Commuting daily from Galway City to Dublin by train to work. Is it possible?

muahahahaha

Hi folks,

I will be starting a position in a department in Dublin soon, which requires me to be in the office at least three days a week. Currently, I live in Galway, but I’m finding it difficult to secure accommodation in Dublin.

I’m considering commuting daily from Galway to Dublin by train, but the idea of spending around five hours traveling each day seems overwhelming. Thinking to ask HR of the department to buy TaxSaver ticket for one year (sacrifice from my salary).

What do you think would be the best option in this situation? I’d appreciate any suggestions or advice!

z80CPU

Theoretically yes.

But

No quiet coach though unlike Dublin cork train.

The Dublin Galway train is noisier both directions with NUIG and Galway mayo it students, than Dublin Cork And trust me, been on Dublin Galway train in a carriage sitting at one end while at the other this auld wan speaks at the top of her voice on her phone.

zell12

Life is too short for that commute.

suvigirl

Could you Air B&B 2 nights in Dublin or a cheap B&B/guesthouse somewhere close?

Alkers

I have a colleague who does it one day per week. Can you get some credit time wise if you can work on the train.

If your home/ office are not near the stations id forget about it

ELM327

I would try negotiate to two days per week and just airbnb the night inbetween. EG do monday in office, stay in airbnb monday night, tuesday in office then head back home.

I wouldnt add 5 hours of train each day. That's madness.

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122925903#Comment_122925903

Ive tried doing the AirBnB thing for precisely that reason for the past year, but Dublin people dont seem to realise that AirBnB is meant to be the cheap option. I just did a quick search there. "Room in Dublin 24 - 82 euros a night".

The best value I have gotten was staying in Generator hostel.

But honestly, unless the money is terrific, I would advise to look for a different job.

ELM327

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122925962#Comment_122925962

A colleague of mine commuted here from the UK and did this, he said you can often negotiate heavy discounts for long term booking (EG book every monday for 6 months)

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122926001#Comment_122926001

I met a few AirBnB hosts, and once you have stayed with them once, assuming you dont make a mess, they are happy to give you a discount. That happened a couple of times, but any time there was a match or a concert, the prices do creep up.

muahahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122925962#Comment_122925962

It seems I may have made a mistake in deciding to leave my current job, which is fully remote except for one day a month in the office.

My primary motivation for seeking a position in the civil service was the wave of layoffs in the US tech companies in Ireland - and my current company has just cut 10% and I have almost 30 years mortgage to go. The civil service role offers less pay and no additional benefits in comparison with my current one - so definitely not for money for this role.

I’m set to officially leave my current role next month. Yesterday, I finally received the blended working policy and contract from the new employer. I had hoped to discuss this with my current manager, but HR has not provided their contact information.

What would happen if I refused the offer with new employer at this stage can we think?

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122926040#Comment_122926040

Oh sh1t. You've given you notice for the previous job? Any chance they might accept you back?

If you have just received the HR policy on remote work, your line manager might be more accommodating.

There is quite a lof of openings at the moment, and companies do seem more flexible than they used to be regarding remote work. Fingers crossed for you.

billyhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122925903#Comment_122925903

I know someone who does this commuting from Roscommon.

billyhead

The person from Roscommon works in the civil service so discuss the option of 2 days in the office and subsequently 1 nights stay with the line manager.

muahahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122926102#Comment_122926102

Yes, I have given notice a few days ago - just before I received working policy from new employer as my current manager wanted me to make decision for him to make my team plan. I think my manager will accept me as he spoke again yesterday about that but my feeling is not good if I stayed after giving leave notice - especially when all team members knew about that.

I think the best option for me would be to discuss with my later line manager to see if they could reduce to two days per week and I would stay 1 night in Air B&B.

muahahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122926176#Comment_122926176

I think it is not too bad right? Think, their line manager would also need to commute to Dublin?

SteM

No point in being in a job for life if the commute kills you. Good luck but your line manager may not be willing to negotiate a change in your terms until your probation is up.

Former Former Former

unfortunately moving to the public sector means line managers have less discretion on HR issues. If they relax the policy for you, they’ll have 20 people beating down their door looking for the same, especially if you’re fresh in the door.

Madeoface

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058383384/commuting-daily-from-galway-city-to-dublin-by-train-to-work-is-it-possible

In reality it'll be more than 6 hours commuting a day. Trip to and from each station etc.

I used to commute from Wicklow to Dublin and that almost broke me, and that's only one county out. It's only doable in a very short timeframe imo.

caviardreams

From your initial post, I thought it was just a short term thing as you planned to move to Dublin full time but just couldn't find accommodation at the moment. If that was the case, I think you could do it short term for a few months whilst finding accommodation as there would be an end in sight.

But you reference your mortgage, so you obviously don't have any plans to move to Dublin? Did you really take a job in Dublin whilst living in Galway with no intention to move? I'd really rethink that if I were you.

dory

This sounds like a tough slog. Looking at timetables - you'd have to get the 06.25 train, unless your office is within 10 mins of the train station. I do a similar commute. Thankfully it's only 2 days a week, and I travel to events a lot and those count as a working-in-office day. I also use flexi time and annual leave to take office days off occasionally. I've been late for work 3 times in the last month because of train problems. I'm lucky that I've an understanding line manager and I can work from the train when it breaks down.

It all will depend on your line manager and your department. 3 days is unfortunate. You'll probably be applying for mobility as soon as you can when the commute break you.

LambshankRedemption

If you get the CityLink Direct bus, it's 2.5 hours and in my experience is as comfortable as the train and is more reliable. It's motorway most of the way.
People will say you can't work on the bus, but in my experience, the amount of work you can do on the train is very limited. Plus there's still a few spots along the line with no mobile coverage.

I used to do 3 hours a day of commute and come Thursday I was knackered and sick of the sight of the Luas.

muahahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122926689#Comment_122926689

I’m considering renting a single room in Dublin and staying there just three days a week, from Tuesday to Thursday, to align with my office schedule. In the long term, I plan to move there permanently, but only after successfully completing my probation period and ensuring everything works out. If the Civil Service doesn’t suit me well, I’m open to returning to the private sector as now, as I’ve spent most of my career there since completing undergrad, which could work well in Galway.

rowantree18

May I ask where in Dublin is the office? Asking as might have solution.

granturismo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122928171#Comment_122928171

In a few years you could apply to transfer to a post in the west but it will be a few years.

muahahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122928215#Comment_122928215

Ah, my office is in Government Buildings at Upper Merrion Street.

readoutloud

Yes, in spite of what many people have said, you can do that commute.

You might get it down to two days a week quickly enough and,if you can prove you can work from the train, which loads of people do, you'll have a few hours on the train out of your work day.

Might not be super smooth at the start but you'll find your routine. Go for it.

(It would help to have a sound line manager)

dory

Just to note on working from train - it's against civil service rules to officially work from the train, so it's handy in terms of getting stuff done, but you can't log in and clock up hours. You'd still have to physically be in the building by 10am and until 4pm (unless you have a very sound line manager….).

muahahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122929938#Comment_122929938

Many thanks @dory , @readoutloud and everyone for your advices.

caviardreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122929938#Comment_122929938

Yeah, a whole world of GDPR, confidentiality, IT security issues there!

road_high

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122928171#Comment_122928171

on this, it’s going to be a very expensive option- what’s the typical going rate for a room in a shared house- €1000 per month in Dublin. Plus shared bills. Unless you can find a specific arrangement where you only rent for certain days off a landlord

LambshankRedemption

Unless you can find a specific arrangement where you only rent for certain days off a landlord

Which is extremely unlikely.

Older folk renting a room, monday to Friday called digs used to be common, now however, they have all gone to AirBnB. As someone else said, if they can book the same room from an AirBnb'er they might get a discount, but again, with the price of accomodation, many AirBnB hosts will just say "why have a complicated agreement with you, when I just leave the room up permanently and go with the normal process?"