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Aircoach Dublin-Cork express

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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 225 ✭✭Patrickheg


    bk wrote: »
    However on the whole a very nice improvement, not quiet the best coach in Ireland (probably Citylinks Vanhools) but a very welcome improvement to the Cork route.

    I've seen you reference the vanhools a few times. Have you tried the new gobus neoplans, I reckon they are a more consistent coach In terms of legroom than the vanhools, I always found the vanhools seats are hit and miss depending on which part of the coach you are on.


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,349 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    Patrickheg wrote: »
    I've seen you reference the vanhools a few times. Have you tried the new gobus neoplans, I reckon they are a more consistent coach In terms of legroom than the vanhools, I always found the vanhools seats are hit and miss depending on which part of the coach you are on.

    No I'm afraid I haven't gotten a chance to try out the Neoplans, would like to.

    However I do hear that as a company they aren't particularly well regarded, being a cheaper, made in Turkey company.


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 11,565 Mod ✭✭✭✭devnull


    The interior of them certainly looks a vast improvement over the majority of Plaxton coaches I have been on from earlier generations, it's much more modern, bright and inviting. However those seats do look tight.....


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 11,565 Mod ✭✭✭✭devnull


    Finally during the middle of the week I got chance to ride on two of these coaches myself so thought I would give some views on them now they've been in service for over half a year!
    bk wrote: »
    I've been totally blow away by how punctual these new coaches are.

    I was 10 minutes early on an off-peak morning service to Cork as well as 5 minutes early on an off-peak evening service to Dublin although that said there was no traffic at all on the way to Cork but a bit of traffic around Red Cow and Newlands Cross on the way back to Dublin.

    The Volvo B11R engine seems to be very good and smooth, whilst it's noisy when it sets off and accelerating from a stop, at cruising speed it's very quiet and gives a nice ride, can't complain here at all, and if it is as fuel efficient as has been reported even better.
    So for tall people the seats you should be aiming for are:
    - Four seats in the front row (they are marked as for older people).
    - Two seats on the right hand side of the second row (wheelchair seat)
    - Two seats on the left hand side, second last row (by the emergency exit door).
    - Three seats in the back row.

    Actually as a tall person I didn't find the seats that bad. Certainly there is less room than the Joncks, but just about enough, a little more than the Levantes, one thing to note though, certainly not every seat, even outside the ones above, are spaced evenly. On the first coach I found the seat on the right hand side pretty tight half way down, I switched to the seats on the left and I'd say they had an inch or so more leg-room.

    I won't lie that if you slouch down in your seat a little rather than fully upright, the knees of mine slightly touched the seat in front, but by no means were very tight. As you say though there are options on the other seats which give you a bit more legroom but I didn't notice anything really tight like the Levantes on the seats I picked.
    BTW One disadvantage I found of the seats on the second last row by the emergency door, is that there are no heaters there and might be a slight draft from the door, so they can be a cold seat.

    The other downside is that the toilet door rattles even when on a smooth motorway a fair bit so if you are sitting on the outside seat next to it on that row, you will hear it for the whole journey. I actually found that seat rather warm as well rather than cold, since the engine heat seems to be felt on the floor around that area. So with the aircon turned on me, My head and back felt cool but the bottom of the seat seemed to gather a little bit of heat.
    The toilet is certainly being used, I was sitting on the back row of a quiet off peak run (20 people) and I say it was used about 12 times. Yesterday on my trip, I was disappointed to find no toilet paper in the toilet! They need to be more proactive about this and maybe have the driver check before each departure.

    There was plenty for my trip, nice that they are using such huge rolls as well and proper toilet paper rather than that paper towel like stuff you find in a lot of places. Although honestly I don't think the soap dispenser was designed the best since I expected it to come out around where you press not right on the back surface of the sink. As far as toilets on a coach go it's pretty good but not fantastic.

    They have great air-conditioning, and climate control, the LED style individual lights are better than the traditional bulb ones and the low brightness blue lighting is much better than harsh white on night journeys. the coaches actually don't look that bad in the flesh but it is noticeable that they are not fitted out to as higher standard as the Joncks are but there is nothing bad here just not quite as expensive materials, the headrests on the seats are a welcome addition though.

    There was one other flaw I discovered that I have not mentioned. The seats I am not so sure are made out of full leather certainly not the same grade or thickness as was used on the Jonckheere and Setra coaches and the layer of leather on the bottom part especially seems thinner, which leads to what could be a flaw as they wear down.

    I noticed that there is a hard bit of metal tubing near the seat recline function actually inside the seat itself towards the back of each seat right at the edges of it. If you sit in a certain way, you can actually feel this metal slightly. One seat I sat on you could feel it very well but the others was very little. If you sit dead central and not bolt upright you probably won't feel it though. Now before someone says it's in the Jonckheere's as well, yes it is. But the difference is the Jonckheere has thicker leather/padding between this tube and where you sit, so it's not at all noticeable.

    All in all I think they are a good coach with a couple of issues, the toilet rattles and the mentioned seating issue. They are certainly suited to this kind of route and the plug sockets etc are a nice bonus. Are they better than the Jonckheeres? I'd say if you look at it purely as a coach, certainly not. But if we are talking about vehicles that are suitable for Dublin to Cork non stop, then the answer would have to be yes without doubt.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,937 ✭✭✭Cool_CM


    Looks like they're back on Westmoreland Street as of this Wednesday morning.

    http://www.aircoach.ie/news/were-back-aircoach-bus-stop-westmoreland-street

    Edit: Also looks like they are offering 10% off with the discount code WESTMORELAND for bookings made today and tomorrow (travel up until the 17th of December). Andip just posted this in the Bargain Alerts forum


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  • Registered Users Posts: 5,606 ✭✭✭schemingbohemia


    Code is WESTMORELAND


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,937 ✭✭✭Cool_CM


    Code is WESTMORELAND

    Yes it most certainly is :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 156 ✭✭Lucyn


    I've used the service three times in the last week and on all three occasions there was no toilet on board resulting in that annoying stop in Urlingford. Coupled with the M8 diversion, it is really adding to the journey lately. Hopefully it's just a tempoary blip.....


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 11,565 Mod ✭✭✭✭devnull


    There's a lot of stuff happening with the Aircoach coach fleet at the moment with some buses changing garages, new ones coming in and others being withdrawn, some moving from one country to another so I'd say that there may be some buses appearing on routes they normally don't for a week or two whilst it all settles down.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5 Derek78


    was on this service last week.. thought it was a shambles, bus drive very rude


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  • Registered Users Posts: 156 ✭✭Lucyn


    Derek78 wrote: »
    was on this service last week.. thought it was a shambles, bus drive very rude

    I've encountered some very pleasant drivers with excellent customer service skills who are a credit to Aircoach. However, I've also sat up near the front on several occasions while the bus is loading and cringed at the way some drivers treat the customers, especially foreign tourists to our country. It seems to be one extreme or the other. I have emailed Aircoach on several occasions, both to compliment on a good driver or comment on a bad (i.e. ignorant and rude) one. You just get a bog standard computer generated reply. They're not bothered either way. It's a very successful route. We're getting what we're paying for but the experience varies greatly each time depending on the vehicle, driver, time and day of the week. Pot luck!


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,663 ✭✭✭serfboard


    Lucyn wrote: »
    I have emailed Aircoach on several occasions, both to compliment on a good driver or comment on a bad (i.e. ignorant and rude) one. You just get a bog standard computer generated reply. They're not bothered either way.
    Have you tried the National Transport Authority, since they are the ones licensing the service?


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,811 ✭✭✭Padre_Pio


    Hi all, can anyone tell me what the journey time is like if leaving from Cork at 7am on a weekday?

    I've a flight at 12 and want to be in the airport by 10 at the latest.

    Thanks!


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,349 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    Padre_Pio wrote: »
    Hi all, can anyone tell me what the journey time is like if leaving from Cork at 7am on a weekday?

    I've a flight at 12 and want to be in the airport by 10 at the latest.

    Thanks!

    It won't get to the airport until 10:20 to 10:30.

    You would want to get 6:30 or even better the 6am to get there before 10.

    BTW all here on the schedule:

    https://www.aircoach.ie/timetables/route-704-x-cork-dublin-city-dublin-airport-express


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,811 ✭✭✭Padre_Pio


    bk wrote: »
    It won't get to the airport until 10:20 to 10:30.

    You would want to get 6:30 or even better the 6am to get there before 10.

    BTW all here on the schedule:

    https://www.aircoach.ie/timetables/route-704-x-cork-dublin-city-dublin-airport-express
    Thanks bk!


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