Irish Rail Open Return Tickets

mydiscworld

Irish Rail have introduced the Open Return ticket, valid for 30 days.

If booking online, however, you must choose the date and time of your return journey.

Will you be held to this return date and time, or if you cannot make that specific one but have the open return ticket, will that suffice?

Surely the whole point of an open return is you can return anytime within 30 days. Or will IR argue that you get a cheaper ticket online, so must stick to that exact return train, regardlesss of having an open return ticket.

markpb

mydiscworld wrote: »

Or will IR argue that you get a cheaper ticket online, so must stick to that exact return train, regardlesss of having an open return ticket.

This, I suspect.

foggy_lad

mydiscworld wrote: »

Irish Rail have introduced the Open Return ticket, valid for 30 days.

If booking online, however, you must choose the date and time of your return journey.

Will you be held to this return date and time, or if you cannot make that specific one but have the open return ticket, will that suffice?

Surely the whole point of an open return is you can return anytime within 30 days. Or will IR argue that you get a cheaper ticket online, so must stick to that exact return train, regardlesss of having an open return ticket.

If you want the discounted rate you must stick to the train you chose at time of booking otherwise you should pay the full fare and have the convenience of an open return!

I can see Irish rail becoming even more strict with this in an attempt to make more from their Revenue Procurement Unit. Too many people are let off without even having to pay an admin charge when they ask to change the time of their prebooked cheap tickets.

mickydoomsux

mydiscworld wrote: »

Or will IR argue that you get a cheaper ticket online, so must stick to that exact return train, regardlesss of having an open return ticket.

Correct. You'll be surcharged up to the equivalent booking office open return if there is a price difference.

lil5

It shouldn't be advertised as 'open return' so, rather renamed a discounted return ticket.

mickydoomsux

lil5 wrote: »

It shouldn't be advertised as 'open return' so, rather renamed a discounted return ticket.

The online returns aren't advertised as an open return. They consist of two journeys on particular services. Not at all open :P

I even think the "open return" i sell at the booking office should just be called a monthly return. One month is not "open". Either that or make them truly open (within like a year or two or something just to have a theoretical time limit).

Victor

mickydoomsux wrote: »

I even think the "open return" i sell at the booking office should just be called a monthly return. One month is not "open".

The name was changed to avoid confusion between monthly commuter tickets and monthly return tickets.

mickydoomsux

Victor wrote: »

The name was changed to avoid confusion between monthly commuter tickets and monthly return tickets.

In the company we generally refer to the monthly commuter as a monthly season because the words "season ticket" are printed on them

Victor

mickydoomsux wrote: »

In the company we generally refer to the monthly commuter as a monthly season because the words "season ticket" are printed on them

Sure, but for Joe Bloggs, there wss occasional confusion.

Zoney

It's usually a matter of some small amount, e.g. €4, €6 to get an adjusted ticket for a later return service than the one you booked online.

Although I presume the service you planned to get sails on with your name over a seat!