Irish Rail - 2009 Fare Increases

ixoy

I saw a notice on the train yesterday about the new fares for next year for the different DART packages (1 Day Rambler, 3-Day, Luas combo ticket, etc) and noticed that the increase across the board appears to be a whopping 10%. How is this justified with inflation lower than it has been in years, fuel prices having dropped, and a little thing called a recession?

Bluetonic

Might be related to the CIE loses of 39m euro

Cookie_Monster

Have to pay all those union-backed employees and their raises:)

Jonathan

My monthly student Bus + Rail has gone up by €9

Victor

They bought oil futures at over $100/bbl.

With the stock markets the way they are, there is a big hole in the pension fund. This is mainly the companies' responsibility, but staff have been asked to cough up also.

ixoy

Victor wrote: »

They bought oil futures at over $100/bbl.

With the stock markets the way they are, there is a big hole in the pension fund. This is mainly the companies' responsibility, but staff have been asked to cough up also.

Ah, so we [the customer] are being forced to pay for poor management betting and for the generous pensions? That's the primary reason behind the 10% increases? I'm very surprised the government let this through - aren't they allowed regulate transport increases and shouldn't they be doing precisely this in a time of recession and when trying to keep inflation low?

Chris_533976

No cos they're after revenue too. Dont forget the Irish solution to a recession is to increase prices to retain profit margins, not to reduce prices and get people using the service.

NedNew

I worked out last week that given the new price rises on the trains and Luas, it is now cheaper for me to drive to work - even taking into account the tax relief I receive for public transport and for the possible parking levy tax.

So that's exactly what I am going to do and I am sure plenty of others too. The decision to raise fares by 10% is so short-sighted and ill-thought out.

Iarnrod Eireann are only getting themselves into more financial trouble.

I live near the train and I like using it but I'm not going to pay a fortune for it.

Just by my absence alone, IE/Luas will miss close on €2000 in revenue.

fh041205

It appears to be an average increase of 10%. Some fares are almost 15% but most are around 9% from what i've seen.

alpha2zulu

In a year that will see the completion of much more of the Motorway network, IE are really shooting themselves in the foot. Thankfully the cost of motoring is coming down which gives more people an alternative.

Dont forget the Irish solution to a recession is to increase prices to retain profit margins, not to reduce prices and get people using the service.

You got it in one...It is our patriotic duty after all:p

KevR

NedNew wrote: »

I worked out last week that given the new price rises on the trains and Luas, it is now cheaper for me to drive to work - even taking into account the tax relief I receive for public transport and for the possible parking levy tax.

So that's exactly what I am going to do and I am sure plenty of others too. The decision to raise fares by 10% is so short-sighted and ill-thought out.

I have to go and work in Athlone for 5 months in the middle of next year and, while I haven't done the sums properly yet, it looks like it will be cheaper to drive rather than taking the train. Galway-Athlone-Galway train times would suit me quite well but there's no way I'll be taking the train unless it's cheaper than driving..

Victor

Of course, Irish Rail are charging a lot less than full fares with their internet fares.

godtabh

NedNew wrote: »

I worked out last week that given the new price rises on the trains and Luas, it is now cheaper for me to drive to work - even taking into account the tax relief I receive for public transport and for the possible parking levy tax.

So that's exactly what I am going to do and I am sure plenty of others too. The decision to raise fares by 10% is so short-sighted and ill-thought out.

Iarnrod Eireann are only getting themselves into more financial trouble.

I live near the train and I like using it but I'm not going to pay a fortune for it.

Just by my absence alone, IE/Luas will miss close on €2000 in revenue.

Have you factored in the cost of your time in traffic? Many people dont take this into account when compairing public transport costs to private.

Despite the price increase its still cheaper to us the train for a 40min trip compared to the same trip via the car that could take any where from an hour to two and a half hour.

It is piss poor all the same that joe public has to bail these idiots

bk

kearnsr wrote: »

Despite the price increase its still cheaper to us the train for a 40min trip compared to the same trip via the car that could take any where from an hour to two and a half hour.

Well it depends on your journey. I know that for the Cork to Dublin, it is now certainly quicker and cheaper to drive then to take the train with the new Motorways.

Victor

bk wrote: »

Well it depends on your journey. I know that for the Cork to Dublin, it is now certainly quicker and cheaper to drive then to take the train with the new Motorways.

From South Mall to IFSC?

Stark

Took me 3 hours to drive from my house in Dublin to my parents in Cork last week. Would have taken me 2 hrs 50 mins from Heuston to Kent Station and then I would have had to add on the time travelling to/from the train stations and the waiting around for the train. So yes, driving Cork-Dublin is definitely faster now with the motorways.

gally74

there's going to come a time in ireland over the next 6 months to 2 years when either this nation is going to go support union backed government and semi states or break free and remove these institutions,



the main problem with public transport in ireland is

irish rail, bus eireann and dublin bus,

untill they are gone it ill continue on,

taram

Cork-Cobh train was 5.50 for a 5 day return, no overnight returns now, and 4.15 each way, that's a horrible jump in price