Infirmary Road to Samuel Beckett Bridge (Seeking Luas alternative)

Tusky

Hello transport enthuasitics.

I'm posting this on behalf of a family member who is at their wits end with the Red Line Luas. They have what should be one of the simplest commutes in Dublin City, from Infirmary Road to Samuel Beckett Bridge. It's 4.1km and is serviced by the tram.

The problem? The trams are often too packed to get on. Sometimes they have to let two or three pass before they can squeeze on. At least once a week, and sometimes more often, the tram is delayed and there is a 10/15/20/25 15-minute wait. This simple journey often takes over an hour to travel 4km. It could be walked in the same time.

The obvious alternative is to cycle, but this person has been knocked off their bike before and only feels safe on a properly segregated cycle lane. The Liffey Cycle Route is piecemeal, with multiple changes of road side combined with sharing the road with buses and other vehicles at points. They do not feel safe using it.

There's plenty of bus options on the Transit/G Maps apps but they all seem to involve a change. Does anyone travel a similar route and use something other than the Luas? Can you recommend a reliable route that would get them there in, say, 45 minutes or less? The O Orbital might be the solution, if it ever launches.

Thanks in advance.

The Mathematician

I am not familiar with the options, and I am sure that others will be along with suggestions, but I would say it could be walked in 45 minutes, and this might turn out to be the best option, bar cycling.

suvigirl

Its not a difficult walk in fairness. I know a guy walks from near Hueston station to just passed Connolly station. He said he flies along now and would miss the walks if he couldn't do it.

HeidiHeidi

They could walk across to Heuston and try getting the luas from there - I'd wager if they're trying to board at Museum, the majority of the crowds have got on at Heuston.

HeidiHeidi

There also appears to be a 60 bus that travels from Heuston to Sir John Rogerson's Quay

loyatemu

Google suggests the no. 60 bus but it's only once an hour (what is the point of that route which seems to duplicate the Red Line?)

Alternatively cycle, and just walk the bits you're not comfortable with. The new southside cycle lane between O'Connell Bridge and Talbot Bridge will be open shortly which connects to the existing south quays lane that goes all the way to the Beckett Bridge, so there's only a short section where you're mixing with traffic.

Tusky

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123050859#Comment_123050859

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123050913#Comment_123050913

It's an hour walk, so two hours a day in total. That would be my preferred option if I couldn't cycle, but they are not keen - particularly in this weather.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123050935#Comment_123050935

This is what they currently do - it's jammers before it even gets to Heuston. They have also tried leaving 30 mins earlier and later but it doesn't seem to make a huge difference.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123050962#Comment_123050962

I've tried to convince them to cycle it but they just don't feel safe due to mixing with traffic. This is why the Liffey Cycle Route has been a failure - it's current iteration doesn't feel safe for nervous cyclists.

LXFlyer

Any of the C1, C2, C3 and C4 and 52 will take them from Heuston Station on St. John's Road to Pearse Street (Macken Street) from where it's only a 6-7 minute walk.

Shouldn't take more than 30/35 mins including the walk.

The 60 goes from the same stop.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123050962#Comment_123050962

The 60 starts in Clondalkin and serves different parts of Ballyfermot to the G1/G2 - that's the point of it!

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123051053#Comment_123051053

C route/52/60 looks like a good solution indeed and with plenty of frequency.

That should hopefully solve the problem OP.

Tusky

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123051053#Comment_123051053

I will tell them to try this, thanks. It looks like a ten-minute walk at the beginning and the end, so once the journey+wait time is max 30 minutes it could be a better option than Luas.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123051212#Comment_123051212

I omitted the P29 (it’s a peak hour only route) - it will also bring them from that stop to Pearse Street.

scrabtom

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123051212#Comment_123051212

There's a C bus stopping at Heuston every couple of minutes at Heuston in the morning and there's always a fair few getting off there so there shouldn't be any bother with not being able to get on because the bus is full.

AndrewJRenko

This might be stating the obvious, but does she choose her position on the Luas platform to be in front of the opening doors? The trams generally stop at the same position. This makes a huge difference in getting onto crowded trams.

scrabtom

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123052863#Comment_123052863

On the Red Line going towards town the front of the tram is usually a fair bit less full than the back so trying to get on there could help a bit too.

Beta Ray Bill

The 60 is the only other option, however it too is jammed.

Says a hell of a lot about public transport in Dublin when it's often quicker to walk 4km than to use public transport.

If the Metro is ever built that Luas line will be under even more pressure with people transferring from the Airport to Heuston.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123055460#Comment_123055460

The C Spine plus walks at either end would still be roughly 15 mins faster than walking all the way - the improvements on the Quays help with that.

halfpastneverr

26 from Parkgate Street will leave them on Bachelors Walk or D'Olier Street only a short stroll up to the Beckett. The 145 from Heuston would do the same. The 69 from same stop as the 26 on Parkgate Street will leave them on Poolbeg Street either, but its only once an hour.

I commuted Heuston to town on Luas for 8 years til last October and you can always squeeze on a tram unless there has been an incident and a big gap between trams has occurred. Granted its not pleasant, but its still the quickest way of getting up town from there.

bikeman1

I tend to agree with having to crush on is the only way to get moving with the luas. I have done the odd "move into the tram please so we can get on" rant a few times! Not pleasant, but try any tram / train / metro system at peak hours around the world.

The C spine buses at the side of Heuston should be possible to board too as has been pointed out.

Also as a keen city cyclist, there is no shame in cycling along the sections one feels safe, then dismounting and walking across parts (out of the bike lane of course) that you don't. On a regular commute you get to "know" the dangerous spots and have even more heightened awareness.

The quays inbound are a lot safer than they used to be, so a Dublin Bike one way in the morning and then a luas back could work.

Tusky

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123058599#Comment_123058599

Metro systems generally have much higher capacity and frequency than the Luas. It is bursting at the seams.

On cycling and dismounting when they feel unsafe - they would be getting on and off the bike so often it would not be worth it. There are so many sections along the Liffey cycle route when there is no segregation at all. You are just cycling alongside buses and cars. There are lots of sections that only have small plastic wands.

This is why, in my opinion, the existing route is a failure. It will not encourage nervous cyclists to cycle to work. Would you allow a child to cycle the route, for example?