Booking seats with Irish Rail

Poxyshamrock

Does anybody know if you can book your seats on a train any other way than by buying your ticket online?

MarkoP11

Go to any main intercity station should be possible to do over the counter, however you won't get the discount you get online on singles to Cork/Limerick/Tralee or the special Dublin Belfast return. CIE Abbey Street can do it as well

Or you can ring them at 1850 366 222 (08.30 - 18.00 Monday to Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Saturday and Sunday)

Point to note is seat reservations are a total joke, if you board in Heuston you have a chance elsewhere forget it

Poxyshamrock

OK thanks!

BendiBus

MarkoP11 wrote:

Point to note is seat reservations are a total joke, if you board in Heuston you have a chance elsewhere forget it

Maybe IÉ could introduce a 'gazumping' surcharge. It permits someone to take someone elses reserved seat for the attractive fee of, say, €250. All the ticket checker has to to is take out his ticket machine and politely ask if they'd like to pay by cash or credit card. Good for IÉ, good for the customer

MarkoP11

Legally occupying a someone else's reserved seat is an offense and you can be kicked off or fined.

Seat res is fairly pointless for instance the yellow t-shirt crew only work Heuston and Cork, of course they don't work weekends in Cork

Red Alert

The new cork train apparently has a digi display of the passenger name above the seat, so someone can't remove the reservation tag.

MarkoP11

Displays don't work most of the time, particulary when starting in Cork

dudara

No problem with seat reservations when leaving Dublin. But forget about it when returning from Cork.

Mrs. MacGyver

I agree, when leaving from Cork a few weeks ago i was in the reserved carriage 'C' and there was a match on. People reserved their seats in Thurles but didnt get to sit in them. I rarely reserve heading down on a Friday. I get to Hueston by 16.40 for th 17.00 train. The times i have reserved i've called into the travel center in Abbey street as suggested above and had no problems. Is it really an offence to sit in a reserved seat (just wondering is it in a CIE by law or something)?

Demonique

Mrs. MacGyver wrote:

Is it really an offence to sit in a reserved seat (just wondering is it in a CIE by law or something)?

I'm sure it isn't IF you vacate the seat when the person who reserved the seat turns up, but if you cause a stink then you'll be turfed off

MarkoP11

29. (1) No person shall occupy or use any compartment or seat in any vehicle on the railway upon which or in relation to which notice has been fixed or given by the Board that such compartment or seat is reserved, except the holder of a reservation ticket issued by the Board in respect of the holder's occupation or use of such compartment or seat.

If they bother to mark the seat as reserved, it will state between which points it is reserved

It is perfectly legitimate for a passenger with a reservation to leave their seat go to the dining car, have breakfast and return for example