Iarnród Éireann survey

Yoda

Last month I was travelling from Westport to Heuston and was asked to fill out a survey. I did. There were some spaces for comments of my own. Here they are, for your interest:

Q. 10. What are the two or three main changes or improvements that you would like to see Irish Rail introduce to make the service more attractive customers like yourself?

1. Fully integrate with DART and LUAS. I want to be able to buy a LUAS and DART extension online, Westport to Heuston to Connolly (LUAS) to Dún Laoghaire (DART) for instance. Right now (1) you can't get a DART extension at all online or at the station, and (2) you can only get a LUAS extension at the station.

2. Have a rational, per-km fare structure.

3. BROADBAND ON THE TRAIN PLEASE.

fh041205

You can already get the luas extension online. Any station in the country can sell you a dart ticket. Sure why not buy it in Heuston or Connolly since you'll be passing there anyway. I would suggest using the TVMs in Connolly.

The station in wesport CAN sell you one ticket from Westport to Dun Laoghaire but it might be much more expensive than what you're already paying.

And lastly, the basic fare structure (without discounted day rtns etc.) is based on a per-km fare on most if not all routes outside of suburban routes.(Cork-Cobh and Dublin suburban).


Btw. i'm not trying to nitpick there, just thought you might like to know.

Cookie_Monster

Turn on the a/c on trains that have it would be my no.1

Recently got a train from Galway to Dublin, no a/c. it was a horrible sticky journey. Darts without a/c are horrid too

MOH

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Turn on the a/c on trains that have it would be my no.1

Recently got a train from Galway to Dublin, no a/c. it was a horrible sticky journey. Darts without a/c are horrid too

Got on a Sligo-Dublin train in Carrick in the middle of the sumer, a/c was off, everyone was melting. Asked the ticket inspector, he told us it had been on but had been turned off because one woman in the next carriage had complained that it was too cold. They turned it on again pretty quick after half the carriage complained.

Yoda

fh041205 wrote: »

You can already get the luas extension online.

Not in an integrated system, you can't. Not with any sanity. A month return ticket Westport-Heuston-Westport is available on the IÉ website for €39.00. A month return ticket Westport-Heuston-Connolly-Heuston-Westport is available for €67.10. Can you, please, explain why the LUAS extension costs €14.05 each way?

Any station in the country can sell you a dart ticket.

Really? They don't tell you.

Sure why not buy it in Heuston or Connolly since you'll be passing there anyway.

Because that adds delay (however minor) to the journey. Because the point is the system should be integrated so I don't have to worry about queuing or change or whatever.

I would suggest using the TVMs in Connolly.

I suppose I may guess that you think "TVM" is a standard abbreviation for "Ticket Vending Machine" and that it is obvious. It's not, not even to Google. Be that as it may, I am well aware of the two methods for purchasing DART tickets in Connolly, thanks.

The station in wesport CAN sell you one ticket from Westport to Dun Laoghaire but it might be much more expensive than what you're already paying.

I'm sure it would be, but the IÉ website can't sell me that fare.

And lastly, the basic fare structure (without discounted day rtns etc.) is based on a per-km fare on most if not all routes outside of suburban routes.(Cork-Cobh and Dublin suburban).

The discounted fares are not available from all locations or for all passengers. Some days Dublin residents can get to Westport cheaper than we can get to Dublin. Even discounts should be per-km and should be available equally to everyone. (I am aware that the full fare on some routes is lower because of speed restrictions, single track and so on. I take that into account)

Btw. i'm not trying to nitpick there, just thought you might like to know.

I'm not new to rail travel in Ireland. :-) And I think I wrote appropriate things on the survey form.

fh041205

Wow i wasn't expecting such a quick reaction. Easy up there mate, its just a discussion. No need to be so condescending.

67.10 is the standard fare, 39 is a heavily discounted one, as i'm sure you are aware. Even so, the booking office in Westport should (AFAIK) be able to issue you a rtn for the normal price, 39e, and add-on the 2.60 for the luas. I'm open to correction on that last statement, its definately done in some stations but perhaps not all.

67.10 is the standard fare (64.50) plus the luas (2.60). I see no reason why anywhere can't sell a dart ticket. They use the same machines.

Point taken on the TVM thing, I didn't realise i'd said that without explaining. You are, of course, correct in your interpretation.

I think the problem here is the fares. They need to be simplified. So that a ticket from A to B plus one from B to C would cost the same as one from A to C. I've been told that Reservations are not alowed on some journeys because certain stations don't have the facility to print reservations. You can make of that what you will.


In essence, what i'm saying is that, there is a per-km based fare system but the discounted fares play havoc with that. The online system is disasterous because the fares are disasterous hence the 39 - 67.10 thing. Again, root of the problem is that the fares just don't add up sometimes and they need to be updated.

If you were to ask me:
1. Update the fares (To accomodate integrated ticketing)
2. Sockets on the trains for laptops
3. Less of the free travel passes, they seem to be given out to the dogs on the street these days.

penexpers

fh041205 wrote: »

67.10 is the standard fare, 39 is a heavily discounted one, as i'm sure you are aware. Even so, the booking office in Westport should (AFAIK) be able to issue you a rtn for the normal price, 39e, and add-on the 2.60 for the luas. I'm open to correction on that last statement, its definately done in some stations but perhaps not all.

The discounted fares are only available online and are not available at any booking offices.

Tipsy Mac

Here's mine from a DART commuter point of view...

Publish the contract details of the parking arrangement you have entered into with NCPS so the commuter can see that the tax payer is getting a fair deal.

Turn heating off on all DART's except when the temperature outside is below 5 degress. If anyone isn't able to cope with temperatures above this they should remain at home as they are unfit for general travel in the outside world.

Get the poorly designed DART's with the massive seating cushions where your knees go into your fellow passengers groin and sink them in Dublin Bay as a reef for divers, that's all they are good for.

Standardise the customer information systems on all DART's or else get rid of them completely, no point in the display telling me I am heading into Tara Street when I am actually coming into Howth. Same goes with the PA system, either have it on all DART's or none. Also station route maps beside doors seem to be absent on most, these are invaluable for tourists or occasional DART users.