millfield shopping centre to the convention centre and back using the port tunnel.

The 191 by Carolans also serves all the bus stops in Balbriggan town as it was extended to Stamullen last year. It is also cheaper than the 101 but I think it only goes Stamullen - City in morning and City - Stamullen in the evenings so may not be useful for the OP. But as I said I am not 100% sure.

LXFlyer

The 191 is of no use to the OP as it only operates inbound in the morning and outbound in the evening.

The timetable is on their Facebook page - look up 191 Balbriggan Express.

LadyMayBelle

Gosh, haven't looked at this in a bit, thank you all so much. I think i got a bit overwhelmed and confused so this has been really helpful indeed.

I'm about a five minute walk from the rail station.

Csalem

Bus is still probably your best bet. In terms of trains there are only two that get in from Dublin in the morning before 09:00. One arrives 07:49 and the other 08:42. However the latter is very full during school term with girls going to the Convent School beside the station.

There is a third train that gets into Balbriggan at 09:27.

LadyMayBelle

Csalem wrote: »

Bus is still probably your best bet. In terms of trains there are only two that get in from Dublin in the morning before 09:00. One arrives 07:49 and the other 08:42. However the latter is very full during school term with girls going to the Convent School beside the station.

There is a third train that gets into Balbriggan at 09:27.

Cheers. I start at 9:30 am, but might try negotiate an earlier/later start to avoid that!