Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Irish Rail fare increases

  • 04-09-2012 12:40pm
    #1
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 23,276 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    So it looks like Irish Rail have increased some of their fares.

    Their three days in advance fare to Cork has gone from €20 to €22 and the return has increased from €40 to €44

    These exclude the €2 online transaction fee and €1 booking fee that you must also pay. So it would be €47 return.

    Booking on the day is now €44 single, €88 return (so €91 all in) :eek:

    Booking one day advance is now €33 single, €66 return (so €69 all in)

    As a comparison Aircoach is €22 walk up return and €18 if booked online.

    They kept this very quiet.


Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    bk wrote: »
    So it looks like Irish Rail have increased some of their fares.

    Their three days in advance fare to Cork has gone from €20 to €22 and the return has increased from €40 to €44

    These exclude the €2 online transaction fee and €1 booking fee that you must also pay. So it would be €47 return.

    Booking on the day is now €44 single, €88 return (so €91 all in) :eek:

    Booking one day advance is now €33 single, €66 return (so €69 all in)

    As a comparison Aircoach is €22 walk up return and €18 if booked online.

    They kept this very quiet.
    They are trying to make up for extending the student promotion till December! Students get cheaper fares at the expense of everyone else.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,768 Mod ✭✭✭✭Manach


    Are they as well due to change the train timetables on the Cork-Dublin route as well next month?


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 23,276 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    My pet theory is that they are preparing to drop the €2 online transaction fee and the €1 credit card fee.

    This way they put up the fare for a few weeks, then drop these fees and they can trumpet how they are making fares cheaper.

    But Foggy and Manach's theories are equally possible.

    Either way bad timing with all the new competition on the Cork route.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,142 ✭✭✭shamwari


    Fuel prices have also rocketed -this too also be a legitimate factor in these increases.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 814 ✭✭✭mydiscworld


    They are putting prices up? UP? Are they actually sane? They should be going, down, down, down. Holy hell.

    Plus did the NTA sanction this? Wasn't their a cap on the max fare?


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,230 ✭✭✭Solair


    Someone needs to give them a briefing on price elasticity of demand!

    Do they think they've a totally inelastic market or something?!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,796 ✭✭✭✭Jamie2k9


    So it looks like Irish Rail have increased some of their fares.

    Their three days in advance fare to Cork has gone from €20 to €22 and the return has increased from €40 to €44

    These exclude the €2 online transaction fee and €1 booking fee that you must also pay. So it would be €47 return.

    Booking on the day is now €44 single, €88 return (so €91 all in) eek.gif

    Booking one day advance is now €33 single, €66 return (so €69 all in)

    As a comparison Aircoach is €22 walk up return and €18 if booked online.

    They kept this very quiet.

    This is the second increase since June promotion started.
    My pet theory is that they are preparing to drop the €2 online transaction fee and the €1 credit card fee.

    Could be right but I would imagine that many people book with Laser/visa debt cards which avoid the credit card fee.

    You would also be surprised that a large amount of people only book 1/2 days in advance so they are trying to maximize the amount of revenue per passengers which is a good thing for business not so much for passengers.
    They are trying to make up for extending the student promotion till December! Students get cheaper fares at the expense of everyone else

    Possible but this offier will not end at all, if it does there will be a large drop in numbers on all routes. I don't know why they keep extending it all the time when we all know they can't afford to drop it.
    Plus did the NTA sanction this? Wasn't their a cap on the max fare?

    Almost certain they don't need to as they are within the cap and its IE decision for what they charge for online bookings.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Jamie2k9 wrote: »
    Possible but this offier will not end at all, if it does there will be a large drop in numbers on all routes. I don't know why they keep extending it all the time when we all know they can't afford to drop it.

    If this is the case then are they not guilty of offences relating to false advertising and pricing irregularities? sales cant go on forever or the sale price becomes the normal price and can no lonmger be considered a sale price!

    although the way Bus Eireann swop and change their accounts around it is no surprise IE are up to this dodgey pricing practice!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,279 ✭✭✭✭LXFlyer


    The NTA don't have to sanction them - they are promotional fares.

    The NTA set the maximum fares.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 78,577 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    bk wrote: »
    Booking on the day is now €44 single, €88 return (so €91 all in) :eek:
    No, it isn't. It would be €71 (excluding fees).

    219467.PNG

    (Yes, this example doesn't make much sense, what with travelling on two trains at the same time :)).

    Similarly, travelling out today and back tomorrow is capped at €77 (excluding fees).

    https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/2160/219469.PNG

    The current authorised fares on Cork-Dublin are: http://www.nationaltransport.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Iarnrod-Eireann-InterCity-Fares-NTA-Report-February-2012.pdf

    Single €60.00
    Day Return €71.00
    Open Return €77.00

    On this route, the trend over the next few years will see the single fare fall more in line with the actual promotional fares and the return fares re-balanced, possibly falling slightly. Fares on some lines will rise slightly as they are currently under-priced compared to others.

    http://www.nationaltransport.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Iarnrod-Eireann-InterCity-Fares-NTA-Report-February-2012.pdf


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 70 ✭✭Wote


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    They are trying to make up for extending the student promotion till December! Students get cheaper fares at the expense of everyone else.

    There you go, fixed that for ya. :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,346 ✭✭✭dowlingm


    Solair wrote: »
    Someone needs to give them a briefing on price elasticity of demand!

    Do they think they've a totally inelastic market or something?!
    Depends on whether they think the price sensitive market has already gone to the bus as far as it is going to, and the remainder is predominantly golden tickets and people who just don't like the bus no matter how cheap it is. There is also the matter of people going to intermediate stations, a market IE have not as yet discarded as lightly as the privates.


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 23,276 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    dowlingm wrote: »
    Depends on whether they think the price sensitive market has already gone to the bus as far as it is going to, and the remainder is predominantly golden tickets and people who just don't like the bus no matter how cheap it is.

    Well that would be an incredibly foolish assumption to make.

    With GoBus now launching their toilet equipped buses, they may now lose lots of customers who wanted to take a bus and save money but were slow to do so due to wanting a toilet.

    Also many people might have been unaware of these services, there has been very little advertising of them so far, certainly compared to the heavy advertising in Galway.

    With GoBus now starting up we are likely to see way more advertising between GoBus and Aircoach and many more rail passengers might become aware and start using these new services.

    I think it is far too early to assume that everyone who will go bus, already has.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,537 ✭✭✭✭Cookie_Monster


    shamwari wrote: »
    Fuel prices have also rocketed -this too also be a legitimate factor in these increases.

    shouldn't be; they should be buying 6 months to a year in advance at the very least so not needing to put prices up due to fuel for a while yet.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 78,577 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    shouldn't be; they should be buying 6 months to a year in advance at the very least so not needing to put prices up due to fuel for a while yet.
    What if the price of fuel drops?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,537 ✭✭✭✭Cookie_Monster


    Victor wrote: »
    What if the price of fuel drops?

    tough, it's a double edged sword


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,295 ✭✭✭n97 mini


    Are they still leaving locos running 24/7, down at the docks and the like?

    I was in Connolly on a Friday night at 11:15pm recently, and there was a 6-car 22k standing at platform 4 with all engines running. It was not scheduled to depart. What's that about?


Advertisement