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Time economical Maynooth/ Kilcock - City Commute

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  • 14-06-2019 2:57pm
    #1
    supersaint3
    Registered Users Posts: 280 ✭✭


    Hi Folks,

    I am shortly taking up a post near D'Olier Street in the City and I'm weighing up options around how to commute in the quickest time.

    I'll be starting at 9am, finishing at 5...

    I live around 10-15 minutes drive outside either Kilcock or Maynooth and so I was thinking about driving to either of those towns and getting the train to Connolly or Tara, probably Maynooth because I think there is a big difference in train prices between K and M?

    Is anyone doing this commute? Is the train or 66 bus quicker? What train/ bus time do people recommend leaving Maynooth at?

    I'm thinking about parking at a friends house in Straffan Wood in Maynooth and walking to bus/ train.

    I'm used to a one hour commute by car in my current place, leaving work at 5, getting home at 6 - I know this will take longer!

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

    Regards


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    #2
    Jem72
    Registered Users Posts: 167 ✭✭Jem72


    There is no longer any difference in price between Kilcock and Maynooth as they added Kilcock to the Short Hop zone. However, there is a big difference in service level. Kilcock only has three services at rush hour and the last evening train leaves Connolly at 1915.

    I don't know anything about buses from Maynooth as I used to commute from much further out the line but the train from Maynooth to Connolly takes between 30 and 50 minutes depending on the service. The timetable will tell you which services suit.

    Also, if you're on a TaxSaver, Irish Rail usually run an offer from October to December where you can buy a year's station parking for around 200 euro so if you're willing to spend that, you'll save a few minutes walking.


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    #3
    supersaint3
    Registered Users Posts: 280 ✭✭supersaint3


    Jem72 wrote: »
    There is no longer any difference in price between Kilcock and Maynooth as they added Kilcock to the Short Hop zone. However, there is a big difference in service level. Kilcock only has three services at rush hour and the last evening train leaves Connolly at 1915.

    I don't know anything about buses from Maynooth as I used to commute from much further out the line but the train from Maynooth to Connolly takes between 30 and 50 minutes depending on the service. The timetable will tell you which services suit.

    Also, if you're on a TaxSaver, Irish Rail usually run an offer from October to December where you can buy a year's station parking for around 200 euro so if you're willing to spend that, you'll save a few minutes walking.

    Thanks Jem! That's great to know 're parking, I'll be definitely getting a tax saver! Appreciate the response!


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    #4
    sharper
    Registered Users Posts: 1,216 ✭✭✭sharper


    supersaint3 wrote: »
    Is anyone doing this commute? Is the train or 66 bus quicker? What train/ bus time do people recommend leaving Maynooth at?

    The train is always quicker to get where it's going. The 07:55 train from Maynooth should bring you to Tara Street for 8:47.

    If you get the bus then you want the 66x as it bypasses Lucan and Chapelizod. Unlike the train timetable though the Dublin Bus timetable is a total work of fiction. It lists the 66x as taking an hour to get to UCD which was presumably timed at 4am with no passengers because it takes that long to get to Heuston station most days.

    On the return leg if you get the 66x then you want the services that depart from Westmoreland Street at 17:00 and 17:20. When the colleges are open the others are often full before hitting the city centre. You can expect a 17:00 66x to start queuing in Maynooth traffic around 6pm so depending on where you're parking it might be longer than an hour.


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    #5
    thelad95
    Registered Users Posts: 7,812 ✭✭✭thelad95


    Parking in the Maynooth train station can be difficult to get and people who have already paid annual or monthly fees for it are not guaranteed a space. You could park in any of the housing estates near the train station (these are public roads and you’re entitled to park on them but residents can get cranky when they see this happen regularly so can be a good idea to suss out a few ‘spots’ and vary between them) and walk the five-ten minutes to the station would be the most economical way but you do have to put up with the stress of sussing out parking in a housing estate and walking to make your train. The 66/67X can vary wildly in terms of what the travel time to town is depending on whether schools/colleges are in term/the weather/accident or breakdown on the route somewhere. The train is the method of choice for the majority of commuters in Maynooth, way less likelihood for something to go wrong.


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    #6
    cdaly_
    Registered Users Posts: 6,440 ✭✭✭cdaly_


    How about cycling to either train station? A bit of free exercise at both ends of the day, no parking issues and no tailbacks.


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    #7
    supersaint3
    Registered Users Posts: 280 ✭✭supersaint3


    Thanks all, its the train for me so...

    The cycling idea I mean of course I want to say it has merit but it's a 10k cycle morning and evening and then you've gotta carry extra gear, take on a weathers... get into work earlier and have a shower etc. If I'm honest I know I'd never do it :/ im a lazy git i know... Thanks again l, I'll see ye on the train!


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    #8
    cdaly_
    Registered Users Posts: 6,440 ✭✭✭cdaly_


    supersaint3 wrote: »
    Thanks all, its the train for me so...

    The cycling idea I mean of course I want to say it has merit but it's a 10k cycle morning and evening and then you've gotta carry extra gear, take on a weathers... get into work earlier and have a shower etc. If I'm honest I know I'd never do it :/ im a lazy git i know... Thanks again l, I'll see ye on the train!
    As a matter of interest, how much time do you spend in the gym or on exercise? How much time getting to and from the gym? 10k each way on the bike gets you an hour of free exercise every day. Worth considering an e-bike which means you can get to the train without getting sweaty. Weather wise, it's only occasionally that you get rained on and, even then, it's rarely heavy enough to be an issue.


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