Car

Driving is the fastest way to get from Mullingar to Dublin, but you have to contend with suburban traffic and the expense of parking. A car is more flexible than public transport, but the strain of such a long daily trek could be considerable. There are roadworks for several miles on the way to Kinnegad and traffic is slow just now. Galway-bound travellers bypass Kinnegad, so this famous bottleneck is now virtually traffic-free. Getting through Enfield is frustrating and it's a slow crawl from the city outskirts to O'Connell Street. Around an hour and a half is the average rush-hour drive time, but it could be more.

Train

On the day I tried it, 30 people boarded the 6.40 a.m. train in Mullingar bound for the city and a day's work. The train was cold but no one could have expected frost so early in the season. No excuse for the windows, which were so grimy it was almost impossible to see out and the floor looked as if it hadn't seen a mop for some time. Everyone slept. About eight people got on at Enfield, another half dozen at Kilcock and we arrived at Maynooth at 7.30. From here on, the train stopped at every small station the whole way to town and it was standing room only by the time we arrived at Connolly Station at 8.25 a.m. Almost two hour journey. Cutting out the suburban stops would have shaved at least half an hour off it.

Bus

The 5.30 p.m. left Busarus bang on time. First stop was Aston Quay, where many get the bus. A quick drive out of the city thanks to the bus lanes. Time was lost at Maynooth when traffic slowed to a crawl and the bus emptied out at Kilcock. Traffic in Enfield was light and we bowled into Mullingar at 7.40 p.m. Just over two hours journey time. There are plenty of buses at convenient times and travelling time is not much more than the train journey. The buses are clean and comfortable and cost less. Definitely the best option.