1 hour commute to work

Kellym65 · 28-03-2019 3:41pm #1

Hi all, my commute to work was 13mins. Its now going to be an 1 hour and 5 mins. I am worried about the distance. Has anyone here travelled a long distance to and from work and how did it pan out for them? Is it maneagable ? Thanks in advance

o1s1n · 28-03-2019 3:45pm

An hour is manageable. Once you start hitting 1.5 hours and beyond is when it really starts getting to you.

Seth Brundle · 28-03-2019 3:47pm

For me, I don't think the time is the main factor but the type of travel (if your commute will be about an hour).
If most of your commute is on the M50 then it could be quite stressful whereas driving straight from Lucan to work in Athlone would take as long but be less stressful.

Ardennes1944 · 28-03-2019 3:47pm

I have done 50 minutes each way for the past 5 years on public transport, its only the last few months it has been really annoying me so will start to do something about it soon.

Wishbone Ash · 28-03-2019 3:49pm

We have staff travelling to north Dublin from Waterford, Wexford, Sligo, Tipperary, Laois, Offaly, Cavan, Monaghan, Tyrone and it doesn't seem to be a problem for them. I'd say 1 hour is very manageable.

_Brian · 28-03-2019 3:51pm

I did hour fifteen minutes each way for 13 years.

It’s an awful chunk of life lost

Kepler21 · 28-03-2019 3:51pm

It will take a while to get used to it, coming from 13 mins.
Its the reliability of the commute time as well. If you're on public transport and you can read etc. then you can make use of the travel time. if you're in a car that might get stuck and sometimes it might be a two hour commute, then its a bigger problem.

Canyon86 · 28-03-2019 3:52pm

I have done 1hour 30 each way for the last 2 years,
it does wear you down,
you feel like all you do is drive

Perhaps explore the option of working from home 1 day a week, if this is an option in your job

Come friday im extremely tired from driving alone

theteal · 28-03-2019 3:53pm

Depends how you're travelling, OP.

My old job was 55-60mins.
10 walk to station.
35-40min train.
10 walk to office.
That was ok but quite a lot of time spent just getting to and from work, at least I got quite a bit done on the train.

Would I spend 2 hours per days stuck in a car? Not a chance.

Krombopulos Michael · 28-03-2019 3:55pm

i use to drive 1hr 20 mins, but part of that was the M50 at rush hour and honestly, that was a nightmare.

I changed job, and now I drive 50mins to work on good roads, with no M50 and honestly, its a breeze.

facehugger99 · 28-03-2019 3:59pm

I used to do 1.5hrs each way through gridlocked streets - I now have about 15 minutes commute through the countryside.

If I was offered a pay rise of €30k to go back to the longer commute, I'd turn it down.

I'd say an hour is just about manageable.

Ray Bloody Purchase · 28-03-2019 4:03pm

Are you driving, cycling or using public transport? I used to drive 1hr 20 min each way to work.

Subscribe to a few good podcasts and listen to them as you drive.

sharper · 28-03-2019 4:03pm

Pretty much what the others said.

I commute from Maynooth to Dublin city centre via bus. Going back two years it was about 50 minutes each way and it flowed freely except at Liffey Valley and along the quays.

Now it's about 1:20 in the morning and an hour in the evening. All of that is because three massive choke points have developed at the Intel campus, leixlip connection onto the N4 and liffey valley is now a total nightmare with the m50 backing up into it.

Sitting in traffic is quite stressful and frustrating.

James Bond Junior · 28-03-2019 4:06pm

I do 45 mins each way. That's driving and no traffic. I find the hardest part is the cost. Not just fuel but tyres, extra servicing and also the high mileage accelerating depreciation.

On the plus side I use it to make phone calls to family and listen to audio books.

dogmatix · 28-03-2019 4:18pm

An hour is endurable, but it depends on the driving conditions (i.e. - is it an hour of barely moving traffic, stop-start, wa*kers cutting out of a lane on the hard shoulder and then trying to mooch their way in 10 cars up the queue etc, or is it an hour on a country road with a 60kmh limit but free flowing traffic). If I take the M50/N11 I can expect to be sitting in slow moving traffic for at least an hour. Or I can take the mountain route via Enniskerry, Roundwood etc… Both routes are roughly the same distance, both take the much the same time but the second route means driving through beautiful countryside plus I’m constantly moving and not stopping and starting and such.

But on a good day, the M50/N11 route can be done in 35-40 minutes.

So I’d start planning your route – find which is normally the fastest and is there a slower but less congested alternative for when the “fast” route is clogged up.

Also be checking on traffic updates before the start of each journey and start getting into the world of audiobooks (they are a sanity saver on long commutes).

Hurrache · 28-03-2019 4:21pm

To be honest an hour commute is not long, it's probably average for Dublin. However if it's an hour constantly doing say 120kph on a motorway it's a bit different.

What kind of commute?

punisher5112 · 28-03-2019 4:23pm

My commute is around an hour and then I'm driving all day in work so it's actually a break from the madness where I can have my own time and music etc.
Mainly motorway, dual carriageway.

I drive to and from work and don't think I would be able to train it or bus it to be honest only occasionally.

salmocab · 28-03-2019 4:28pm

What is that hour doing? If it includes getting to bus stop getting bus or even a train or Luas then a stroll to the office it would be fine. If it’s an hour driving on not too busy roads that won’t have too much variation time wise then it’s probably manageable, if it’s an hour on the m50 or other busy routes into the cities it could quickly be a nightmare.

devlinio · 28-03-2019 4:48pm

I'm on the job hunt atm.

I got a job last June. It was in the city centre, and it was an ideal commute for me time wise. I took the Dart to work so my commute from My house to work was 45 minutes. That was pretty nice.

We then moved the office to south Dublin, and my commute doubled as I had to wait and take a bus to work. So I was travelling for 1.5 hours each way. It was killing me, and I, fortunately, was let go. This is due to a slump in business.

I will never do this commute again. <1 hour is ideal.

Paul_Mc1988 · 28-03-2019 5:06pm

sharper wrote:

I commute from Maynooth to Dublin city centre via bus. Going back two years it was about 50 minutes each way and it flowed freely except at Liffey Valley and along the quays.

sharper wrote:

Now it's about 1:20 in the morning and an hour in the evening. All of that is because three massive choke points have developed at the Intel campus, leixlip connection onto the N4 and liffey valley is now a total nightmare with the m50 backing up into it.

I do that in 50 mins on the push bike and get the added health benefits. Might be an option to look at

sharper · 28-03-2019 5:12pm

Paul_Mc1988 wrote: »

I do that in 50 mins on the push bike and get the added health benefits. Might be an option to look at

I have been considering it and if there was a segregated cycle route the whole way I'd definitely do it even if it took longer because it would definitely be less stressful.

Cycling along the N4 mixing in with busses and cars trying to merge is really not appealing to me.

is_that_so · 28-03-2019 5:26pm

Used to combine driving and public transport. If 1-1.30 is the worst possible journey time then it's doable. Music for me is key and not the inane yammering of early morning DJs. A streaming app is your best friend. Music on the phone will do as well.

dusty bin · 28-03-2019 5:35pm

Used to take 1.5 hours minimum in the morning and nearly 2 hours on way home for over 10 years. Near the end, i was suffering from depression due to it. Had a young family and it destroyed me thinking I was missing out on their lives, ie, it was nearly bed time when i got home.

Ended up moving to a job, 20 minutes walk from door to office. As someone else has said, I'd turn down an extra 30k salary to move back.

Idbatterim · 28-03-2019 5:36pm

James Bond Junior wrote: »

I do 45 mins each way. That's driving and no traffic. I find the hardest part is the cost. Not just fuel but tyres, extra servicing and also the high mileage accelerating depreciation.

On the plus side I use it to make phone calls to family and listen to audio books.

If I had too do that kind of distance, the time would be bad enough. Id be doing it in electric if at all possible, at least you arent then also being done on cost!

RayCun · 28-03-2019 5:38pm

an hour of walking/running/cycling/public transport would be fine - exercise and/or reading

an hour sitting in a car? no thanks

Mimojo · 28-03-2019 5:41pm

Agree with other posters, depends on the commute

I previously did 15 mins each way, then moved job to commute into Dublin City Centre from Kildare. It was about 1-1.15 hours each way (drive) & then a short cycle to the office. If there was an accident on the M50 that caused maybe delays, and to be honest I found the commute really stressful and energy zapping, and after 6 months decided to move jobs again, the main reason being that commute. Being stuck in traffic & being stressed if you are 5 minutes late leaving the house as it will lead to you being really late for work is very stressful & really got to me. Also when I left the office at 5.30 in the evening I knew it would be almost 7pm when I arrived home & that really started to wear me down. By Friday I was absolutely wrecked.

I moved last year and now commute 50 mins-1 hr each way, mainly motorway into Limerick City. There is rarely any major delays & its a pretty straightforward drive and I find it grand. Even though its a similar time, there is a lot less traffic and I can more or less rely on how long it will take me to get there. I listen to a lot of audio books and podcasts and that certainly helps.

I will say that after 15 months of this commute I am starting to get a bit sick of it, well not the commute itself, but if I have to drive long distance at the weekend I find I don't look forward to it, so do take that into consideration too. Sometimes you feel like you are never out of the car so that can be a bit draining

coolperson05 · 28-03-2019 5:53pm

Hi All,
OP I think an hour is becoming pretty standard in Dublin and the other cities around - but it's can be about personal opinion when it comes to what is too long on what mode of transport. I'm interested reading your replies, and would value your feedback on journey mode. my commute is between 50min-1 hr depending on the day of the week. I drive at the moment, and as others mentioned, it's becoming more stressful and the time is lengthening each month. Would a 70 min single bus journey be worth swapping? Or there's the 20 min walk-30 min train-20minute walk option? I'm just wondering what affects people's decision making in the car vs PT option?

LithiumKid1976 · 28-03-2019 5:56pm

i drive one hour each way, 5 days aweek, im on backroads so its not to bad. anything over an hour is a slog though.

Dawido · 28-03-2019 5:58pm

I travel 3,4 or 5 hours per day depends on the traffic and stuff. It is manageable if you think of the long term and look at your current circumstances.

Mumm_ra · 28-03-2019 6:01pm

Have done an hour for the last 23 years now moved and doing an hour and 15 mins.

Always done public transport- it’s grand - either sleep, watch Netflix or read/study. I’m on bus eireann now which is a lot more comfortable than Dublin bus.

I couldn’t drive in city everyday but bus is fine

That said it you add up the time on buses it’s about 1.5 years solid on the bus.

TheShow · 28-03-2019 6:02pm

Netflix works great on the commute of you are using public transport.

1 hour commute to work

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