Moving to Dallas from London (Plano, McKinney: to rent, neighborhood, taxis) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

miss_jadey · 12-13-2011, 03:28 AM

I am a single lady moving to dallas in a couple of months from london in the UK. My job will be based in Plano however Im hearing that Plano is very family orientated and I might find it quite boring. Is this true? Also would I be better living downtown Dallas and commuting to Plano for work every day? Is it possible to commute from Uptown Dallas or is that too far?

kazyn · 12-13-2011, 05:52 AM

I commute from North Dallas (just below Plano) to Uptown every day, takes about 40-50 minutes by car via the tollway. Reverse commute would probably be easier/better though.

Plano is not a place I'd want to live if I wanted an active nightlife. Addison has several little casual hang-out kind of spots, but Uptown is where all the cool kids are these days

Willsson · 12-13-2011, 05:53 AM

Uptown to Plano would be about 15 to 20 miles, depending on origin and destination. During normal business rush hours the drive would be against usual rush hour traffic. From Uptown you would have easy access to the Dallas North Tollway or US75.

http://www.uptowndallas.net/

TurtleCreek80 · 12-13-2011, 06:24 AM

I drove from Uptown Dallas (a fun walkable neighborhood with lots of shops, restaurants, nightlife, and arts/ culture) to north Plano for 5 years. Took about 25 minutes AM and 30-35 minutes PM via the Tollroad. Tollroad costs about $5-6/day so figure that into your budget, but it is not a bad commute. If your job is on the east side of Plano (US 75), add about 5-10 minutes as 75 is a slower drive than the Tollroad.

miss_jadey · 12-13-2011, 07:04 AM

ahh thats good so i dont have to live in Plano after all! Obviously I would have to retake my driving test in the Us so will have to rely on public transport until I pass. Is that possible or would I need to drive?

miss_jadey · 12-13-2011, 07:19 AM

Also how is life in Dallas? hoping I like it I reckon its completely different to life in London

Willsson · 12-13-2011, 07:23 AM

DART.org - DART Rail System Map

DART.org - Fare and Pass Information

There's a DART Rail station in Uptown. On the linked map you'll see it on the Red Line as CityPlace. Check the map to see if there is a station near your workplace, or check the bus service for routes from a nearest rail station to your workplace. Plano is at the north end of the Red Line. Click on 'Downtown Plano' for additional info on that rail station. Dallas isn't really designed for mass transit, but being from London you'll understand the walking part, although 'walking' isn't really done in Dallas. The Bush Turnpike Station has a bus route for the Telecom corridor.

TxDPS - Apply for Driver License/ID card

Quote:

Requirements for All Applicants
All first time applicants for a Texas driver license must:

Apply in person at a Texas driver license office.
Present documents that verify your identity.
Present documents that verify you are a U.S. citizen or have lawful presence. All information on each document must match. Additional documentation may be required to verify conflicting information, incomplete names, and date of birth.

There's more at the link

Ultimately, you will need to drive.

TurtleCreek80 · 12-13-2011, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miss_jadey

ahh thats good so i dont have to live in Plano after all! Obviously I would have to retake my driving test in the Us so will have to rely on public transport until I pass. Is that possible or would I need to drive?

Depends on what side of Plano your job is. If it's on the Tollroad side (west Plano, including the corporations on Legacy Drive), there are no public transit options. If on the east (75) side, the DART rail train goes north to Parker Road, but not further north. From there, I'm not sure if there are many/any busses that go by office centers. Bottom line-> you're going to need to pass that driving test ASAP when you get here, or hire $50/each way taxis to get to and from work until you do.

MckinneyOwnr · 12-13-2011, 07:49 AM

I wouldn't necessarily rule Plano out just yet. While it doesn't have the number of bars and such that the Uptown area does, there are quite a few bars around the Tollway/Legacy area or Preston/121 that stay open til 2am, and several other bars/restaurants on the Frisco side of 121 as well.

If you'll be working in Plano, having a short easy commute is a great thing to have. My advice would be to find a place somewhere in southwest Plano, near the Tollway. That would give you easy access to Addison (even more bars and nightlife) and Plano shopping, restaurants, and your work.

Or, if a little bit of a commute is ok with you, then I'd suggest Addison. Are you looking to rent or buy?

kazyn · 12-13-2011, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

Depends on what side of Plano your job is. If it's on the Tollroad side (west Plano, including the corporations on Legacy Drive), there are no public transit options. If on the east (75) side, the DART rail train goes north to Parker Road, but not further north. From there, I'm not sure if there are many/any busses that go by office centers. Bottom line-> you're going to need to pass that driving test ASAP when you get here, or hire $50/each way taxis to get to and from work until you do.

If you're near DNT you can take the 210 bus from Jack Hatchell transit center to Addison transit center, then take 205 to Pearl @ McKinney or McKinnon @ Wolf - I do it every day