Train service from Heuston to KK ?

englander

About 6 month ago there was a piece in the KK People about how (I think - John McGuinness ?) had single handedly secured an extra evening train service from Heuston to KK.

The 17:35 from Dublin to Carlow was supposed to continue onto KK (and then w/ford).

This does not appear to be happening now - looking at the new irish rail timetable starting in a week or so.

Any news/info on what happened and why no service as promised ?

(I was kind of depending on this new service and will severley inconvenience and cost me - child minding etc)

road_high

englander wrote: »

About 6 month ago there was a piece in the KK People about how (I think - John McGuinness ?) had single handedly secured an extra evening train service from Heuston to KK.

The 17:35 from Dublin to Carlow was supposed to continue onto KK (and then w/ford).

This does not appear to be happening now - looking at the new irish rail timetable starting in a week or so.

Any news/info on what happened and why no service as promised ?

(I was kind of depending on this new service and will severley inconvenience and cost me - child minding etc)

I remember that too, John taking credit once again for something he had nothing to do with . I heard nothing as regards this service since.
Hopefully when the M9 opens a direct bus will start running on the motorway and Irish Rail will have to compete. I mean their times are pathetic; I have an old timetable from the earlt '90s at home and guess what; the travel times to Heuston are far quicker than today! The quickest back then was around 1 and half hours!! And that was before all new track, signalling and rolling stock. I just never bother now with rail. I could get nearly a full tank of diesel in the car for the price of a ticket and not be tied to their rigid times and shoddy service.

But to answer your question, I just don't have an answer. perhaps try ringing thr=em yourself?

Cabaal

The train service from Kilkenny is a joke and nuts expensive, I hope they get some competition from bus's when the motorway opens up

brettmirl

What are the chances the bus' will take the new motorway route though? Bet you the Bus eireann ones wont anyway.

The train prices online aren't bad, once you travel off-peak, but I wouldn't like to have to rely on them on a regular basis.

Here's a link to the new timetable btw - http://www.irishrail.ie/your_journey/printed_timetable_pdfs/2010/Dublin%20Waterford%2010.pdf

DerryRed

I've stopped using the train due to the cost. I can get the bus for half the price (with JJ Kavanagh) and it drops me right in the city centre as well.

Captain Havoc

I can't comment here because I have a pasionate hatred of public transport in this country. Of the four countries I've lived in this is well worse than the others.

The big writting means I'm angry! grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Lord ButterSlip

jerseyeire wrote: »

I have a pasionate hatred of public transport in this country.

With an Atttitude like that and your abismal knowlage of train timetables WE NEED YOU! at Irish Rail today.

road_high

I used to use it before. But I stopped gradually as the roads improved i.e. Naas dual carriageway is a joy now.
Another reason, and forgive me if I sound snobbish; how shall I phrase this; the type of people you are forced into close contact on the train (on the bus you don't really notice as people tend to be quite!) are often members of society with whom I would never be in such close contact otherwise. For instantance rougher Dublin elements coming down to KK for boozy weekends etc. I don't really want to hear about "Sharons" sex life but on the train you have no chance. Car is so much more civilised

gunner11

the thing that gets my goat goin about trains is the seating arrangement. why are the pairs of seats directly facing each other, hate having strangers gawking in my general direction (unless its a cute chick!:D)

Firetrap

+1
At least the trains have tables on them to be some sort of barrier. Try sitting on those commuter trains that have no tables - you end up rubbing knees with random strangers :eek:

Captain Havoc

Lord ButterSlip wrote: »

With an Atttitude like that and your abismal knowlage of train timetables WE NEED YOU! at Irish Rail today.

From travelling regularly on public transport I know the train timetables, I wouldn't be so knowledgable on private bus services though. I do a lot of cycling events around the country and with the exception of those that start in Dublin, I'm regularly cycling 30-100kms the day before the event just to get to them, I usually manage to hitch a lift to a station at the event.

I have no idea where you thought I have an abismal knowledge of train timetables from.

Lord ButterSlip

No no i didnt mean it like that:o I was trying (and obviously failing) to take the mick out of some of the employies of irish rail whos average response to questions is to get annoid and just look at the timetable.

Captain Havoc

Lord ButterSlip wrote: »

No no i didnt mean it like that:o I was trying (and obviously failing) to take the mick out of some of the employies of irish rail whos average response to questions is to get annoid and just look at the timetable.

Ah, OK, when you read it like that, good effort :rolleyes: . Next time use a sarcastic rolling eyes though

Just another on that, I wrote an email to Iarnród Éireann there two weeks ago enquiring about an annual ticket, which will cost me €2,400 odd. Do you think anyone wrote back? Recession obviously hasn't hit them hard enough.

Lord ButterSlip

I got a bit of start there because i reread my post and thought oh dear...

Also id imagine that they make the €2400 back every day on selling kitkats so they could turn away business all day long in fact they employ a person specially for it:D

fabbydabby

Day Return Trip to Dublin:

By car:
Total cost (including fuel, parking, Luas from Red Cow to city centre): €20

Advantages include your own tunes, climate control and a distinct lack of all the vile personages cited below.


By Rail:
Total cost (including obnoxious D4 students on their iPhones, overweight people overlapping you, kids screaming for the zoo, alcoholics, knick knacks trying out all their latest Jamster ring tones and possibly (but not guaranteed) a seat: €20

Advantages include the capacity to drink alcohol to reduce your awareness of your surroundings.

Quod Erat Demonstrandum

Cabaal

fabbydabby wrote: »

Day Return Trip to Dublin:

By car:
Total cost (including fuel, parking, Luas from Red Cow to city centre): €20

Advantages include your own tunes, climate control and a distinct lack of all the vile personages cited below.

With car costs add on insurance and tax as this is a factor for running the car full stop,

fabbydabby

It is a factor only if one is deciding whether or not to buy a car or to stick with the train.

I already have a car so tax / insurance / car loan / servicing / depreciation is not a factor in my decision to drive to Dublin over taking the train as these things are being paid for regardless of whether I drive it on any given day or not.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunk_costs

Captain Havoc

It's only €20 if you leave on certain trains. I paid the robbing bastards €43 two weeks ago for the bike and myself.

jiggajt

brettmirl wrote: »

Here's a link to the new timetable btw - http://www.irishrail.ie/your_journey/printed_timetable_pdfs/2010/Dublin%20Waterford%2010.pdf

Why in Gods name have they added an express service leaving Waterford at 7.10 and stopping in Carlow ONLY! How long will that last!

road_high

jiggajt wrote: »

Why in Gods name have they added an express service leaving Waterford at 7.10 and stopping in Carlow ONLY! How long will that last!

I think there is/was demand in Waterford for a service that does not have to reverse in/out of KK station like all the others. The design of the track in Kilkenny ia all wrong for the current set up; 'til the 1960s train ran right through KK station to Portlaoise; the Maryborough-Waterford line it was called. It adds up to 15 mins to their journey so that's the reasoning.

Doesn't bother me, I leave the train to the pensioners mainly . Do many people commute from KK to Dublin on the train?

JohnMc1

mfitzy wrote: »

I think there is/was demand in Waterford for a service that does not have to reverse in/out of KK station like all the others. The design of the track in Kilkenny ia all wrong for the current set up; 'til the 1960s train ran right through KK station to Portlaoise; the Maryborough-Waterford line it was called. It adds up to 15 mins to their journey so that's the reasoning.

Doesn't bother me, I leave the train to the pensioners mainly . Do many people commute from KK to Dublin on the train?

I only do because Mom has a travel with companion pass. Otherwise I take the bus.

road_high

The bus is ridiculously slow though as well. I mean, it still goes into Kilcullen and Naas, both of which were bypassed years ago.
Is there a particulare reason why most of thewm still go via Athy/Comer when the other road is far better since Carlow was bypassed by the M9.
And this set up will make no sense whatsoever next year when the M9 is all the way to Kilkenny. They will have to send some of the buses that way or else they are going to be woefully outpaced.

Back to the train, reading on the Nationalist last week, there is uproar in Carlow over the so-called "new" 8.00 am service to Heuston. Apparently it is just a splitting in two of the already existing 8.50 service (think that is the 8.20 ish from KK as well) and has resulted in many people having to stand from Carlow...for a whole hour or more. Give me the car anyday!

zootroid

I have had to get the train to Dublin twice within the last 2 weeks for interviews / registering with recruitment agencies. €32 euro day return is nothing short of an absolute rip-off. And after all the money spent on the new carriages, it still takes almost 2 hours to get there.

Public transport in this country is a joke, very expensive and poor service (trains are simply too slow). Can't wait to start driving again.

littletiger

mfitzy wrote: »

Hopefully when the M9 opens a direct bus will start running on the motorway and Irish Rail will have to compete.

I asked JJ Kavananagh via their facebook page if they would consider runnning a direct bus from Waterford via Kilkenny to Dublin on the M9. They said they would consider it. I guess if there were more enquiries they might be inclined to do it.

JohnMc1

littletiger wrote: »

mfitzy wrote: »

Hopefully when the M9 opens a direct bus will start running on the motorway and Irish Rail will have to compete.

I asked JJ Kavananagh via their facebook page if they would consider runnning a direct bus from Waterford via Kilkenny to Dublin on the M9. They said they would consider it. I guess if there were more enquiries they might be inclined to do it.

Thanks for sharing that. If more buses started running from Kilkenny then Irish Rail would have to improve their service.

fabbydabby

No they'd just say 'but we can't compete with busses, which people seem to prefer anyway' and cut it further.

Our man in Havana

jiggajt wrote: »

Why in Gods name have they added an express service leaving Waterford at 7.10 and stopping in Carlow ONLY! How long will that last!

As long as the Lavistown loop stays working.

road_high

littletiger wrote: »

mfitzy wrote: »

Hopefully when the M9 opens a direct bus will start running on the motorway and Irish Rail will have to compete.

I asked JJ Kavananagh via their facebook page if they would consider runnning a direct bus from Waterford via Kilkenny to Dublin on the M9. They said they would consider it. I guess if there were more enquiries they might be inclined to do it.

Very good, well done for being on the ball there
They should run with it,makes total sense and the time would be cut in half.