Commuting to DCU? We can help you!

From getting here, to figuring out where to have lunch to making friends, starting and commuting to University can throw things at you that you may not have dealt with before if you're from a smaller village or even things that feel amplified during a period of change! We want to make that process a little easier for you!

Located in the heart of Dublin 9, DCU's three academic campuses are all within walking distance to one another from Glasnevin to Drumcondra, so wherever you're primarily based for your course you can still enjoy the full facilities just a short walk from each other. But one question we're asked when we travel to schools and colleges is, "how accessible is DCU to me?"...we're here to break it down for you.

At a quick glance, all campuses are accessible via public transport from Dublin City Centre, Dublin Airport, and both the M50 and M1 motorways meaning wherever you are in Dublin, Leinster or further afield there's an accessible route for you.

DCU have a designated site that makes planning your journey to DCU easier, you can find all relevant information at dcu.ie/travel-to-dcu

Driving

We strongly recommend our commuters to use public transport and/or active travel where possible, but we do understand that driving may be your preferred method...especially for those who may be using their first car 🚗

For those of you that want to commute via car, each of our Campuses have limited parking for students...as long as you have your car registered with our Parking Permits. These are only €2 for the academic year allowing you to park in the designated zones on each campus. If you're joining us in September and plan on driving to campus we recommend registering your car before Orientation and familiarising yourself with the designated car parks per campus: dcu.ie/estates/car-parking-dcu

By Bus

DCU's public transport is primarily a bus based service, with services from Dublin Bus, Go Ahead, Bus Eireann and private buses. Student and Young Adult (19-23) rates are offered when using Leap Card on the majority of these services: valid operators include Dublin Bus, Go-Ahead Ireland, DART and Commuter Rail, Luas, Bus Éireann and Local Link, along with other commercial bus operators.

By Train

If you're commuting to our St Patrick's or All Hallows Campus, Drumcondra Train Station is just a 10-15 minute walk away. There are now direct train connections to Drumcondra from both Dublin Connolly and Dublin Heuston. Drumcondra Train Station is about a 30 minute walk away, but there are plenty of bus options available connecting the station to each of our campuses.

With all that said, I'm sure you'd rather hear from our actual students about what life is like commuting to DCU.

Recent Business Studies Graduate, Luisa, took a look back on her time as a South Side Dublin Commuter and shared her experience:

"Initially, the thought of commuting to DCU was daunting. I felt under pressure to drive and needed to be prepared to be in the car for a long time, but this ended up not being the case. My longest commute was about an hour of driving in really bad traffic, but this was rare. Luckily, I had a few friends I made in my course who lived nearby, so we all ended up carpooling. I loved this aspect as it allowed me to make a great group of friends who could keep me company in the car and also chip in for petrol! Driving to DCU ended up being a big help in terms of storage as well, I always had a spare jacket or water bottle in the car in case I forgot one at home! 

On days when I had plans to socialise after college, I would get the bus over to campus. This took a little bit longer than the car, typically an hour and a half, but it was a very painless journey. I got two buses over, but I had a huge selection of buses that could get to DCU. I would get off the first bus at Camden Street and get on the second bus at the exact same stop, no more than 5 minutes later! Getting the bus was great if I just wanted to disassociate, listen to music and look out the window. It was also great if I had a lot of assignments or work to do in general, it was a set time where I physically couldn't be anywhere else, so I always managed to get a good amount done."

Not only does DCU offer vital information to help you on your journey to our Campuses but when you get here our Office of Student Life have worked hard to ensure they can ease your journey too.

We know for some, especially those outside of Dublin, whether you're commuting from home or moving up closer but still taking additional transport to campus, commuting can be costly. Our Office of Student Life have a range of services that can help:

• Microwaves dotted around campus to heat your homemade lunches
• Showers are free to use in the Sports Centre before 9.45am Monday - Friday
• Free charging stations are available near the SU Helpdesk in the U on the Glasnevin Campus and in the Inter Faith Students’ Union (D112) on the St Patrick’s campus. You can lock the station and come back later to pick up your item.

The cost of living crisis is ongoing and another way that the Office of Student Life wants to support those that need it is through their Pantry Service. The Pantry is a free ticketed scheme, designed to help redistribute surplus food and reduce waste, not replace your weekly grocery shop. Each week the stock changes and assists students that may be struggling on campus. The Pantry also offers free breakfast daily in both our St Patricks and Glasnevin Campuses.

The Pantry doesn't only offer food, it is also stocked with free period products and free contraception.

You can find out more about what the Office of Student life do by visiting dcustudentlife.ie

Once you've nailed your route, availed of the microwaves and hot water you may be thinking, "that's made the logistics easier but how do I make friends if I'm not staying on campus?"

This can be a daunting part for many commuters, but there are so many opportunities throughout all your years at DCU to make lifelong friends but to ease you into your first year, OSL offers Peer Mentoring. This is a student led initiative that helps 1st years settle into their DCU life by linking them in with a friendly face. This person becomes your peer mentor whether you ask them 100 questions or just 1. It's a helpful avenue to avail of, as you learn about DCU from those who know it best and have lived many of the experiences you are about to. Peer Mentor groups usually have 15-20 students in them, giving you the perfect opportunity to socialise with people who are feeling the same way. This group will also organise 3-4 activities during the year to check in and have fun!

To learn more about what life is like at DCU right now you can reach out to our Student Ambassadors via Unibuddy and chat to them about any queries you may have before starting your commute!