Commute from North Kildare/West Dublin to Eastpoint??

shane1981

Hi folks. Looking into a move to Leixlip/Maynooth/Lucan area and was wondering what the average driving commute times into city specifically Eastpoint would be. Assuming M50 route around the city would be best. Any info appreciated. Cheers.

L1011

Depends on whether you take the port tunnel or not. Could easily be 90mins in and 70mins out if you don't

ixus

Time of day?

shane1981

ixus wrote: »

Time of day?

Work hours would be 9am -5.30pm

Tom Cruises Left Nut

I work in Eastpoint

Only way I could do it by car is to leave Naas at 6am, would be in Eastpoint about 6.45 and thats going through inchicore and the city centre

Means I can get back out and through the port tunnel before the price goes up to a tenner at 4

I only do that if I need to, you would be better off getting the train to connolly and a dart to clontarf road to be honest if you want to stay sane

izzyflusky

We live in Lucan and my husband used to leave at 7:15- 7:30am to start at 8 going through town. But at that time traffic isn't heavy yet. Now he leaves at around 08:15 or so to be in for around 09:30 or so.

ixus

shane1981 wrote: »

Work hours would be 9am -5.30pm

Driving from those locations to Eastpoint at that time is all kinds of wrong. If I'm going to the city from there, I'm on the road at 6:30 or 9:30 to get up the bus lanes on the Quays at off peak times. That M50 commute is a disaster from 7:30 onwards and after 5. You're talking a carpark from the minute you hit the M4 into work and all the way back to residence that evening. 90 mins each way would be doing well. Forget about it if there was an accident.

I would look at other living locations first. Then, it would be train & dart from Leixlip to save the 10mins each way from Maynooth and +50k price difference on a house.

shane1981

Thanks for the info. Lots to consider.

Marlay

I can only really comment on the M4 to M50, as I wouldn't take the M50 from there. From Maynooth to the M50 it would probably average out at about 20-25 minutes. But it's very variable. At one point this morning for example it was up to 55 minutes. Outbound from the M50 in the evening on the N4 is usually not that bad. You'll hit traffic back before junction 5 as the lanes go from three to two, and it will be slow from there to junction 6. On Fridays the traffic will be worse outbound and the queue would be from junction 4, occasionally as far back as Liffey Valley. But it would be slow but moving, rather than completely stopped.

Problem is it's impossible to say how long it could take. In summer, with the schools off, it might not be too bad. In winter, if it's raining, or there is an accident (which there are lots of) it could be terrible. If you had to be in for a specific time you'd never be sure if you'd make it or not, unless you gave yourself a large buffer of time.

lordgoat

ixus wrote: »

Driving from those locations to Eastpoint at that time is all kinds of wrong. If I'm going to the city from there, I'm on the road at 6:30 or 9:30 to get up the bus lanes on the Quays at off peak times. That M50 commute is a disaster from 7:30 onwards and after 5. You're talking a carpark from the minute you hit the M4 into work and all the way back to residence that evening. 90 mins each way would be doing well. Forget about it if there was an accident.

I would look at other living locations first. Then, it would be train & dart from Leixlip to save the 10mins each way from Maynooth and +50k price difference on a house.

Marlay wrote: »

I can only really comment on the M4 to M50, as I wouldn't take the M50 from there. From Maynooth to the M50 it would probably average out at about 20-25 minutes. But it's very variable. At one point this morning for example it was up to 55 minutes. Outbound from the M50 in the evening on the N4 is usually not that bad. You'll hit traffic back before junction 5 as the lanes go from three to two, and it will be slow from there to junction 6. On Fridays the traffic will be worse outbound and the queue would be from junction 4, occasionally as far back as Liffey Valley. But it would be slow but moving, rather than completely stopped.

Problem is it's impossible to say how long it could take. In summer, with the schools off, it might not be too bad. In winter, if it's raining, or there is an accident (which there are lots of) it could be terrible. If you had to be in for a specific time you'd never be sure if you'd make it or not, unless you gave yourself a large buffer of time.

Both of these are excellent advice. I can't add much other that my bro is commuting Lucan to the port tunnel and says it's a car park on all roads if it rains at all.

Good luck

L1011

Had to go in with the car yesterday, with rain. Over an hour from Maynooth to the port tunnel exit. Way home wasn't as bad but still slower than a day that had been dry in the morning.

Rosahane

Have you considered using a motorbike?

It's a very good option and can guarantee reasonably consistent journey times. I could make it from Leixlip to the City Centre in about 20 minutes, to Dundrum/Windy Arbour in about 25 and, from what I can remember Eastpoint in about 30 minutes max. Coming home with heavier traffic between 5 and 6 would take 5 to 10 minutes longer.

With the right machine and clothing you can use it in all weathers except heavy freezing conditions, and even that's only an issue away from the treated roads.\

It helps if you have previous experience on a bike - I had one as a teenager and even after a gap of a quarter of a century the skills came back quickly. Otherwise you will need to factor in a lot of training to survive the idiots, but it's not insurmountable.

gandalfio

Seeking some info regarding a similar route.

According to Google maps traffic there is very little traffic on the m50 from 8.30am. Live Google maps traffic in the mornings has been giving me a journey time of 27 minutes from Swords to exit 6 on the M4 Celbridge. I find this hard to believe given the amount of comments I hear from people saying it's a carpark at that time.

Does anyone have any feedback on this? Also, any information on what the traffic is like on the m50 coming back from Celbridge at 5pm?

Cheers

ixus

The M50 is a carpark during peak times. It is dangerous too. The volume of traffic make it difficult to navigate even if you are experienced (it's the other drivers zipping in and out of lanes, tail gating or on phones).

That suggested time would be in light traffic off peak or during school holidays.

gandalfio

ixus wrote: »

The M50 is a carpark during peak times. It is dangerous too. The volume of traffic make it difficult to navigate even if you are experienced (it's the other drivers zipping in and out of lanes, tail gating or on phones).

That suggested time would be in light traffic off peak or during school holidays.

It's live traffic, not suggested. It shows in red where the heaviest traffic is. I've often found it to be quite accurate when driving through the city centre and other parts of Dublin.

ixus

Pearse St. To Maynooth, left at 4:20 which usually takes max 50 mins at that time. 90 mins. Why? Rain, volume of traffic. The Quays were grand, it was Chapelizod bypass and the N/M4 that was worst. Didn't get above 50km until last Celbridge junction. Would easily be 2 hrs after 5.

gerrowadat

I've been doing Naas/Clane to Ringsend (so not a million miles away) for about 10 years.

Don't touch the M50 if at all possible. The route I'd take to eastpoint would be N4->Chapelizod Bypass, then take the left down onto conyngham road and the north circular and then left over sherriff street toward eastpoint. It seems longer in theory but it's more predictable.

The thing with the M50 and port tunnel is that it's a single point of failure - everyone wants to take it, and it's only barely up to scratch for the capacity. So if there's an accident the day is ****ed.

Personally if I were living in maynooth, I'd get the train. At least then you've some predictability and it's much cheaper.

Frankie5Angels

I drove in one morning last week and it took me two hours.

Unless you're leaving at 6:30am, I wouldn't recommend the drive at all. I've driven, from Maynooth/Leixlip both up the quays and up M50/M1/etc at that time and it's pretty free, you'd be in at 7:15 (remember, bus lanes free before 7!).

Train from Maynooth/Leixlip to Connolly or Drumcondra is grand. 20/25 minute walk in the morning, same back. If you're in Maynooth the Longford/Sligo trains on the hour go straight to Maynooth, so the 5:05pm one will have you in Maynooth at 5:40pm, sorted. Also one at 6:05.

Actually, just thinking, there's a very frequent bus service leaves you to the Point, you can get the Luas to Connolly and train home if you're not a fan of walking!

Frankie5Angels

Double Post

shane1981

thanks for all the info folks.

lucernarian

The train connections to Clontarf road from Connolly are typically awkward enough, it's usually quicker to Drumcondra.

And the shuttle bus to the Point is infrequent, where you have to wait on a Luas and then pay to use the Luas. I've done the walk straight to Drumcondra in 25 minutes, it's the quickest unless you're very lucky with dart and then shuttle bus from Clontarf Road

the_syco

Used to do the commute via train once upon a time, from Leixlip to Eastpoint. The main difference between Maynooth and Leixlip on the train is 10 minutes, but you'll have more of a chance getting a seat if starting at Maynooth.

At least with Maynooth/Leixlip, you have the option of the train. Really comes down to what time you have to be in at, and how is the company if you're a bit late, if you're driving.