Online Fare Changes from Monday 25 Feb

[Jamie2k9]

its a price increase by stealth and is a disgrace.

I don't think its a major issue as trains have a core customer base:
1 - Passengers who travel weekly on same train at same time and same day. (people who work in Dublin during the week)
2 - Passengers who go on weekends away. (plan few weeks in advance)
3 - Passengers who travel daily or certain days to Dublin on same train at same time.

This will only affect people who are not organized or have a last minute trip which is fair in my book.

It would be good to see stats for the Cork and Tralee lines to see if they have (A) lost passengers and (B) the peak Friday prices since it started in Feb.

[Mark Gleeson]

Price to Cork and Tralee went down in the change

[Jamie2k9]

I mean the 7 day changes so are passengers booking earlier, paying more or using other transport. Clearly it must of worked with the others following.

[Jamie2k9]

Notice peak Friday afternoon services accross the board now have higher fares. Can see why they have done it with them needing to close the gaps in finances but I don't think all these fare changes within weeks is the way to go.

Also on other days selected services are higher to. Example 10.15 and 13.15 to Waterford on Saturdays and 11.00 from Waterford everyday.

[Thomas Ralph]

Two words: Supply and demand.

[Jamie2k9]

http://www.irishrail.ie/cat_offers.jsp?i=4847

We know Cork people don't like leaving their beautiful county but Iarnród Éireann have made it a whole lot easier with the introduction of special return fares.

Adults can travel from Cork or Mallow to Dublin for €39 day return, while children can travel for €19.50 day return. These fares are available from the station after 09:00hrs on the day of travel.

Dublin has plenty to see and do with lots of shops, restaurants, museums and attractions, so why not treat yourself to a day out, you never know, you might even enjoy yourself.

Leave the hassle and stress of driving behind while you travel in comfort and style, customers can also avail of free wi-fi on board our services.

Offer ends Sunday 14th July 2013.

Private bus operates must of lead to this.

[Destructix]

They do this every summer. In 2011 it was only €35 return special. As for competition I see the GoBe a lot on the motorway and it's never that full. Last week on one service that passed me it only had 3-5 people on it. Aircoach the X8 it's all the same very few passengers. It might have stolen a few passengers from Iarnród Éireann but it's not like the trains are leaving Cork empty. Busy stops like Limerick Junction, Thurles, Portlaoise the numbers taking the train are increasing all the time.

[Inniskeen]

The buses mightn't be full, but there are a lot of them and they don't all have only 3-5 passengers.

And yes the trains are'nt empty leaving Cork but they don't have hundreds of passengers either. Would guess loadings out of Cork for Dublin would be somehere in the range of 500 to 900 per day.

[comcor]

The main impact of the coaches is for people going to Dublin Airport. It no longer makes sense to take the train to Heuston and connect when it takes another hour to get to the airport between waiting for the bus and the slightly odd route used by it.

Having actually used them occasionally, it seems not many people are using the buses to go to Dublin itself. Take 20 minutes off the train journey time and I doubt many would at all.

I'd be interested to see how they do as unlike Galway, Waterford, Wexford etc., there is a fairly significant time lag for Dublin-bound passengers relative to the train, while Cork Airport has 40+ direct destinations, reducing the demand for direct access to Dublin Airport.

[Jamie2k9]

9.99 fares back on selected Cork services.

http://www.irishrail.ie/999

[Eddie]

Originally Posted by Jamie2k9

9.99 fares back on selected Cork services.

http://www.irishrail.ie/999

Strangely, €9.99 fares available Dublin to / from Mallow and Cork, but same trains on shorter journeys to / from Thurles and Limerick Junction are not maxed out at the same fare.

[Colm Moore]

They don't have any real competition at LJ or Thurles.

[Roseanne]

Originally Posted by Eddie

Strangely, €9.99 fares available Dublin to / from Mallow and Cork, but same trains on shorter journeys to / from Thurles and Limerick Junction are not maxed out at the same fare.

I've just noticed that myself and that is odd. Would it be allowed to buy a ticket to Cork and then get off at Limerick? It is quite a steep price increase.

I am pleased the €9.99 Cork fare is back though.

[Thomas Ralph]

Originally Posted by Roseanne

I've just noticed that myself and that is odd. Would it be allowed to buy a ticket to Cork and then get off at Limerick? It is quite a steep price increase.

You would have no ticket between Thurles/Limerick Junction and Limerick, and it's also a violation of the byelaws to end your journey short of your destination where the fare for the intermediate journey is higher. You could be issued a penalty fare for €151.50 or prosecuted.

[Eddie]

Originally Posted by Thomas Ralph

You could be issued a penalty fare for €151.50 or prosecuted.

You could be, but if you get off / on at an unmanned intermediate station or if you change trains and hold a valid onward ticket for the next segment of your journey, I'd say the chances were slim to none.

You read in the UK of fines being imposed on those who get off early, but this is most likely to happen at busy mainline stations where there are ticket barriers and the passenger knows that their ticket won't work, and is therefore forced passed a ticket inspector.

In the past here in Ireland I don't think it's been an issue with on-line fares because there has always been this "max-ing" out on shorter journeys. As pointed out, it becomes a problem because the longer journey needs to compete with other forms of transport which are not necessary on the shorter journeys.