Bus Station

The Bus Eireann bus station is absolute disgrace! There are no adequate timetabling; a tiny map with even smaller writing high up on the wall meaning you have to squint just to see what route you should be taking.

At which point you have to try and figure out what times there are, so you look at the board- it has stickers posted over it, times crossed out and just is absolutely ridiculous and extremely hard to find.

You could go and ask the people working there, but if they are not there then you are screwed. I have tried numerous times to find timetables to places that aren't Dublin, or Airports, or even Spiddal, and could not find any whatsoever.

There are no adequate seating areas anywhere. Nor are there anywhere to queue.

As I said, the station is an absolute disgrace, especially when it is the way in and out of Galway for thousands each year.

snubbleste

Why don't you let them know?
Send them a courteous letter

I do intend to. I'm just curious to see if any one else feels the same as me.

Nuggles

It's a row of buses. 7 and a half stops. It's not that difficult to figure it out.

Also, for timetable, the website is normally grand.

jkforde

Is the phrase "Bus Eireann bus station" a sad oxymoronic joke since all it is is a parking area and a general free for all. I've used better bus stations in so called third world states.

Ah ya, but sure, isn't it grand... sure, what more would us Oirish need wha?

brianthebard

Nuggles wrote: »

It's a row of buses. 7 and a half stops. It's not that difficult to figure it out.

Also, for timetable, the website is normally grand.

A bit rich. I dutifully stood at the appropriate bus stop on more than one occasion only to overhear or have to ask when the bus is arriving and be told its at a different stop that doesn't have sligo on its list at all. And now its leaving at a different time. Besides all that, it wouldn't be as bad if there was room to move but the 1metre strip of footpath beside the stops is always crowded with fellow travellers, making it difficult to just frolic up and down looking at the bus names.

moonlight06

The last time i was at the station, the boot door of a bus hit some unsuspecting tourist, luckily he was ok. Ridiculous

Maja

brokenlaptop wrote: »

The Bus Eireann bus station is absolute disgrace!

-not only bus station is absolute disgrace- service itself is a disgrace too! No timetables on bus stops, they go as they want (from Eyre square - 3 minutes to early, or 10 minutes to late)), once I took bus number 3 to go to Liosban and driver turned at first roundabout to Eye cinema direction and then turned to Mervue!!! When I asked what was he doing, he said he goes to Briarhill and he will get there!! I was shocked and I said I need to be in Liosban in 5 minutes, then he said I can get off on his way back!!! (traffic was horrible)
Disaster!!! Sorry ,but this is the worst bus service I was ever using ( I used to live in Poland, Sweden, Germany) and I hope I will pass my driving license tests soon and I wont have to use it anymore!

dilallio

I went in there last year looking for a city bus timetable.
I was flabbergasted when the lady said "Sure I don't think we have those here". She couldn't tell me where to go either.
I perservered, and eventually got one, but the expiry date was 2007!
It's like watching an episode of Kilnascully.

Nuggles

I have a car.

It's fantastic.

Maja

Nuggles wrote: »

I have a car.

It's fantastic.

Wow -amazing, but imagine every single person using car to go anywhere - it wont be that nice and convenient soon...

Diabhal Beag

Ever notice the same people are always at the steps of the bus station? The guy with the beard is noticeable from a mile away.

For a town the size of Galway it's a bit of an inadequate station tbf.

I thought I heard recently though that they are giving it a complete makeover? I may have dreamt this

danh789

moonlight06 wrote: »

The last time i was at the station, the boot door of a bus hit some unsuspecting tourist, luckily he was ok. Ridiculous

lol

brianthebard

brianthebard wrote: »

A bit rich. I dutifully stood at the appropriate bus stop on more than one occasion only to overhear or have to ask when the bus is arriving and be told its at a different stop that doesn't have sligo on its list at all. And now its leaving at a different time. Besides all that, it wouldn't be as bad if there was room to move but the 1metre strip of footpath beside the stops is always crowded with fellow travellers, making it difficult to just frolic up and down looking at the bus names.

Same thing happened to me earlier actually. I had popped into the ticket desk and asked where the bus would be departing from, and told it would be from stop 4 or 5. So I sit down and patiently read my bus. Two minutes 'til the bus was due to depart, those stops were empty, yet there was a bus in stop 6 - the driver had not changed the sign from "Galway" so I nearly missed the bus.

It was lucky that I asked where the bus was going.

jkforde

There is a Transport21 redevelopment project but we'll all be going :rolleyes: before that gets going I reckon

anyhow, this might interest... galwayredevelopment@cie.ie

Mrs OBumble

rarnes1 wrote: »

For a town the size of Galway it's a bit of an inadequate station tbf.

I thought I heard recently though that they are giving it a complete makeover? I may have dreamt this

No, you weren't dreaming: the Ceannt Station redevelopment plan includes a very flash station for Bus Éireann. (Don't even begin to ask why we don't have one bus station for all companies, or what the timeframe for actually building this is.)

I'd imagine that it, plus the now removed oil-tanks, are the reason for not making any interim improvements to the existing bus station for the last however-many years.

Re timetable information, the best bet is to go to one of the nearby internet cafes and look up their website. Or there is free wi-fi in the small cafe there if you have a device.

Re waiting areas, there actually is a (small) waiting room right inside the railway station part. Hopeless in terms of seeing what buses are coming and getting to the stop quickly, but at least warm(ish) if you have to wait there for a while.

Apart from that, may I recommend the private coach station, which is just a short five minute walk away.

Mr Keek

....the only good about the place is the fact that they serve beer really early in the morning, was a great spot when you were out on the lash, fall out out of a house party and into the bus station for a can while waiting for O'Connells to open for a full Irish.

At least this was the case 4 yrs ago during my college days! They still doing that?

RolandIRL

rarely go on Bus Eireann, Feda is much better. but the one time i did go on CIE, i was waiting at Stop 3/4 for sligo, and was told by the bus driver there 3 mins before departure, that bus is at stop 7. fecking disgrace, that they wouldn't keep the same bus there. they swapped ballina for sligo for some reason!

another thing is that they don't open the buses until 4/5 mins before departure so you're delayed about 10 mins until everyone's aboard. and all the time the buses are just sitting there in the stop for ages beforehand. CIE would want to cop on.

Speedy Fedy FTW!

ethernet

On Limerick bus.

• Tourist: "Are you going to Shannon Airport?"
  
• Driver: "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not".
  
• Tourist: (puzzled; walks on)

Placebo Effect

Agreed, it's an absolute disgrace, employees couldn't give a ****e, typical semi state incompetence.

And the prices, 27.50 adult return to Westport.

wtf

Maja

ethernet wrote: »

On Limerick bus.

• Tourist: "Are you going to Shannon Airport?"
  
• Driver: "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not".
  
• Tourist: (puzzled; walks on)

-charming, I think I meet him too! I asked the same question and he shouted at me "cant you whats in the front???" -and there was Limerick? I think. How the hell do I know if bus to Limerick or somewhere stops at Shannon Airport! This is mental. It's the same like it was in Poland 20 years ago during communism. Everythink was public and nobody was intrested in beeing nice for customers - because -whats the difference -there was no choice anyway! But now, here, thankfully there is choice -and I think all Eirean buses will end up empty soon!

CIE pdf of plans for redevelopment of station (6mb).
http://www.cie.ie/projects/open_days_boards.pdf
See page 12 of 36 for some images of the proposed improvements.

I imagine it is on the long finger at the moment as it was dependent on central government and developer funding.

Captain Darling

I think that train/bus station has been there for the last 150 years, no surpise that its sh1te.

Hopefully the new development doesnt get strangled with the current economic climate.

Xiney

I hate Bus Eireann with a passion burning in every fibre of my being.

brianthebard

Placebo Effect wrote: »

Agreed, it's an absolute disgrace, employees couldn't give a ****e, typical semi state incompetence.

I've always found the service to be found and if you ask anyone outside they'll tell you what bus is going from where. You shouldn't have to ask though.

Xiney

brianthebard wrote: »

I've always found the service to be found and if you ask anyone outside they'll tell you what bus is going from where. You shouldn't have to ask though.

I don't mind asking - I mind that if I ask two different people I get two different answers.

Sherifu

Nuggles wrote: »

I have a car.

It's fantastic.

civis_liberalis

Placebo Effect wrote: »

And the prices, 27.50 adult return to Westport.

wtf

It costs me €20.70 for a return ticket covering a distance of just under 30 miles.

terlywerly

I think the Galway bus station is probably right up there with the worst bus stations I've ever had the misfortune to use. Such a mess. So badly organised. I was looking for the Sligo bus as well, going to visit friends and was told it was at stop 6. 3 minutes till the bus was leaving and I see a bus at the very top of the queue. With Galway as destination. Went up to ask the driver if it was the Sligo bus and he turns around to me and says 'It says Sligo on the front, I saw you looking at it, why are you asking me'. When I pointed out that in fact it said Galway he just shrugs his shoulder and says 'Have you a ticket'. So rude. I complained about him, not that it went anywhere... I always feel so claustrophobic when I'm at that bus station, and in fairness a lot of tourists come through Galway, the very least they could do is improve their signage and try and give accurate information at the ticket office :mad:
I really hate the Galway station.
Sorry, rant over now. Feel much better

Xiney

terlywerly wrote: »

I complained about him, not that it went anywhere...

Did you send the complaint in writing? I wrote a letter to Bus Eireann about something that happened on the city bus service and I got a written apology back.

terlywerly

Xiney wrote: »

Did you send the complaint in writing? I wrote a letter to Bus Eireann about something that happened on the city bus service and I got a written apology back.

I know I definitely said it to a member of staff in the Sligo station when I got there, and I'm 99% sure I sent an email, but no, I didn't physically write. Maybe I should have.
Its a while back now, but at the time it annoyed me so much. And they do have a terrible bus station. As bad as it is for English speaking users, I feel very bad for tourists who may not have as great a handle on it as they may need in confusion like that. Galway is a nice place and all (milkshake bar being a great draw ) but using that terrible station put me off. And such a long journey too with all the stops. I used another bus coming back (Feda something) and found it grand but busy, a lot of students on it.

inisboffin

I nearly died of shock last week when we met the nicest of bus drivers (Mayo man) on the bus from Westport. We had great craic on the bus as we had to take a detour via Ballintubber and the back roads due to an accident. Someone guided him on their iphone. He couldn't get through to his inspector, who would have told him to go back and out again via Castlebar, but he opted for the adventure!

civis_liberalis

Sort of relevant to this thread, a piece from today's Galway Advertiser.

I'd be surprised if JustMary hasn't posted about this already somewhere Apologies if so.