Citylink Launching Galway to Cork Express (Via Limerick)

devnull

I saw someone ask for this on the board a few weeks ago and just read it's starting up soon so I hope this is useful for a few people.

Just posting a link as per boards copyright rules:
http://www.businessandleadership.com/business/item/35429-irish-citylink-launches-new/

mydiscworld

“The total travelling time between Galway and Cork will be two hours and 50 minutes, which is 25 minutes quicker than other existing coach services. Furthermore, the travelling time between Cork and Limerick will be 1 hour and 30 minutes, which will be of particular benefit to those making daily commutes between the two cities.”

Surprised it could do Galway to Cork in under 3 hours

Mrs OBumble

Here's their media release - since it was sent out as a release, I'm sure that it's ok to publish it in full here:


MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release



First Galway To Cork Express Coach Service Announced

- Irish Citylink carries 420,000 passengers (Jan-May ‘12), 15% increase on 2011



Galway-based Irish Citylink, one of Ireland's largest independent Coach Operators, today (Tuesday, 5 June 2012) announced the creation of the first ever express coach service between Cork and Galway.



The new route, due to launch on 18 June, will provide the fastest travelling times between the cities and will feature early morning and late evening services. The Express route will operate six times daily and also will serve Limerick City and Cork Airport.



The company confirmed it also has upgraded its fleet of luxury coaches to be used on the route, uniquely providing passengers with free Wi-Fi, onboard toilet facilities, air conditioning and extra legroom on all express services.



According to David Conway, Business Operations Manager, Irish Citylink: “Our daily early morning and late evening services, which are currently not being offered by any other operator, will be of particular benefit to people travelling to work, college or medical appointments.”



“The total travelling time between Galway and Cork will be 2 hours and 50 minutes, which is significantly quicker (25 minutes) than other existing coach services. Furthermore, the travelling time between Cork and Limerick will be 1 hour and 30 minutes, which will be of particular benefit to those making daily commutes between the two cities, he added.



Irish Citylink also announced today that it carried 330,000 passengers during the first five months of 2012, representing a 15% increase on the numbers carried during the same period last year. The company said the increase in the numbers opting to travel by coach was a key factor in its decision to launch the new express service.



Mr. Conway explained that the curtailment of domestic air services and the rising cost of petrol and diesel have contributed to an increase in the numbers using Citylink services. He continued: “Customers are increasingly turning to our services as we offer a viable alternative to private car and rail transport. Furthermore, the company’s services many large towns and villages that are located away from the country’s rail network, therefore providing a vital transport system for these communities.”



“Unlike many of our competitors, our online reservation system enables passengers to reserve a seat on their chosen service,” Mr. Conway concluded.



Irish Citylink is headquartered in Galway City. 80 people are employed in the provision of Irish Citylink services. Citylink operates four main routes, with 78 daily services. Citylink’s operations include Express services between main cities and airports, and Commuter services serving towns and villages across the country. For more visit www.citylink.ie.



-ENDS-

parsi

I've only taken Citulink to/from Limerick once and I found it a decent service with friendly professional staff . It did suffer from that which afflicts most of the private guys - no sheltered waiting areas (it was bucketing down in Limerick).

1h30 for the route is very ambitious though for a journey that still has to go through those traffic holes of Charleville and Buttevant .

corktina

by express i take it they mean stopping nowhere....

parsi

Have you ever managed that journey without being stopped in Charleville or Buttevant ?

corktina

it woukld see logical to stop in such places and also in Mallow, maybe by Kearys or somewhere that didnt involve leaving the main drag. Its a time waster to head for the Town Park as it and BE do now. What a shame that a transport Interchange at the Railway Station wasn't set up when the car park was laid out.

mydiscworld

corktina wrote: »

by express i take it they mean stopping nowhere....

Just the one stop in Limerick.

Don't think they'd have a enough passengers solely from Galway.

Sponge Bob

2 hours 50. Once you get a reliable 3 hour or less bus journey bus travel takes off big time.

Mind you I hear it will cost €30-35 return where Galway-Dublin City is €19 return.

dowlingm

Sponge Bob wrote: »

2 hours 50. Once you get a reliable 3 hour or less bus journey bus travel takes off big time.

Mind you I hear it will cost €30-35 return where Galway-Dublin City is €19 return.

That might speak more to the ongoing throat-cutting between BE-Gobus, IE and Citylink on the Dublin run than profiteering on the Cork though.

Kumsheen

Sponge Bob wrote: »

2 hours 50. Once you get a reliable 3 hour or less bus journey bus travel takes off big time.

Mind you I hear it will cost €30-35 return where Galway-Dublin City is €19 return.

30-35 is still an ok fare for nearly 6 hours of travel. much cheaper than the car.

veryangryman

Kumsheen wrote: »

30-35 is still an ok fare for nearly 6 hours of travel. much cheaper than the car.

Car wouldnt take 6 hours going Galway-Cork return.

But yeah with tolls etc, would probably be spending €50+ in the car. Citylink are a decent bus service so id probably be tempted to use if going that way without a passenger

devnull

Out of curiosity, as I'm not familiar, what is the competition for this route with regards to train and bus services?

Mrs OBumble

Competition is purely BE.

No direct train. I've never checked the details of "via" where-ever-else as it seems too silly.

What I've only realised today is that this service is totally replacing their existing service, not complementary to it.

So Ennis, Charleville, Mallow etc ... are purely BE towns now.

I've visited in Mallow for a couple of weeks - it's a LONG walk from the railway station to the other end of town. Rather glad that the bus stopped at Town Parks.

Adrian4

How is public transport being encouraged - when the service only serves 3 cities?

dowlingm

3h35 is the fastest weekday round trip Limerick-Galway by rail, with 2 changes

Adrian4

The Citylink stops at UCC and GMIT are also gone.


It sets an odd precedent that villages , towns and colleges can be passed by.

markpb

Adrian4 wrote: »

How is public transport being encouraged - when the service only serves 3 cities?

1. They're a private company, they're doing it to make money, not encourage private transport.

2. The more stops you make, the less competitive you are and the less likely people are to use the service. Cities are where the most people are.

Adrian4 wrote: »

The Citylink stops at UCC and GMIT are also gone.

I'm only guessing but perhaps Citylink don't want to carry students for some reason.

devnull

Adrian4 wrote: »

The Citylink stops at UCC and GMIT are also gone.


It sets an odd precedent that villages , towns and colleges can be passed by.

Not really.

It is where the money is at the end of the day.

foggy_lad

Obviously Citylink have seen how successful the X51 service has been for Bus Eireann with many of their services being full leaving Galway and Limerick and have set themselves up to compete with that service and poach customers from Bus Eireann, add to that the timing and the onset of summer and holidays and there is a lot of money to be made!

Also pandering to students by stopping at every college on the route is a precedent they obviously don't want to be setting or they will end up like Aircoach with their stopping non-stop service to Cork.

Mrs OBumble

Adrian4 wrote: »

The Citylink stops at UCC and GMIT are also gone.

It sets an odd precedent that villages , towns and colleges can be passed by.

UL and LIT have never had a stop from this route (unless I've misunderstood where they are ... 'tis possible).

Neither has Newmarket-on-Fergus or New Twopothouse to name a couple of random villages that I spotted on Google Maps ... the latter even has a traffic light, so must have a few people around!

I just noticed last night that the Limerick Citylink stop is moving too, to Henry St.

Red Silurian

markpb wrote: »

I'm only guessing but perhaps Citylink don't want to carry students for some reason.

Well at the moment the colleges in limerick, cork and galway are off on summer holidays... There's nobody saying they wont add those stops again come September

highlydebased

Serving LIT and certainly UL would be very out of the way for both routes. Bus Eireann do however, run some services UL-Limk-LIT-Galway X51 on fridays and Sundays

Adrian4

How is the Cork/Galway service going?

I still think they'll miss the customers from the intermediate stops.