Luas green line in rush hour before pandemic

tastestory

Hello I'm viewing one development near Luas Milltown station and was wondering how crowded it is in the morning rush hour. It's probably fine right now given that a lot of people still work from home, but I heard it was very crowded before the pandemic. Did anyone here have the experience to use Luas for commute between Milltown (or nearby stations) and city centre in 2018/2019? I'm fine with a crowded tram but my fear is impossibility to get on at all (like what happens in those horrible videos about rush hour subway in Japan😂)

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058246080/luas-green-line-in-rush-hour-before-pandemic

If things get back to pre-pandemic in terms of commute then it will be very busy yes, and you might have to skip a tram or two if they are full as far in as Milltown. It will get worse, since the Cherrywood development will add a lot of passengers, and Clay Farm in Leopardstown has increased in size significantly too.

The Green Luas is going to become a major issue and the failure to upgrade to a Metro is going to be a very costly one. NIMBYism got in the way of sensible public infrastructure again unfortunately.

godtabh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119071371#Comment_119071371

And all the SHD developmetns on Brennanstown Road plus the increase in size of the Cherrywood SDZ

Murph85

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119071371#Comment_119071371

Weak moron politicians and planners decided its faith. Not nimby's...

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119071562#Comment_119071562

It absolutely was NIMBYs, specifically certain residents of Ranelagh who took issue with the closure of 1 road.

There was also all sorts of misinformation spouted by interest groups, like the Luas being closed for years to facilitate it etc.

Murph85

Yeah and like you say, it was nonsense. These very well paid and pensioned "experts" shouldn't be making decisions on the local mob fools spouting misinformation. Best thing that can happen is total green line overload and a forcing of the issue...

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119071603#Comment_119071603

Ah yes, I get what you mean now. Yes it is unfortunate that our planning process for public infrastructure is so vulnerable to this sort of nonsense.

tastestory

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119071371#Comment_119071371

Good call, thanks. I didn't even think about Cherrywood and Clay Farm... but I suppose the trams departing from Sandyford would be still okay as passengers from Cherrywood and Clay Farm wouldn't take that one. However, passengers from Stillorgan or Dundrum may still fill the tram quickly as they can't squeeze in the tram from Brides Glen. Maybe in the future stations like Milltown or Cowper will be only meaningful for non-rush hour rides... Indeed I need to take that into account, because Milltown is not well-served at all by buses - I mean the frequency of bus 44 and 61 is like every one hour? Almost useless...😔

SteM

Hate to be the one to say it, but would you consider cycling from there instead? Can't be more the 5km into the city cente, probably not much slower than the luas trip. Fairly flat run too.

KaneToad

Remember when they said the Luas track would also incorporate a cycle lane...

tastestory

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119072023#Comment_119072023

Yep, it's definitely a good idea when the weather is not too bad, but Luas would be more comfortable than cycling in strong wind and heavy rain😂

Terrontress

I can't remember more detail than I will give, but I have a friend who commutes in from Dundrum. Certain Luas trams are longer than others. Longer ones have a certain number on the front. Prior to lockdown, if he saw one coming, he would move to the back of the tram, the platform is empty as people don't expect it to be so long, so congregate in the first two-thirds of the platform. There would always be lots of space at the back compared to the front.

bikeman1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119075164#Comment_119075164

This was the case before the extension programme. Now all trams on the Green Line are 55m.

awec

Yes all the trams are longer but it will still not have sufficient capacity.

All that said, if you can avoid commuting at the absolute peaks times you are unlikely to have any issue.

Fian

I live in Dundrum, 2 stops further out. I cycle to work but my daughter used to get the Luas to school in Ranelagh. She would take a luas 3 stops outwards from Dundrum, then cross the tracks and get a luas going back in. It is full in Dundrum at rush hour with only a fraction of hose waiting getting on. Every few trams you might have one less crowded. Will be worse again further in.

When the 25k residents of Cherrywood come on line this will be far worse. They are looking to add 850 appartments adjacent to Dundrum luas station as well. The only way you will get on in Milltown heading into city centre will be if girls are getting off the luas to go to school in alex and you manage to get one of the spots they vacate.

All that is pre-pandemic ofc., i imagine much easier now, i guess it depends on what proportion of people continue blended working.

Cycling from milltown is a good option though. It's flat, good cycle lanes, short. You can definitely do it faster than getting a luas, depending on how close to a stop your place of work is.

CPTM

Are you flexible with time? A little earlier or a little later and it's demonstrably fine. Just a lot of people for work/personal reasons can only board it between 8.10 and 8.50. But if you can go before or after that you should be fine.

tastestory

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119076264#Comment_119076264

Many thanks for sharing the detailed information and advice!

tastestory

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119076300#Comment_119076300

Great to know. Actually I'm quite flexible, and I can cycle when weather is not too bad, so hopefully it should be fine.

Marcusm

The advantage with Milltown is that you will have a significant number of Alexandra College students getting off the train.

Del2005

The Green line is full at peak already. I know someone who commutes from Balally and they sometimes can't get onto the trams now, it's going to be a nightmare when all the developments being built are finished. Red line will be as bad, thousands of apartments being built around Citywest

tastestory

Wow, it's full even as far as from Balally!

DelBoy Trotter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119082747#Comment_119082747

I get the luas from further out than Balally 3 mornings a week, and I haven’t seen it full at Balally at all since before the pandemic