Gorey - Athlone fare

[KSW]

I do apologize I do realize I'm posting on the wrong thread
I just wanted to ask how much is a weekly return ticket from Gorey to Athlone, Even a day return

Thank you..

[Thomas Ralph]

Nice new thread here for you. Day return is €67.80 but you are better off breaking it into day return Gorey to Connolly €17.30 Luas return €2.50 (smartcard fare) and day return Heuston to Athlone €22, totalling €41.70. It'll be more on Fridays and Sundays (€23.70 + €2.50 + €37.50 = €63.70), and that second set of fares applies to return on a different day within a month. The rail tickets can all be bought at ticket offices or vending machines on a turn up and go basis and are not tied to specific trains. Do bear in mind that you won't have a vast amount of time in Athlone on such a trip; according to Iarnród Éireann's journey planner your earliest arrival is at 1105 and last possible departure is 1510.

Not sure what you mean by a weekly return — do you mean out one day and back at some stage later that week (saver return) or unlimited journeys between the two points for a week (weekly season ticket)?

[KSW]

Originally Posted by Thomas Ralph

Nice new thread here for you. Day return is €67.80 but you are better off breaking it into day return Gorey to Connolly €17.30 Luas return €2.50 (smartcard fare) and day return Heuston to Athlone €22, totalling €41.70. It'll be more on Fridays and Sundays (€23.70 + €2.50 + €37.50 = €63.70), and that second set of fares applies to return on a different day within a month. The rail tickets can all be bought at ticket offices or vending machines on a turn up and go basis and are not tied to specific trains. Do bear in mind that you won't have a vast amount of time in Athlone on such a trip; according to Iarnród Éireann's journey planner your earliest arrival is at 1105 and last possible departure is 1510.

Not sure what you mean by a weekly return — do you mean out one day and back at some stage later that week (saver return) or unlimited journeys between the two points for a week (weekly season ticket)?

Thanks Thomas, Very expensive I must say.
By Weekly I do mean out one day and return Three/Four later in that same week

[Mark Gleeson]

Then you are stuck with the monthly fare option, i.e. the Friday/Sunday fare is valid 30 days on the return portion.

Online booking only works starting from Athlone and offers no discounts currently.

There is a revised fare structure due shortly which will address the issue of fares on journeys such as this which would make a it possible on a single ticket being the same or cheaper than a combination.

[comcor]

Why are 5-day returns not available? They are usually 10% or so cheaper than the monthly return option.

[Mark Gleeson]

5 day returns are not available beyond Dublin Cork/Limerick/Tralee routes

[comcor]

You have to love the transparency of the fare structure. I'd lay good money that it is that way because that's how it was in GSR days.

[Mark Gleeson]

If you go way back it was 1d per mile in 3rd

The current structure seems to date from about 1967-73

Bear in mind we have never had access to the actual fares manual, had Irish Rail leave it on the meeting room table just to tempt us a few times. We have the matrix but it doesn't actually tell you what the fares are...

[Thomas Ralph]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

5 day returns are not available beyond Dublin Cork/Limerick/Tralee routes

With a few odd exceptions (I've seen them issued Galway-Carlow and Cork-Little Island).

[Mark Gleeson]

If its a cross route journey the system defaults to the Cork fare matrix which has 5 day returns.