Heuston / Connolly Luas

Genghis

Over the last few days I notice that the frequency on the Red line Luas appears to have been upped significantly. On Monday morning I observed three trams arrive at Heuston and depart within a 5 minute period; on Tuesday evening I saw two trams coming from Connolly together - the second tram literally had to pull up and wait for the first to clear the platform.

Then this morning I saw for the first time an empty tram sitting in the middle platform - i.e. originating at Heuston and going to Connolly. However, I don't think they have it worked out too well, just yet.

The stationary tram filled up fairly quickly but didn't move. After 5 minutes or so, a Tallaght tram pulls in. This tram is more than half full. Cue mass exodus from stationary tram to Tallaght tram leading to the usual overcrowding, etc. I am not sure what / if the stationary tram has an actual timetable, but it really should have departed ahead of the arriving tram.

Winters

Was there a driver in the stationary tram?

enterprise

There must have been otherwise the doors would not have been open!!

If the LUAS shorts do operate to a timetable (and I assume they do) they gotta wait there turn.

Would have been funny to see the mass exodus however!

Victor

It gets really interesting when there's two inbound trams on the same track at Harcourt or 5 trams at St. Stephen's Green (I think in theory you could have 7, if there were 2 out of service in the overshoot section).

mean mr mustard

I've never been on the Red Line but due to a house move in the next few months it looks like I will be quite a bit.

Can anyone tell me average journey times from Heuston to Connolly?
I will probably be doing this journey sometime between 7:30 and 8am, and was hoping it would only be 10 minutes or so, is that wishful thinking??

MaceFace

It depends why you want to go to Connolly. If you are connecting to the Dart, you should get off at Abbey Street and walk to Tara Street.
Heuston to Abbey Street normally takes 10 mins. Bad days, and there are not that many, it can take 12. Of course, once in a very blue moon, the LUAS may not be running due to an accident, but you can get the 90 bus in that case.

mean mr mustard

Thanks for the advice, I was thinking of making it to Connolly to get the Dart down to Grand Canal Dock (I currently work on Baggot St), but walking from Abbey St probably makes more sense.

Does it take way longer to get from Abbey St to Connolly Station on the LUAS or something?

I ain't looking forward to getting from Heuston to Baggot St, gotta figure out how to do it.

Traffic

Why not get off at Abbey St and get the 10.

murphaph

Traffic wrote:

Why not get off at Abbey St and get the 10.

I'm assuming he's arriving into Heuston on I.E. If so 10 he'd need a ticket for B.A.C./Luas/I.E. I'm open to correction but said season ticket doesn't exist AFAIK. He might be better off on that 92 to Stephen's Green then just walk or catch another bus to work. Just an idea, might be way off.

mean mr mustard

..I'll be arriving into Heuston by train from Celbridge.
Bus from Heuston to Baggot St, or from Abbey St to Baggot, is an option but I thought LUAS or Dart would be quicker.. perhaps not.

Not sure how much this is going to cost me but I presumed I could buy a commuter ticket which would allow me to travel from Celbridge and use bus/luas/dart in Dublin. But it wouldnt surprise me if I can't do that.

AndrewMc

mean mr mustard wrote:

..I'll be arriving into Heuston by train from Celbridge.
Bus from Heuston to Baggot St, or from Abbey St to Baggot, is an option but I thought LUAS or Dart would be quicker.. perhaps not.

Not sure how much this is going to cost me but I presumed I could buy a commuter ticket which would allow me to travel from Celbridge and use bus/luas/dart in Dublin. But it wouldnt surprise me if I can't do that.

Options I'd consider:

• Depending on fitness and how far down Baggot Street you are, you can walk from Heuston to St. Stephen's Green in about 25-30 minutes. The 92 is only a little faster, and you'll probably be standing anyway. On the return journey in the evening the traffic can be terrible (took over 45 minutes and missed my train doing that one day), but walking is reliable.
• If you're arriving closer to 8am, the 25X, 67X etc that pass the side door go all the way down Baggot Street.
• The 67X and CL1 go all the way from Celbridge to Baggot Street. Times may/may not suit, but there's no changes involved.

BattlingCheese

Just a FYI
I live in Celbridge and get the 67X leaving Main street 7:20. I arrive into work (just off Baggot Street) at around 8:30 give or take 10mins.

John R

mean mr mustard wrote:

..I'll be arriving into Heuston by train from Celbridge.
Bus from Heuston to Baggot St, or from Abbey St to Baggot, is an option but I thought LUAS or Dart would be quicker.. perhaps not.

Not sure how much this is going to cost me but I presumed I could buy a commuter ticket which would allow me to travel from Celbridge and use bus/luas/dart in Dublin. But it wouldnt surprise me if I can't do that.

Grand Canal Dock to Baggot St. is not much shorter a walk than O'Connell Bridge to Baggot Street. It makes no sense to get the LUAS all the way to Connolly to transfer to the Dart for that journey.

Either the direct buses that Andrew mentioned. Or if you get the train to Heuston, then get the 92 to Stephens green and walk down Baggot St. or 90 to O'Connell St. and 10 to Baggot Street.

In the evening there are a number of 25X and 66X buses from Baggot Street that go past Heuston.

John R

BattlingCheese wrote:

Just a FYI
I live in Celbridge and get the 67X leaving Main street 7:20. I arrive into work (just off Baggot Street) at around 8:30 give or take 10mins.

Presumably that is the 7.15 from the terminus, there is also a 7.30 and 7.45 departure that all go down Baggot Street.

murphaph

Seems like the 67X is a fairly clear winner (depending on were you are in Celbridge). Post interconnector of course things could all be so different.....0 changes from Hazelhatch to Stephen's Green. Lovely.

Bogger77

The number 92 goes down as far as Pembroke St.

Metrobest

mean mr mustard wrote:

I ain't looking forward to getting from Heuston to Baggot St, gotta figure out how to do it.

You've overlooked the humble bicycle and the benefits it would bring you. Park your bike at Heuston every day, cycle up the Quays, right at Capel Street bridge, left down Dame Street, up George's Street, left into Stephen's Green.. Much quicker than it sounds.. You'll beat the traffic and be there in about 12 minutes.

Not only will this be a reliable option for you, you'll keep yourself fit, and you'll appreciate the enter the workplace refreshed and stress-free. Use the money you've saved on bus/tram tickets for a holiday, or why don't you treat yourself to a taxi when it's rainy?

murphaph

Metrobest wrote:

You've overlooked the humble bicycle and the benefits it would bring you. Park your bike at Heuston every day, cycle up the Quays, right at Capel Street bridge, left down Dame Street, up George's Street, left into Stephen's Green.. Much quicker than it sounds.. You'll beat the traffic and be there in about 12 minutes.

Not only will this be a reliable option for you, you'll keep yourself fit, and you'll appreciate the enter the workplace refreshed and stress-free. Use the money you've saved on bus/tram tickets for a holiday, or why don't you treat yourself to a taxi when it's rainy?

150 days a year then (source:Met Eireann). Ah I cycle to work myself and it's grand when it's dry but miserable in the rain, even with full waterproofs. It's not an option a lot of folks will opt for and our dreadfully poor network of cycle lanes (red paint) does little to encourage them. If you do leave a bike at Heuston, make sure it's worthless!

mean mr mustard

Could be an option, but that would mean havin two bikes on the go, one for cycling to Hazelhatch in Celbridge to get on the train there. The other to get me from Heuston to work. And I'm not so sure about those collaps-able, fold-up bikes, before someone suggests it.

Thanks for the help and suggestions for my commute.

My workplace will be switching from Baggot St to nearer the city centre by the end of the year, so I reckon then I'll be doing Hazelhatch -> Heuston -> LUAS to Abbey St, followed by a hopefully quick walk to my new office.

Iób

It's not an option a lot of folks will opt for

Judging by the number of bikes parked at heuston it is an option a lot of folks are opting for already. I think that if I had a choice between leaving a bike at Heuston or cramming onto a tram or bus, I would cycle.

Rain? It might rain on 150 days out of 365 but it doesn't rain all day on most of those 150 days. Dublin is quite dry. Drier than most Dutch cities full of bikes. Apparently in Dublin your statistical likelihood of getting rained on cycling to work is 11 days a year. Still often enough to make it worthwhile getting the raingear.

Folding bikes? A friend of mine has a Brompton. It is great. I think I will soon follow his example.

Victor

You could cycle along the canal for much of the disance.

then you'd be fit.

enterprise

mean mr mustard wrote:

I ain't looking forward to getting from Heuston to Baggot St, gotta figure out how to do it.

Dublin Bus route 92 operates every 20 mins from Heuston - St. Stephens Green via Baggot Street.

Check out for http://www.dublinbus.ie/your_journey/viewer.asp?route=92 for further details.

Metrobest

I&#243 wrote: »

Judging by the number of bikes parked at heuston it is an option a lot of folks are opting for already. I think that if I had a choice between leaving a bike at Heuston or cramming onto a tram or bus, I would cycle.

Rain? It might rain on 150 days out of 365 but it doesn't rain all day on most of those 150 days. Dublin is quite dry. Drier than most Dutch cities full of bikes. Apparently in Dublin your statistical likelihood of getting rained on cycling to work is 11 days a year

Yes. My personal experience is that Holland is the rainiest. Yet people still cycle. In Dublin it may rain at some point during the day, but the chances of being hit by rain on a regular basis are much lower than the myth would suggest. Irish people love to moan and groan about the weather, but most European countries are quite rainy. Especially Paris. That's soakin'!

BTW, does anyone know where the bike racks are in Heuston? There were no signs for the bike facility last time I cycled there so I just locked my bike to the front railing near the taxi rank. Nobody stole it.

Victor

Metrobest wrote:

BTW, does anyone know where the bike racks are in Heuston? There were no signs for the bike facility last time I cycled there so I just locked my bike to the front railing near the taxi rank. Nobody stole it.

Near platform 8 and the car park. Fenced and security cameras.

Genghis

I leave my bike at Heuston, follow the signs for the car park to find the bike shed. I would not have any major concerns about leaving my bike at Heuston - it is safer there than on any street, imho. Cycling is great, 100% reliable, safe so long as you keep your head about you, and I would say that the 11 day per year statistic is about right for getting soaked by cycling.

jman0

Genghis wrote:

I leave my bike at Heuston, follow the signs for the car park to find the bike shed. I would not have any major concerns about leaving my bike at Heuston - it is safer there than on any street, imho. Cycling is great, 100% reliable, safe so long as you keep your head about you, and I would say that the 11 day per year statistic is about right for getting soaked by cycling.

(Reviving an old thread)

I've never seen this bike shed but do you think it's dodgy to leave yer bike locked up in it for the weekend?
Or maybe that's not even allowed.

Victor

jman0 wrote:

I've never seen this bike shed but do you think it's dodgy to leave yer bike locked up in it for the weekend?

"Fenced and security cameras." Parts are also covered.

jman0 wrote:

Or maybe that's not even allowed.

Its allowed.