Irish Rail and bicycles

Manchegan

It's no longer possible to book a place for a bike online or over the phone for Intercity trains. The ticket needs to be booked on a "first-come, first-served" basis at the ticket desk.

It's no longer possible to plan ahead for a journey, as you don't know what train you'll be on. Your return journey can be delayed for however long, especially at high season, until there's a space for your bike. You can't avail of online, early discounts.

This is a shambles.

Doctor Bob

Manchegan wrote: »

This is a shambles.

Agreed. A colleague noticed it the other day too (at the same time, it was noticed that they'd also changed the times when bikes are permitted on the DART).

Have you contacted Irish Rail? Any response? If I hear anything further I'll let you know.

07Lapierre

Put the bike in a bikebox and carry it on the train as "luggage" ?
(Never tried this...just a suggestion)

Darkglasses

07Lapierre wrote: »

Put the bike in a bikebox and carry it on the train as "luggage" ?
(Never tried this...just a suggestion)

Question is where you put the box once you arrive and want to start cycling!

07Lapierre

Darkglasses wrote: »

Question is where you put the box once you arrive and want to start cycling!

Sounds like a job for the Internet....Just tell us where your Start and destination is and when you'll be there. Then all you need is someone looking to come back in the opposite direction who needs a bike box.

Or, if its a cardbord Box, just bin it.

Manchegan

Doctor Bob wrote: »

Have you contacted Irish Rail? Any response?

Yes. Their response is

"Apologies, maintenance work re this online facility being carried out, hope to have resolved soon. Can book bikes at station."

Doctor Bob

Manchegan wrote: »

"Apologies, maintenance work re this online facility being carried out, hope to have resolved soon. Can book bikes at station."

Cheers. Sounds temporary, hopefully. It'd be a pity if this weren't resolved before tourist season picks up.

Manchegan

Apparently we have increased fares, by a third, when it's reintroduced. Getting to be less expensive having a bike at each destination.

Straatvark

Manchegan wrote: »

Yes. Their response is

"Apologies, maintenance work re this online facility being carried out, hope to have resolved soon. Can book bikes at station."

Hi I plan to use Irish rail for the first time, so a question: Does someone know how far in advance can I book a ticket/bike at the station? (e.g. a day or two beforehand or the morning for a evening train?)

Thanks in advance, g

rurs

Straatvark wrote: »

Hi I plan to use Irish rail for the first time, so a question: Does someone know how far in advance can I book a ticket/bike at the station? (e.g. a day or two beforehand or the morning for a evening train?)

Thanks in advance, g

I was told that booking in advance at the station can only be done an hour or so beforehand, as they don't always know what sort of train will be used, ie how many bike spaces are available.

I had booked tickets online, they said they'd do their best to get me on, but basically it was first come first served.

Probably best to check with the station you're leaving from, they might have some idea of how many spaces are likely to be available at the time you want to travel.

smacl

rurs wrote: »

I had booked tickets online, they said they'd do their best to get me on, but basically it was first come first served.

I've had the same response, but if you're not starting at a terminal station, there are no guarantees, however early you turn up. So if you roll up to the station, and there's no space available, it's sorry, try again next time (which may well be tomorrow). They seem to be following a service model more suitable to regular urban buses than trains that may only go 2-3 times a day. A long distance travel service that you cannot plan to use is worthless.

This is a shambles.

Yup, totally beggars belief.

Straatvark

Some feedback:

I phoned Friday morning and were told ticket need to be baught on the day at the departure station, but can be done in the morning for an evening train.

So used the motorbike after work to go and buy ticket to Sligo. Were told there would be hooks to hang the bike in every second carriage. Rushed back home, grab stuff and timetrailed back into the City. Made it by seconds and simply jumped into the 3de carriage. No hooks - walked to the one end and were told by the friendly food lady this is the head and i must go back to the tail where an specific area for all bikes are. Trains start to move to much and just took the front wheel out and placed it in one of the doorways. Friendly ticket checker had no problems with that and told me not to worry when i offered to move it to correct place at the first stop.


Baught a ticket back in Portadown tonight. Bikes is free if you buy the ticket in NI... Friendly staff offered to place my bike in correct place (head of the train this time) train when it arrive and i could go and stand at correct place to take my seat. By pure luck i was interviewed on the train by a company that do research on customer service for Irish rail - so let them know about the risk of not able to book ticket online in advance.

I'm probably treated more like a tourist with my SA accent, but my experience was very pleasant and will definately use the trains again.

The 3 bikes per train is nonsence if you see the size of the bike compartment...

Manchegan

The latest on this, from @irishrail, is that they hope to have it resolved by end of summer.

Talking to the information desk at Heuston, they say their reservation system can't cope with the fact that someone booking a place for their bicycle is likely to also want a seat for themselves...

smacl

Manchegan wrote: »

Talking to the information desk at Heuston, they say their reservation system can't cope with the fact that someone booking a place for their bicycle is likely to also want a seat for themselves...

Nice to know the people that developed PPARS are doubtless still finding gainful employment in the public sector

Qualitymark

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFtvHLoYz1s

rflynnr

Worth mentioning that a folding bike in a bag still counts as "ordinary" luggage and requires neither a ticket nor any advance booking. Obviously this isn't much use if you want to go touring though. I used to do a lot of cycle touring in Ireland but in recent years, due largely to the uncertainty brought about by new regs and rolling stock on Irish Rail I've gone abroad. It's literally easier to bring a bike to Wales than Killarney.

Captain Havoc

I'm still shocked by the amount of space taken up to park two bikes on a train. The other thing people may not be aware of is there's bicycles hooks in a locker beside the toilets (on newer trains).

tomasrojo

rflynnr wrote: »

Worth mentioning that a folding bike in a bag still counts as "ordinary" luggage and requires neither a ticket nor any advance booking. Obviously this isn't much use if you want to go touring though.

People do tour on Bromptons, but I've no idea how practical it is. The manufacturers were surprised that people started touring on them anyway. David Henshaw's book Brompton Bicycle mentions a couple that crossed Switzerland's Furka Pass on Bromptons with standard six-speed gearing. They described the experience as "hard".

Manchegan

Manchegan wrote: »

It's no longer possible to book a place for a bike online or over the phone for Intercity trains. The ticket needs to be booked on a "first-come, first-served" basis at the ticket desk.

I see from the Irish Rail website that reserving a place for a bicycle is possible again. Good work @IrishRail. The new prices, not so good.

Darkglasses

Manchegan wrote: »

I see from the Irish Rail website that reserving a place for a bicycle is possible again. Good work @IrishRail. The new prices, not so good.

Although at the moment I can't reserve any ticket from Wexford to Dublin

el Bastardo

€12 return Cork-Dublin return is cheaper than it used to be for a bike (when I couldn't book it online). Wouldn't mind but the ticket lads don't seem to take any notice of the bike ticket (Something tells me that bike transport could be optionally 'free' ).

CramCycle

el Bastardo wrote: »

€12 return Cork-Dublin return is cheaper than it used to be for a bike (when I couldn't book it online). Wouldn't mind but the ticket lads don't seem to take any notice of the bike ticket (Something tells me that bike transport could be optionally 'free' ).

I haven't paid for my bike the last two times I used it, once on the Sligo route and once to Wexford, the guy at the ticket desk seen me in the lycra and didn't seem to care. There was space for two bikes going to Wexford but there was at least 6 at one stage as tourists hopped the last stage to Rosslare. On the way to Sligo I seen the new holds beside the toilets, should hold most sizes. That said some of the prepay rates are great at the minute but don't last long.

Not saying you should risk it BTW.

bk

el Bastardo wrote: »

€12 return Cork-Dublin return is cheaper than it used to be for a bike (when I couldn't book it online). Wouldn't mind but the ticket lads don't seem to take any notice of the bike ticket (Something tells me that bike transport could be optionally 'free' ).

If you are going to Cork, the new Aircoach service takes bikes for free.

Aircoach costs only €18 return if booked online and takes 3 hours!!

Hard to believe that Irish Rails charge for the bike is almost the same as Aircoach is for a person!!

rurs

Manchegan wrote: »

I see from the Irish Rail website that reserving a place for a bicycle is possible again. Good work @IrishRail. The new prices, not so good.

Where's that option, I don't see it? I thought they'd reduced the prices. We took two bikes from Connolly to Mullingar last week, €4 per bike each way, it used to be €6 per journey.

bk wrote: »

If you are going to Cork, the new Aircoach service takes bikes for free.

Aircoach costs only €18 return if booked online and takes 3 hours!!

Hard to believe that Irish Rails charge for the bike is almost the same as Aircoach is for a person!!

I've done that too, last year. Problem is, there's no guarantee you'll get the bike on, especially in Dublin CC, if the bus has come from the airport. I had to rearrange half the luggage that was there in order to squeeze the bike on. The driver wouldn't let me open the road side hatches. I doubt two bikes would fit.

It was easier from the quays in Cork, as it's the terminus. No doubting the value though, and it's a comfortable journey.

smacl

Darkglasses wrote: »

Although at the moment I can't reserve any ticket from Wexford to Dublin

Great excuse to cycle it instead, and use the money saved for a slap up meal and / or beers.

woodseb

Manchegan wrote: »

I see from the Irish Rail website that reserving a place for a bicycle is possible again. Good work @IrishRail. The new prices, not so good.

it is great option alright, but the last time i did it, it reserved me a seat a one end of the train when the bike racks were at the other

086Jazzy

Sorry guy's looking for some advice. travelling on the westport train this weekend with my bike for the first time. I'm having visions of getting on the train and walking up and down trying to find the bike storage area and landing head over heels on top of some old dear as the train journey's on. So, can anybody advise where exactly i can find this bike storage area or is there one in each carriage? any help would be appreciated.

buffalo

086Jazzy wrote: »

Sorry guy's looking for some advice. travelling on the westport train this weekend with my bike for the first time. I'm having visions of getting on the train and walking up and down trying to find the bike storage area and landing head over heels on top of some old dear as the train journey's on. So, can anybody advise where exactly i can find this bike storage area or is there one in each carriage? any help would be appreciated.

When I was heading to Killarney, it was a separate carriage at the rear end of the train. Ask any member of staff, I'm sure they can point you in the right direction.

monument

086Jazzy wrote: »

Sorry guy's looking for some advice. travelling on the westport train this weekend with my bike for the first time. I'm having visions of getting on the train and walking up and down trying to find the bike storage area and landing head over heels on top of some old dear as the train journey's on. So, can anybody advise where exactly i can find this bike storage area or is there one in each carriage? any help would be appreciated.

On the Westport train it's normally on one end of the train, next to the driver's cab.

If the train has a dining car / first class, then it will be on the opposite end of the train.

If there are two three-car trains attached together (two driver cabs pointed at each other in the middle of the train), then there should be two locations with bike racks. In this case sometimes the bike racks are located at both ends and sometimes one is in the middle of the train.