Rail fare to Cork

T Corolla

Has anyone noticed that the return fair from Dublin to Cork is fifty three euro's instead of sixty four euro's. Thats good news a fair reduction on this route. Sixty four euro's was a expensive fair anyway.

L1011

Sure thats not just an internet pre-booking fare?

KC61

T Corolla wrote: »

Has anyone noticed that the return fair from Dublin to Cork is fifty three euro's instead of sixty four euro's. Thats good news a fair reduction on this route. Sixty four euro's was a expensive fair anyway.

The normal internet fare is EUR 33 one way, but there is a promotional fare of EUR 20 one way on certain trains.

The standard booking office fare remains EUR 64 return.

Ham'nd'egger

T Corolla wrote: »

Has anyone noticed that the return fair from Dublin to Cork is fifty three euro's instead of sixty four euro's. Thats good news a fair reduction on this route. Sixty four euro's was a expensive fair anyway.

Try doing Dublin-Cork return in a car (circa 500KM) and the fuel bill and toll fees won't be far from €64, not withstanding wear and tear etc. I appreciate there is getting to and from the train either end to allow for but still it often levels out in terms of comfort; the plane has this advantage over driving.

fh041205

Hamndegger wrote: »

Try doing Dublin-Cork return in a car (circa 500KM) and the fuel bill and toll fees won't be far from €64, not withstanding wear and tear etc. I appreciate there is getting to and from the train either end to allow for but still it often levels out in terms of comfort; the plane has this advantage over driving.

I agree with all of what you've said but there are a few other things. The train doesn't pick you up at the door of your house and doesn't drop you exactly where you want to go. It also doesn't stop anywhere for reasonably priced food. Its either onboard catering or starvation. For me that tips the balance in favour of the car.

bk

Hamndegger wrote: »

Try doing Dublin-Cork return in a car (circa 500KM) and the fuel bill and toll fees won't be far from €64, not withstanding wear and tear etc. I appreciate there is getting to and from the train either end to allow for but still it often levels out in terms of comfort; the plane has this advantage over driving.

Actually with an average car being 40MPG and at €1.20 per litre and including the toll, it works out at €46.80.

And it has the benefit of door to door service, (no need to pay the extra €20 that I pay for taxi to and from the station), no waiting around in a cold station, no unnecessarily expensive food on the train, can bring as much stuff in the car as I like, can use the car at the destination.

Add in the fact that you can car share (I sometimes go with family or friends) and therefore share the bill. €64 starts to look pretty expensive for a service which will likely be slower once the Motorway is complete.

Ham'nd'egger

bk wrote: »

Actually with an average car being 40MPG and at €1.20 per litre and including the toll, it works out at €46.80.

And it has the benefit of door to door service, (no need to pay the extra €20 that I pay for taxi to and from the station), no waiting around in a cold station, no unnecessarily expensive food on the train, can bring as much stuff in the car as I like, can use the car at the destination.

Add in the fact that you can car share (I sometimes go with family or friends) and therefore share the bill. €64 starts to look pretty expensive for a service which will likely be slower once the Motorway is complete.

True but I didn't say it was better or worse; just that it wasn't too far off the mark on a single trip and it does compete reasonably well in fiscal terms. Both ways have drawback and clawbacks TBH. There are those who prefer use the time to eat on the train (I buy my tea and roll in the cafe in Heuston as it's far cheaper, blame Rail Gourmet for that price), read a book or paper, have a few beers etc or sit and chill out. There are times when I do love to be able to stop off en route as well and I do appreciate what you mean though it adds to a trip.

bk

Hamndegger wrote: »

True but I didn't say it was better or worse; just that it wasn't too far off the mark on a single trip and it does compete reasonably well in fiscal terms. Both ways have drawback and clawbacks TBH. There are those who prefer use the time to eat on the train (I buy my tea and roll in the cafe in Heuston as it's far cheaper, blame Rail Gourmet for that price), read a book or paper, have a few beers etc or sit and chill out. There are times when I do love to be able to stop off en route as well and I do appreciate what you mean though it adds to a trip.

Oh I agree, there are some advantages to taking the train, however Irish Rail even manage to mess up their one advantage by not having a power plug at every seat and wifi.

Also many of these advantages also apply to the bus, which is far cheaper and once the new motorways are completed, potentially just as fast.

Stark

bk wrote: »

Add in the fact that you can car share (I sometimes go with family or friends) and therefore share the bill. €64 starts to look pretty expensive for a service which will likely be slower once the Motorway is complete.

Yeah this is the big factor for me. If I'm travelling alone I'll take the train (so I can catch up on reading), but if I'm travelling with company, the car is much cheaper and handier.

bk wrote: »

Also many of these advantages also apply to the bus, which is far cheaper and once the new motorways are completed, potentially just as fast.

Potentially, although I'm not sure will the bus companies actually use the motorways the whole way down.

bk

Stark wrote: »

Potentially, although I'm not sure will the bus companies actually use the motorways the whole way down.

BE mightn't, but I'm certain one of the private company's will.

A well advertised, non stop direct bus service with high quality buses and toilets on board could make a real killing once the motorways are complete IMO.

Specially in the current economic climate, a brave, enterprising company could steal lots of new customers from IR and BE.