Dublin Bus - Travel 90 tickets

Spleenog · 15-06-2009 9:07pm #1

Hi all,

Can anyone please explain in plain english what a Dublin Bus Travel 90 card enables you to do? I bought it under the impression that I could take 10 separate trips on Dublin bus. The 90 minutes thing has me very confused though and I can't find a proper explanation of the ticket anywhere.

Thanks

noelfirl · 15-06-2009 9:38pm

When you first validate it for a journey, it will deduct 1 of 10 journeys, but if you use it again within 90 mins of that first validation to board another bus (as many times as you want or need to) it will not deduct another journey.

It costs €18, so each journey will cost €1.80 no matter how many or how few buses you board (within 90 minutes max).

Victor · 15-06-2009 9:39pm

Before being a smart card, this was a booklet of 10 individual tickets. It suits people who make occassional trips that involve multiple changes.

Get on the bus and validate the ticket. You can get off and on as many buses as you want for the next 90 minutes, provided that you validate for the last time within the 90 minutes. You can do this 10 times.

So, you can go from Bray to the city centre on a 145 and get on a 33 and go all they way to Balbriggan, provided you get on the 33 within 90 minuts of validating on the 145.

If you are afraid the last validation is beyond the 90 minutes, ask the driver to print a statement from his ticket machine.

meanmachine3 · 15-06-2009 9:40pm

Spleenog wrote: »

Hi all,

Can anyone please explain in plain english what a Dublin Bus Travel 90 card enables you to do? I bought it under the impression that I could take 10 separate trips on Dublin bus. The 90 minutes thing has me very confused though and I can't find a proper explanation of the ticket anywhere.

Thanks

as the ticket says 90 mins, it's mainly geared towards people who have to get a number of buses. eg. a no. 41 from swords to town then say a 7 to blackrock from town. instead of paying for two journeys the 90 min rambler covers the 2 buses. what you were thinking of was probably the 10 journey ticket.
techically you could take 10 seperate trips provided they were all with in the 90 mins. lets say you vaildate your ticket @ 09.00 you have 90 mins or until 10.30 to use that ticket as often as you like, but like all tickets it's non transferable.

Spleenog · 15-06-2009 9:43pm

Oh! That's alot clearer. Thanks everyone. I thought I had let myself get ripped off there for a while. DB should make things alot clearer on their site.

Thanks again!

KC61 · 15-06-2009 9:54pm

You have 10 ninety minute periods during each of which you can take as many buses as you like as long as the last journey startswithin 90 minutes of the first.

It's also good value where the cash fare is EUR 2.20, as the average fare on the card is EUR 1.80 per 90 minute period.

Cheeble · 16-06-2009 1:00pm

I'm having the same problem understanding the Rambler Ticket:

"Valid for unlimited travel for 3 non-consecutive days"

Does that mean if I use it on a Friday, I can't use it on Saturday since they're consecutive days? If so, what's the purpose of them?

Polar101 · 16-06-2009 1:03pm

Cheeble wrote: »

I'm having the same problem understanding the Rambler Ticket:

"Valid for unlimited travel for 3 non-consecutive days"

Does that mean if I use it on a Friday, I can't use it on Saturday since they're consecutive days? If so, what's the purpose of them?

That sounds weird.. but my guess is you can use it on any 3 days, that don't have to be consecutive, but can be.

aonfocaleile · 16-06-2009 1:14pm

3 non-consecutive days means that if you use it on a Monday, it doesn't have to be used on the Tuesday and Wednesday of that week. So you could use it Monday, Tuesday, Friday or any other 3 days that suit you.

Previously, 3 day tickets and the like were only valid for three consecutive days.

Rawr · 16-06-2009 1:16pm

Cheeble wrote: »

I'm having the same problem understanding the Rambler Ticket:

"Valid for unlimited travel for 3 non-consecutive days"

Does that mean if I use it on a Friday, I can't use it on Saturday since they're consecutive days? If so, what's the purpose of them?

This one confused me too at first. It essentially means that you can use those 3 days in any order you wish before the expiry date (which is printed).

For example, you could use the ticket one day, and then save the remaining 2 days for whenever you need them.

I feel that this is a major upgrade on the classic Rambler, which had you using all of your days in a row...even if you didn't need all of them.

Alun · 16-06-2009 1:16pm

meanmachine3 wrote: »

as the ticket says 90 mins, it's mainly geared towards people who have to get a number of buses.

Not necessarily just for those people ... I live in Bray and very occasionally go into Dublin on the 145. The Travel 90 works out cheaper than the standard fare, even though I'm only using one bus to get where I'm going to and is the only realistic option for me (apart from the 30 day Rambler which is too expensive an initial outlay at €100, would be a PITA if I lost it, and would probably expire before I used it all up anyway).

IMO the whole '90 minute' moniker just serves to confuse people who just want to use it as a cheaper, more convenient standard ticket than using cash.

meanmachine3 · 16-06-2009 5:05pm

Cheeble wrote: »

I'm having the same problem understanding the Rambler Ticket:

"Valid for unlimited travel for 3 non-consecutive days"

Does that mean if I use it on a Friday, I can't use it on Saturday since they're consecutive days? If so, what's the purpose of them?

the old 3 day rambler used to be validated in the validator which showed the date from -to. the smart cards are alot handier in that they can be used to suit your travel needs.

Victor · 16-06-2009 5:08pm

Some of the old rambers were booklets with a number of individual tickets, certainly the 5-day one was.

meanmachine3 · 16-06-2009 5:10pm

Alun wrote: »

Not necessarily just for those people ... I live in Bray and very occasionally go into Dublin on the 145. The Travel 90 works out cheaper than the standard fare, even though I'm only using one bus to get where I'm going to and is the only realistic option for me (apart from the 30 day Rambler which is too expensive an initial outlay at €100, would be a PITA if I lost it, and would probably expire before I used it all up anyway).

IMO the whole '90 minute' moniker just serves to confuse people who just want to use it as a cheaper, more convenient standard ticket than using cash.

most bus drivers wouldn't have an idea of how much the rambler/ smart tickets cost.
i just used the number of buses example because there are quite alot of buses that terminate and start from the C.C. dublin bus have been trying to get people to use the pre-paid tickets rather than paying cash.

meanmachine3 · 16-06-2009 5:14pm

Victor wrote: »

Some of the old rambers were booklets with a number of individual tickets, certainly the 5-day one was.

but they were an awful nightmare and still are for those that are still lying around. they either didn't work, alot of the 90min tickets that had to be stamped in the validator came up as "expired", in alot of cases the print wouldn't appear on the ticket, i've often held to ticket upto the light to see any sort of mark. in most cases that worked ,if not i gave the passengers the benefit of the doubt and marked the ticket from that date.
T.B.H. i'll be glad to see the back of the validators.

meanmachine3 · 16-06-2009 5:21pm

when boarding the bus please hold the card against the 3 circles on the smart card reader or if swiping please do it slowly but preferable hold the ticket against the bulls eye as i call it and no where else ,not even on the part of the machine that shows the date.
if you swipe to fast " invalid read".
if you swipe aywhere else but the bulls eye nothing happens so be prepared for the driver to ask you to swipe again.
by holding on the bulls eye it speeds things up and the boarding moves smoothly.

noelfirl · 16-06-2009 6:11pm

The joy of my day yesterday being the woman trying to insert her smart card into a non-existent slot on top of the machine.

Cue driver: "Up against the white bit, love. THE WHITE BIT LOVE!"

AlekSmart · 16-06-2009 8:30pm

IMO the whole '90 minute' moniker just serves to confuse people who just want to use it as a cheaper, more convenient standard ticket than using cash.

A major contribution to Alun`s problem is the decidedly antedeluvian approach from the Dept of Transport.
The Department currently insist on any new Bus Atha Cliath "Smartcard" ticket being a direct replacement for an old Mag Card.

The Department appear somewhat miffed at Bus Atha Cliath`s decision to finally go-it-alone and roll out it`s own Smart enabled tickets rather than wait (interminably) for the eventual arrival of an "agreed" multi-operator ticket as promised by the Integrated Ticketing Task-Force.

Therefore,for the foreseeable future we will not see any of the major benefits of Electronic Contactless or RFID technology on Dublin`s Public Bus services unless,of course somebody lights a fire under Noel Dempsey and his Departmental Secretary General,who between them have managed to spend the bones of €30 Million on the Integrated Ticketing Programme over the past 5 years....all we require now is some evidence that the money actually purchased something a wee bit more user-friendly than "Consultancy and Ancilliary Services" :rolleyes:

anotherlostie · 16-06-2009 8:31pm

The things I dislike about the T90 Smart Card:
you can't use it for more than one person on the same journey
you don't know by looking at it how many trips are left

With the strip of tickets, neither was an issue.

Victor · 16-06-2009 8:38pm

anotherlostie wrote: »

you can't use it for more than one person on the same journey

Yes, this is a disadvantage over the booklets.

you don't know by looking at it how many trips are left

Agreed, but everytime you use it, the machine will tell you the current staus of the card. You can also ask the driver to give you a statement.

MOH · 08-07-2009 8:28am

DOes anyone know where you can get Travel 90 tickets and how much they currently are?

Unless I'm being stupid, this information isn't available on the DB website?

Alun · 08-07-2009 8:48am

MOH wrote: »

DOes anyone know where you can get Travel 90 tickets and how much they currently are?

Unless I'm being stupid, this information isn't available on the DB website?

You're being stupid

http://www.dublinbus.ie/Fares--Tickets/Tickets/

http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Fares--Tickets/Ticket-Agents/

KC61 · 08-07-2009 10:12am

MOH wrote: »

DOes anyone know where you can get Travel 90 tickets and how much they currently are?

Unless I'm being stupid, this information isn't available on the DB website?

The cost is EUR 18 and they are available online from the DB website (click the link below) or from any DB ticket agent.

http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Fares--Tickets/Tickets/2-Journey-Daily-Weekly/

MOH · 08-07-2009 10:55am

Alun wrote: »

You're being stupid

http://www.dublinbus.ie/Fares--Tickets/Tickets/

http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Fares--Tickets/Ticket-Agents/

Yes I am

- but Travel 90 aren't listed on that first link.
And the ticket agents page says "Most Dublin Bus Prepaid Tickets can be bought at the locations listed below." which still doesn't tell me for sure if I can buy a Travel 90 there or not.

KC61 wrote: »

The cost is EUR 18 and they are available online from the DB website (click the link below) or from any DB ticket agent.

http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Fares--Tickets/Tickets/2-Journey-Daily-Weekly/

Thanks for that.