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Quck question about the best service from Dublin to Cork

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  • 21-05-2013 7:41pm
    #1
    Shmilan
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭


    Hello all,

    I will be in Dublin in a few days, and wanted to clarify the bus schedule and places of pick-up. Everyone in this community seems to be knowledgeable about the transportation system, so I figured this is the best place to ask.

    I'll be leaving Dublin to go to Cork the 27th and returning back to Dublin the 2nd. I will be staying near the Heuston Station? and so want to leave for Cork from there. When I return to Dublin on the 2nd, I want to go directly to the airport. Looking at the timetables, getting on the X8 seems to be the best option.

    On Bus Eireann's website, the tickets are for Dublin or for Dublin Airport Direct. I assume the Dublin Airport Direct option is the ticket I need, correct? Will that pick-up from Heuston Station? Thanks.


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    #2
    LXFlyer
    Registered Users Posts: 17,557 ✭✭✭✭LXFlyer


    Check out Aircoach and GoBe online - they operate the non-stop coaches between Dublin and Cork.


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    #3
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Shmilan wrote: »
    Hello all,

    I will be in Dublin in a few days, and wanted to clarify the bus schedule and places of pick-up. Everyone in this community seems to be knowledgeable about the transportation system, so I figured this is the best place to ask.

    I'll be leaving Dublin to go to Cork the 27th and returning back to Dublin the 2nd. I will be staying near the Heuston Station? and so want to leave for Cork from there. When I return to Dublin on the 2nd, I want to go directly to the airport. Looking at the timetables, getting on the X8 seems to be the best option.

    On Bus Eireann's website, the tickets are for Dublin or for Dublin Airport Direct. I assume the Dublin Airport Direct option is the ticket I need, correct? Will that pick-up from Heuston Station? Thanks.
    The X8 service is a very slow bus taking about 4hours 30minutes. You should get a 145 bus or Luas into the City centre and get the aircoach service or the GoBé service from Westmorland st or Busáras. You will need to buy the return from the Airport which costs €25 with Aircoach and €27 with GoBé. Neither of the Express services pick up at Heuston Station. Journey time with both express services is usually around 3 hours city centre to city centre with an extra 20 minutes to/from the airport.

    you might also consider the train which leaves from Heuston station and leaves you a short bus ride from Cork city centre. It is however considerably more expensive than the Bus options even if booked in advance and if you need to change the time of your return train there is an extra €10 charge.

    The train cost for your journey would be €69 including fees and charges but you will also need to get to the airport on your return from Cork to Heuston which will cost €6 on the airlink srrvice


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    #4
    Shmilan
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭Shmilan


    Ah, I see. Thank you very much for the help. A return ticket from Westmorland to Cork is only 18 Euros through Aircoach, so I may go the route of taking the Luas to Westmorland and returning to Westmorland through Aircoach. I need to get to Swords when I return back to Dublin. I assume taking the bus is the best way if I get dropped off at Westmorland?


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    #5
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    You can get the Aircoach return from Dublin CC then get the 41(from abbey street) or Swords Express bus(from Eden Quay) out to Swords.


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    #6
    devnull
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 11,587 Mod ✭✭✭✭devnull


    Don't take the X8 - it's the slowest bus between the two cities and rarely runs to time.

    Are you going to Swords or Dublin Airport when you get back?

    If Swords I'd say the best value is to get a return to/from Dublin City to Cork and then get a bus from Dublin City to Swords.


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    #7
    Shmilan
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭Shmilan


    I am going to Swords. For some reason, I had this completely illogical thought that going directly to the Dublin airport and then taking a bus from there would be the best way to Swords.

    Anyway, thank you all for the help. If I have any further questions, I know who to ask!


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    #8
    Richard Logue
    Closed Accounts Posts: 270 ✭✭Richard Logue


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    The X8 service is a very slow bus taking about 4hours 30minutes. You should get a 145 bus or Luas into the City centre and get the aircoach service or the GoBé service from Westmorland st or Busáras. You will need to buy the return from the Airport which costs €25 with Aircoach and €27 with GoBé. Neither of the Express services pick up at Heuston Station. Journey time with both express services is usually around 3 hours city centre to city centre with an extra 20 minutes to/from the airport.

    you might also consider the train which leaves from Heuston station and leaves you a short bus ride from Cork city centre. It is however considerably more expensive than the Bus options even if booked in advance and if you need to change the time of your return train there is an extra €10 charge.

    The train cost for your journey would be €69 including fees and charges but you will also need to get to the airport on your return from Cork to Heuston which will cost €6 on the airlink srrvice

    Perhaps the Irish Rail website was broken or not available when Foggy gave that rail price out? :confused:

    The actual rail price for an adult return on the dates you gave is €55 including the booking fee.

    The Sunday return is €20 not €32.99.

    If cost is a factor then Aircoach and GoBE offer good deals, as mentioned earlier.


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    #9
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Richard Logue wrote: »
    Perhaps the Irish Rail website was broken or not available when Foggy gave that rail price out? :confused:

    The actual rail price for an adult return on the dates you gave is €55 including the booking fee.

    The Sunday return is €20 not €32.99.

    If cost is a factor then Aircoach and GoBE offer good deals, as mentioned earlier.
    the 6.20pm train from Cork costs quite a lot more.

    254917.png


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    #10
    Richard Logue
    Closed Accounts Posts: 270 ✭✭Richard Logue


    Why pick the single most expensive train of the day and not mention that every other train is €20? :confused:


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    #11
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Richard Logue wrote: »
    Why pick the single most expensive train of the day and not mention that every other train is €20? :confused:
    Why not pick it? whatever train is got the cost is prohibitive when compared to the very low and excellent value online and Walk-Up fares on the very comfortable express coaches. There is no fees and credit card charge on the coach.


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    #12
    Hilly Bill
    Registered Users Posts: 6,039 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    The thread was going great for 7 posts then i got a strange feeling of de javu :)


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    #13
    steamengine
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,372 ✭✭✭steamengine


    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    The thread was going great for 7 posts then i got a strange feeling of de javu :)

    Curiously, there doesn't seem to be a problem with getting the Luas from Heuston to the city centre any longer ! ;)


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    #14
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    steamengine wrote: »
    Curiously, there doesn't seem to be a problem with getting the Luas from Heuston to the city centre any longer ! ;)
    Not when the €1.60 will save the OP a small fortune by bringing them to the express coach services.


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    #15
    Losty Dublin
    Registered Users Posts: 12,996 ✭✭✭✭Losty Dublin


    steamengine wrote: »
    Curiously, there doesn't seem to be a problem with getting the Luas from Heuston to the city centre any longer ! ;)

    Mad Ted. Maybe the Luas didn't suit them on this occasion :D


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    #16
    Hilly Bill
    Registered Users Posts: 6,039 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    I wouldnt call €1.60 a small fortune now but it is curious that the added cost of the Luas is mentioned when the cost of the train to cork is debated but not when it involves using it to get to the bus, why is that?


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    #17
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,492 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    Losty Dublin wrote: »
    Mad Ted. Maybe the Luas didn't suit them on this occasion :D

    Sigh, do we really need this "them" and us attitude!

    It is ironic that people complaining about other threads being taken Off Topic are doing the exact same thing themselves on this thread!

    I agree the cost of the LUAS should be factored into the cost of the bus versus getting the train from Hueston. Also the extra time this takes versus just getting a train from Hueston.

    I've always argued that no one is going from train station to train station. That people are going from A to B and look at it from the point of view of the cost and time to go from A to B.

    This is an unusual situation, where the train might actually benefit from the reverse of the norm.

    Having said that you can actually eliminate the LUAS cost from this comparison.

    His options are either:

    1) Take the bus
    - Luas from Hueston to city center
    - Bus to Cork
    - Bus back from Cork to Dublin city center.
    - Dublin Bus / Swords Express to Swords.

    2) Take the train
    - Train from Hueston to Cork
    - Train back from Cork to Hueston
    - Luas to city center
    - Dublin Bus / Swords Express to Swords.

    So both options involve one luas ride, thus cancelling out the cost of the LUAS in this case.


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    #18
    steamengine
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,372 ✭✭✭steamengine


    There is also the option of train down and bus/coach back up. The OP did ask about the 'best' service to Cork which is not necessarily the same as 'cheapest'. To backtrack from Heuston into town by the Luas will increase the journey time differential between train and bus to an hour.

    If I was doing that journey it would of course be by train - indeed the modern bus coaches are comfortable, but internally not as spacious or as comfortable as the train, and that is not exclusively a railway person's point of view.

    Hence why in Britain, back in the sixties in the immediate post motorway era, when the initial euphoria had worn off people returned to using the train because it is a superior mode of travel in almost every respect. But it doesn't mean railways can sit back here and rest on their now composted laurels, they have to move with the times, speed up and compete on price.


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    #19
    etchyed
    Registered Users Posts: 674 ✭✭✭etchyed


    It's Heuston.

    And this discussion is tiresome. Given that the OP is near Heuston, it would be more convenient for them to take the train down to Cork. Dependent on the time of day they wish to travel, it might be only slightly more expensive. We don't know what time the OP wants to travel, or the value they would place on train as a preferred mode, or avoiding the Luas transfer to the city centre. It may be that the extra expense of the train means that it's preferable for the OP to get a coach to Cork.

    I feel like the above is stating the obvious, but some posters on this thread evidently need to be told.

    On return, an express coach would make more sense for a trip from Cork straight to the airport.

    Now that the OP has been filled in on the options, perhaps everyone can take a deep breath and step back and stop rabbiting on about the same old shíte.


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    #20
    dowlingm
    Registered Users Posts: 5,312 ✭✭✭dowlingm


    etchyed wrote: »
    We don't know what time the OP wants to travel, or the value they would place on train as a preferred mode, or avoiding the Luas transfer to the city centre. It may be that the extra expense of the train means that it's preferable for the OP to get a coach to Cork.
    Indeed, some of these are the very options the NTA Journey Planner puts forward.


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    #21
    Losty Dublin
    Registered Users Posts: 12,996 ✭✭✭✭Losty Dublin


    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    I wouldnt call €1.60 a small fortune now but it is curious that the added cost of the Luas is mentioned when the cost of the train to cork is debated but not when it involves using it to get to the bus, why is that?

    Think yourself lucky that they aren't adding other hidden costs such as the price of a cup of coffee, the paper or a bag of Tayto to the train fare as well :)


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    #22
    Hilly Bill
    Registered Users Posts: 6,039 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    Losty Dublin wrote: »
    Think yourself lucky that they aren't adding other hidden costs such as the price of a cup of coffee, the paper or a bag of Tayto to the train fare as well :)

    Tayto? King crisps is better value and taste nicer on the way to Cork.


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    #23
    Losty Dublin
    Registered Users Posts: 12,996 ✭✭✭✭Losty Dublin


    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    Tayto? King crisps is better value and taste nicer on the way to Cork.

    King are poor man's crisps if you ask me :)


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    #24
    Hilly Bill
    Registered Users Posts: 6,039 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    It may well be, but its only fair to point out cheaper alternatives :).


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    #25
    Richard Logue
    Closed Accounts Posts: 270 ✭✭Richard Logue


    The only crisps allowed should be Aldi or Lidl multipack then and yes they should be compulsory. Ban those luxury Taytos and Kings I say.

    Trust me, once you've tried them you'll never want to eat those overpriced Taytos or Kings.

    Here's my review of the Aldi Cheese and Onion multipack crisps:

    Mmmm. I knew I was in for a Cheesy treat when I opened my second bag of Aldi Multipack Cheese and Onion. These are German made crisps, made for German tourists and the quality shows. You won't need a toilet eating these crisps as they won't give you the runs. Just make sure you don't heat them up first as that would be a Health and Safety hazard.

    A lot of my friends used to eat Kings and Taytos but I have persuaded them to switch to Aldi Multipack Cheese and Onion. Mmmm.


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    #26
    Hilly Bill
    Registered Users Posts: 6,039 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    But dont forget the cost of getting the Luas to Aldi.


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    #27
    Richard Logue
    Closed Accounts Posts: 270 ✭✭Richard Logue


    Agreed. You'll save a small fortune by walking and spending your €1.60 on more crisps.


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    #28
    sdanseo
    Registered Users Posts: 9,233 ✭✭✭sdanseo


    27 posts to figure out that:

    1. You can take a train to Cork
    2. You can take a Bus to Cork
    3. The price of a bag of Tayto has doubled

    My faith in humanity is at an all-time low.

    Also, the bias against rail travel stinks. Rail is considerably more comfortable than the Bus, generally faster to Cork and a much more pleasurable way to travel in my opinion.


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    #29
    Hilly Bill
    Registered Users Posts: 6,039 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    Richard Logue wrote: »
    Agreed. You'll save a small fortune by walking and spending your €1.60 on more crisps.

    Walkers? ;)


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    #30
    Richard Logue
    Closed Accounts Posts: 270 ✭✭Richard Logue


    sdeire wrote: »
    27 posts to figure out that:

    1. You can take a train to Cork
    2. You can take a Bus to Cork
    3. The price of a bag of Tayto has doubled

    My faith in humanity is at an all-time low.

    Also, the bias against rail travel stinks. Rail is considerably more comfortable than the Bus, generally faster to Cork and a much more pleasurable way to travel in my opinion.

    Well there are one or two of us who actually like trains here and are willing to speak up for them. :)


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    #31
    Con Logue
    Closed Accounts Posts: 277 ✭✭Con Logue


    Richard Logue wrote: »
    Well there are one or two of us who actually like trains here and are willing to speak up for them. :)

    Indeed.

    This seems apposite: “The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow very lively debate within that spectrum....”


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