New Irish Rail website unveiled.

Poxyshamrock · 07-12-2011 2:08pm #1

Have a preview of our new look website http://new.irishrail.ie/ Browse and book your travel, send feedback to newirishrail@irishrail.ie

Still can't buy/reserve suburban tickets online but at least it's a bit more informative.

coylemj · 07-12-2011 2:20pm

The live maps are cool, were they on the old website?

Mountjoy Mugger · 07-12-2011 2:24pm

Not able to book a ticket.

Getting the following after selecting a journey:

ERROR 500 - Sorry an error occurred while attempting to access this page. Please click here to return to the Home page

mickydoomsux · 07-12-2011 2:25pm

Mountjoy Mugger wrote: »

Not able to book a ticket.

Getting:

ERROR 500 - Sorry an error occurred while attempting to access this page. Please click here to return to the Home page

It's only a preview. I would think it is not fully functional as yet.

Mountjoy Mugger · 07-12-2011 2:27pm

mickydoomsux wrote: »

It's only a preview. I would think it is not fully functional as yet.

OP indicates otherwise.

EDIT: Not anymore it doesn't..sigh

SandyfordGuy · 07-12-2011 2:30pm

A lot better. The journey planner reminds me of the Transport for London one when you click on the info next to the details when searching for the train.

A big thumbs up.

bk · 07-12-2011 2:33pm

I really like the new maps:

http://new.irishrail.ie/map-ireland.jsp?ref=journeyS

patrickbrophy18 · 07-12-2011 2:36pm

I like how the tabs "Home", "Fares & Tickets", "Timetables & Service Updates" and "Travel & Station Information" are made to look like the side profile of the 22000 DMU class Intercity! Stylish:D!

It certainly looks a hell of a lot smarter and clearer than the current one. Overall, the website upgrade was badly needed. There are new maps and all. It also has a more up to date station information page.

SandyfordGuy · 07-12-2011 2:37pm

The maps and the live maps are great. These guys look like they have been used for it: http://www.hacon.de/

Nice to see they're going for such a good tested solution rather than some half baked in-house solution that tries to re-invent the wheel as we've seen with CIE in the past

bk · 07-12-2011 2:46pm

I have to say, pretty good job.

I really like the new integrated ticket schedule and booking system. Easy to use and it has all the information you might want (trip time, any changes, platform leaving from, price) right up front.

Also the maps and schedule information is great.

Lots of great use of network maps, nice and modern.

Lots of excellent, easy to find, very transparent information, e.g.:
Wifi + Power: http://new.irishrail.ie/index.jsp?p=120&n=225
Bikes: http://new.irishrail.ie/index.jsp?p=120&n=153

Good job, hopefully Bus Eireann will follow suit.

patrickbrophy18 · 07-12-2011 2:51pm

bk wrote: »

Good job, hopefully Bus Eireann will follow suit.

Ditto and also the parent site, http://www.cie.ie. Mind you, the CIE website doesn't appear to be all that useful given the rather outdated information on it.

SandyfordGuy · 07-12-2011 2:57pm

The guys who designed the site should be used for all of the CIE's sites in future. It's a a massive improvement to any incarnation we've seen over the years for any of the companies, both in looks, content and functionality

SandyfordGuy · 07-12-2011 3:29pm

I'd disagree, take a look at Hacon's site, they have those live maps running for German trains as well, and the journey planner is also theirs, so I'd say most of the live info was, after all this is what they specialise in.

They also did this:
http://s-bahn-muenchen.hafas.de/bin/help.exe/dn?tpl=livefahrplan

SandyfordGuy · 07-12-2011 4:54pm

You post today, for the first time, having inside info, and saying how great one Irish company is and you ensure you plug their name in your first post? That just screams a possible shill to me. The strange thing is the companies work is great - it has no need to shill.

The live maps right at the bottom of them have a statement claiming the Map Data is Copyright of GeoBasis-DE./BKG Exactly the same company that it happens that all of other HaCon products use for almost identical systems. So that is what gives me the impression HaCon had some input into it, as this is the same company they always use for these kind of things.

OurLadyofKnock · 07-12-2011 4:54pm

Excellent website now. No major complaints really.

LXFlyer · 07-12-2011 5:06pm

At the end of the day does it really matter who developed it?

The fact is it is a VAST improvement on the old site.

angel01 · 07-12-2011 5:06pm

Shame the Dublin Bus one hasn't followed suit. It is dire.

SandyfordGuy · 07-12-2011 5:13pm

lxflyer wrote: »

At the end of the day does it really matter who developed it?

The fact is it is a VAST improvement on the old site.

Completely - I just don't like it when people try and take credit for work that it appears they have not done because it's a dishonest way of trying to drum up business.

CamperMan · 07-12-2011 5:15pm

bk wrote: »

I really like the new maps:

http://new.irishrail.ie/map-ireland.jsp?ref=journeyS

nothing happens when I click on a station...

SandyfordGuy · 07-12-2011 5:17pm

angel01 wrote: »

Shame the Dublin Bus one hasn't followed suit. It is dire.

Lets hope the NTA one that covers all transport, both private bus operators and public companies and Tram and LUAS services are good, but I would say Dublin Bus Irish rail etc would want to make their own that doesn't show rival companies.

SandyfordGuy · 07-12-2011 5:18pm

CamperMan wrote: »

nothing happens when I click on a station...

The live maps are clickable. Not the actual route maps.

noelfirl · 07-12-2011 5:20pm

http://www.railusers.ie/forum/showpost.php?p=65297&postcount=5

1. Website graphical design and content management is by Strata3 an award winning Dublin web design agency

2. The journey planner and mapping is the Hafas system by Hacon of Germany. This is the same system as used by Deutsche Bahn and many others

3. The real-time train information is IE's internal IT department

4. The booking engine is another in house creation

5. A mobile version is in development

6. Personalised timetable generation is also due soon

patrickbrophy18 · 07-12-2011 5:33pm

SandyfordGuy wrote: »

Completely - I just don't like it when people try and take credit for work that it appears they have not done because it's a dishonest way of trying to drum up business.

Outsourcing is a common practice carried out by both private and public sector businesses when requisite internal resources are scarce especially in web development. Essentially, this makes Irish Rail a customer of HaCon and GeoBasis as they paid for these services negating any argument of dishonesty.

SandyfordGuy · 07-12-2011 5:38pm

patrickbrophy18 wrote: »

Outsourcing is a common practice carried out by both private and public sector businesses when requisite internal resources are scarce especially in web development. Essentially, this makes Irish Rail a customer of HaCon and GeoBasis as they paid for these services negating any argument of dishonesty.

Indeed, but I never accused Irish Rail of taking credit for something HaCon did, I simply stated that Strata3 did not seem to create the maps themselves, a German company did this and were responsible for this system. JFlores opinion earlier in the thread was that Strata3 did this, and read like an advert for such company, despite the fact it seems that part of the site wasn't even done by them.

Anyway, I'm not saying any more about it as I'll let the posts speak for themselves.

Kellyboy77 · 07-12-2011 6:13pm

SandyfordGuy wrote: »

Indeed, but I never accused Irish Rail of taking credit for something HaCon did, I simply stated that Strata3 did not seem to create the maps themselves, a German company did this and were responsible for this system. JFlores opinion earlier in the thread was that Strata3 did this, and read like an advert for such company, despite the fact it seems that part of the site wasn't even done by them.

Anyway, I'm not saying any more about it as I'll let the posts speak for themselves.

I for one think its a much better improvement on what was there. The maps look like google maps to me with pins in it. I don't see any mention of hacon on them.
Anyway, good site whoever did it.

bk · 07-12-2011 7:30pm

CamperMan wrote: »

nothing happens when I click on a station...

You are right, hopefully this will be fixed before it goes live.

DWCommuter · 07-12-2011 8:00pm

Its good, but long overdue. I like it.

crushproof · 07-12-2011 9:42pm

Yikes, there's something just not right about all of this.... it looks too dam good, what's going on?? Surely Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus have to follow suit and update their woeful sites?

One thing though, the live map has to be changed at bit, different colour for Inter City / DART / Commuter trains. Otherwise job well done!

dowlingm · 07-12-2011 10:31pm

The lack of ads is a huge win. It was embarrassing that they were ever there.

The investment page is welcome but given the need to trumpet stewardship of public money I think they need to do a bit more in depth with weekly or even monthly updates like VIA Rail Canada are doing.

Mark 3s missing from the fleet list :rolleyes: Facing reality is a good thing I suppose. At least the 2700s are still there

Surprised there are still as many as 3 x 141s not yet permanently stopped. I note the 071 max speed is listed as 75mph, didn't it used to be 90?

I like the train/station status/map.

Rosslare Europort on the front page... :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: yes I know they own it but they disown it too.

All in all a good start but they need to get their ass in gear on a frequent travel programme to match or better BE's.

bk · 07-12-2011 11:41pm

crushproof wrote: »

Surely Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus have to follow suit and update their woeful sites?

DB site was recently redesigned and isn't too bad. Yes there are plenty of things they could improve, but much better then the previous site.

DWCommuter · 08-12-2011 12:18am

bk wrote: »

DB site was recently redesigned and isn't too bad. Yes there are plenty of things they could improve, but much better then the previous site.

You'd expect companies within the same group (CIE) to continue on having similar branding in terms of web site design.

coylemj · 08-12-2011 1:47am

IR Smartcard history now shows you the cost of each journey in the sense that you can see the amount deducted when you tag on and then the credit you get back when you tag off.

It wouldn't have taken a huge amount of work to just show you the net cost on the 'tag off' line but it's an improvement on no data at all.

foggy_lad · 08-12-2011 6:12am

Well some of ye may need to sit down for this as I say well done Irish Rail on such a nice and much improved website, seems easy to use and navigate but there are a few issues with wrong information on the site that need addressing. Carlow station is stated as having a ramp to the booking office which is in fact a great big step and a little step. It also doesn't have accessible toilets and the barrow crossing is never used now, wheelchair users are put in taxis to the next station if their train can't arrive on platform 1.

SandyfordGuy · 08-12-2011 9:20am

bk wrote: »

DB site was recently redesigned and isn't too bad. Yes there are plenty of things they could improve, but much better then the previous site.

To be honest the DB site is not a patch on the Irish Rail one, they should get the agency who designed the Irish Rail one to do the Dublin Bus one, the design is much cleaner and functionality much better. The route planner on the Dublin Bus website is abysmal. They should contract a proven company for that system like Irish Rail did with HaCon for their route planner.

Cookie_Monster · 08-12-2011 9:26am

coylemj wrote: »

The live maps are cool, were they on the old website?

they need to add the actual railway lines in on the higher zooms though

bk · 08-12-2011 12:51pm

SandyfordGuy wrote: »

The route planner on the Dublin Bus website is abysmal. They should contract a proven company for that system like Irish Rail did with HaCon for their route planner.

I agree that the DB route planner could be much improved (more address oriented and less Bus Stop oriented), however it should be pointed out that it is much bigger and more complicated then the Irish Rail planner.

While Irish Rail obviously cover a larger physical area, their network of stops is actually relatively small and very well defined.

DB actually have far more stops and destinations.

Also DB's route planner also includes walking, LUAS and DART. I just searched for a journey from my place to Dun Laoghaire and the result included Bus, walking and DART.

I couldn't even do this with the Irish Rail route planner, you can't just put in any random address, you have to actually know what station you want to go from and to. Not much use really to a visitor.

So the DB route planner is actually far more comprehensive, useful and detailed. It is actually very close to being the ultimate Dublin area route planner. They just need to make the search more address based rather then bus stop based.

SandyfordGuy · 08-12-2011 1:02pm

bk wrote: »

So the DB route planner is actually far more comprehensive, useful and detailed. It is actually very close to being the ultimate Dublin area route planner. They just need to make the search more address based rather then bus stop based.

I don't agree, the Dublin Bus Route planner has lots of problems with it and often ignores direct routes and suggests very indirect routes as well. It also recommends infrequent routes in a lot of cases over very frequent routes.

There is also a bug with the DART part of it, where on certain journeys from the southside it will tell you if you need to change to a bus at Connolly, that you need to get a Northbound DART to Tara Street from the southside, get off, cross the platform and then get a DART to Connolly.

Least the Irish Rail one works correctly, the DB one is bugged to death.

dublinman1990 · 08-12-2011 2:25pm

I have to say that I love the new website. It is a lot neater than the old site. I am being on it for a few minutes, but I have to say it's quite impressive so far.

There's more here from DART & Commuter page below

In Dublin, the electric rail system called the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) is a quick and easy way to get around Dublin. It runs along the coast of the Irish Sea from Malahide or Howth in north County Dublin soutwards as far as Greystones, Co Wicklow.

This is nice simple descriptive that is for easy for tourists to look at.

Also the live maps are impressive too. The features button allows you to view bridges and level crossings that are near to the rail lines.

Go to the infrastructure page here: http://new.irishrail.ie/index.jsp?p=115&n=126

dowlingm · 08-12-2011 2:33pm

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

they need to add the actual railway lines in on the higher zooms though

Pity they didn't use openstreetmap instead - at least then they could have customised the overlays to make the lines more prominent maybe?

Lapin · 08-12-2011 2:37pm

Thumbs up for a big improvement.

Well done Irish Rail !

Cathaoirleach · 08-12-2011 3:01pm

Cá bhfuil an leagan Gaeilge?

SandyfordGuy · 08-12-2011 3:09pm

Cathaoirleach wrote: »

Cá bhfuil an leagan Gaeilge?

The charter clearly says anyone using Irish needs to post a translation.

But in any case, I agree we should fully translate the whole thing and delay it by god knows how many months to please a small minority, whilst the majority of joe public should have to use the current piece of confusing crap for a few months.

After all, the rest of the current CIE websites are multi-lingual aren't they?

dowlingm · 08-12-2011 3:20pm

SandyfordGuy wrote: »

The charter clearly says anyone using Irish needs to post a translation.

But in any case, I agree we should fully translate the whole thing and delay it by god knows how many months to please a small minority, whilst the majority of joe public should have to use the current piece of confusing crap for a few months.

After all, the rest of the current CIE websites are multi-lingual aren't they?

I was going to say that the Official Languages Act Language Scheme for IE would cover that but looking at the Commissioner's website I note IE is not yet a public body which has agreed a Language Scheme or even provided a draft one assuming that list is accurate.

dowlingm · 08-12-2011 3:23pm

Cathaoirleach wrote: »

Cá bhfuil an leagan Gaeilge?

Fixed your post (click the link

)

dublinman1990 · 10-12-2011 11:08pm

In response to Noel Firl's post, someone asked about the smartphone app on Facebook. Irish Rail said it will be done sometime in 2012.

http://www.facebook.com/iarnrodeireann

Just a point on Blackrock Station, the station was repainted from yellow to grey. So, different colours there from Google Streetview's opinion.

http://new.irishrail.ie/cat_stations_detail.jsp

BenShermin · 11-12-2011 2:33pm

Along with the National Rail Enquiries UK website that new IÉ website is one of the most user friendly transport sites I've ever used. Have to take my hat of to IÉ for once!

runway16 · 11-12-2011 3:45pm

Yup, agree, it's a great site. I follow them on facebook, and they said that if while previewing the site, people find any errors, to please e-mail them. They have a dedicated address at which to do so.

It was very rare to see such a positive reaction to one of their facebook posts, seeing as usually they are followed by a ream of abuse.

The "look" of Irish rail is now pretty damn good - but change needs to come now at a deeper level than cosmetic.

But, credit where it is due - the new site is excellent.

Judgement Day · 11-12-2011 4:02pm

How long is the internet going and you're all slapping IE on the back for finally sorting out their website - about a decade late? Whoopee!! Now perhaps they can sort their service out too.

markpb · 11-12-2011 5:41pm

Judgement Day wrote: »

How long is the internet going and you're all slapping IE on the back for finally sorting out their website - about a decade late? Whoopee!! Now perhaps they can sort their service out too.

Yes, you're right, they should never be congratulated on improving any part of their service until the whole system is perfect. Only when they achieve Swiss levels of perfection should we make any effort to congratulate them.

Judgement Day · 11-12-2011 5:49pm

markpb wrote: »

Yes, you're right, they should never be congratulated on improving any part of their service until the whole system is perfect. Only when they achieve Swiss levels of perfection should we make any effort to congratulate them.

Why should they be congratulated on 'finally' getting their website sorted out - they aren't some 'run on a shoestring' community effort and whoever was responsible for signing off on the previous website should have been given their P45.

New Irish Rail website unveiled.

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