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Unread 19-04-2010, 12:57   #81
Eddie
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Originally Posted by robdrysdale View Post
The train from Holyhead to London now has to be booked in Holyhead. Big queues. You'll get on on eventually just probably not the one soon after you arrive.
Are you saying you have to buy separate train tickets from Holyhead? I'd say a walk-on fare is about £80 Holyhead to London without Rail Sail. And another £30 for the ferry.

The ferry and train companies have captive audience to demonstrate the advantages of their service all year round, not short term profiteering.
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Unread 19-04-2010, 14:03   #82
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Walk-up single from Holyhead to London or v/v is £127 for peak time (which appears to be trains arriving in London before 10am) and £75.80 otherwise. Off-peak return is £76.80. There are advance fares as low as £12 single on sale at the moment for travel tomorrow, although some of the timings are pretty grim.

Anyone under 26 should consider getting themselves a 16-25 Railcard (issued on the spot at any staffed station on production of proof of age and a passport photo, and filling in a form which the station has). It's valid for a year and its 34% discount will get you back the price of the card if you spend over £76.50.

Last edited by Thomas Ralph : 19-04-2010 at 14:09.
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Unread 19-04-2010, 14:08   #83
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Are you saying you have to buy separate train tickets from Holyhead? I'd say a walk-on fare is about £80 Holyhead to London without Rail Sail. And another £30 for the ferry.

The ferry and train companies have captive audience to demonstrate the advantages of their service all year round, not short term profiteering.

That's what was going on in Holyhead yesterday, yes.
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Unread 19-04-2010, 14:14   #84
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why holyhead though?

Can you get them at dublin port or british rail station?
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Unread 19-04-2010, 14:17   #85
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With creative ticketing it can be cheaper again, since the UK allows you to travel on multiple tickets for the one journey.
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Unread 19-04-2010, 14:18   #86
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why holyhead though?

Can you get them at dublin port or british rail station?
You cannot get British rail tickets at Dublin Port.

You can get them at British rail stations, for example Holyhead station.
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Unread 19-04-2010, 14:43   #87
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You cannot get British rail tickets at Dublin Port.

You can get them at British rail stations, for example Holyhead station.
But irish rail have been telling people to get their tickets down the port.
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Unread 19-04-2010, 15:12   #88
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But irish rail have been telling people to get their tickets down the port.
They mean sailrail (combined sail and rail ticket) but that's a special or discount ticket. Ferry companies are not selling specials due to current overloaded demand. sailrail is suspended to my knowledge. Hence you buy a ferry ticket, likely on standby, as ferries are fully booked. If you get on and when you get to other side you buy a rail ticket at ticket booth in Holyhead Ferry Terminal. You can't get on the train without a booked ticket. Even with sailirail you used to have to exchange voucher for a booked/reserved ticket on other side. At least that's what I had to do last year.

If you think you can do better then go and try. I've simply relayed my experiences in trying to get my wife home and what I had to do.
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Unread 19-04-2010, 16:12   #89
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Rang Irish Ferries and they are not selling Sail and Rail tickets at the moment. I am led to believe that sales of these tickets have been suspended from UK rail stations too.
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Unread 19-04-2010, 19:09   #90
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Quote:
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The ferry and train companies have captive audience to demonstrate the advantages of their service all year round, not short term profiteering.
Let's be clear - the ferry companies are profiteering. The UK train companies might be profiteering. But I doubt IE is making much when it's running empty trains to Rosslare and back while delaying their normal schedule.

Dempsey should be on the phone with Lord Adonis figuring out how to bang heads together between the ferry and train companies on both sides of the Irish Sea - it's got to be easier than sending half of what little is left of the Royal Navy to the continent to pick folk up from there.
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Unread 19-04-2010, 21:06   #91
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The UK train operating companies probably aren't profiteering, insofar as it's not their fault if a vastly inflated number of people come up and buy walk-up tickets from London to Fishguard Harbour.
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Unread 20-04-2010, 01:25   #92
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas Ralph View Post
The UK train operating companies probably aren't profiteering, insofar as it's not their fault if a vastly inflated number of people come up and buy walk-up tickets from London to Fishguard Harbour.
Fair enough - lazy construction on my part - but I bet they are profiting more than IE are.
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Unread 20-04-2010, 08:26   #93
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Rang Irish Ferries and they are not selling Sail and Rail tickets at the moment. I am led to believe that sales of these tickets have been suspended from UK rail stations too.
There's no suggestion on Stena's new "hgh volume" website front page that Rail and Sail is suspended.

In any case, I thought these were advertised as "all year round" fares". I don't think there's anything in the Rail and Sail literature which says they can be withdrawn at any time.
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Unread 20-04-2010, 08:46   #94
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Rail and Sail are still on sale for journeys commencing in the UK, maximum £30.50 for Holyhead-Dublin/Dun Laoghaire (with 7-day advance booking). Any enquiries I've made about tickets originating from Ireland have been given the run-around.
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Unread 20-04-2010, 08:51   #95
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Call Stena on 01 204 7744 quoting rail

There are quotas in place and since there is no integrated booking system you have to go direct via Stena to book.

The offer as always is subject to availability and turn up and go is suspended for foot passengers you must book. Foot passenger prices have not changed, but as we all know short notice tickets in the UK are shockingly expensive
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Unread 20-04-2010, 12:22   #96
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for reference this note is on the stena line sail and rail website
http://www.stenaline.ie/ferry/rail-and-sail/fishguard/

Quote:
Special Notice: Irish Rail have delayed the last train departure at 17.55hrs from Rosslare Harbour to 18.45hrs departing to facilitate customers that wish to travel to Dublin. This arrangement will apply until further Notice. When checking in at Fishguard Harbour it would be very useful to mention to the Stena Line staff that you are travelling onward to Dublin, Waterford, Kilkenny etc. by public transport. This destination information will be passed on to Bus Eireann and Irish Rail in Rosslare Harbour to help them make their normal transfer arrangements.
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Unread 20-04-2010, 13:04   #97
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That's good news.
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Unread 20-04-2010, 13:11   #98
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I have referred the breakdown of rail+sail ticketing to the European Passenger Federation in Brussels to ensure it is discussed at the highest level.
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Unread 20-04-2010, 16:26   #99
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http://seat61.com/Ireland.htm

The online booking links suggested by seat61.com all refusing find any travel options via Paddington / Euston to Ireland. Virgin Trains online is the same.

Virgin automated phoneline just cuts you off, after asking for return fare to Dublin????

What a rip off!!
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Unread 21-04-2010, 08:20   #100
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There does not appear to be a single-ticket option for surface transport from London to Dublin at present.
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