Westport train on Friday/Sunday

thisisadamh

I have been meaning to start a thread about this for a while now.....
On a Friday and Sunday, if I have not booked a seat online it is impossible to get a seat on the Dublin - Westport (Friday)(unless I arrive at Heuston 30 mins before departure) service and Westport Dublin service (Sunday)(I get on halfway through the journey).
Would it not occur to CIE/IE to run more than 4 trains a day, just on Sunday and Friday. There is always at least 50 standing on those services every week, just on the trains I am on, I am sure there are also people standing on other services during the day.

Jamie2k9

I have been meaning to start a thread about this for a while now.....
On a Friday and Sunday, if I have not booked a seat online it is impossible to get a seat on the Dublin - Westport (Friday)(unless I arrive at Heuston 30 mins before departure) service and Westport Dublin service (Sunday)(I get on halfway through the journey).
Would it not occur to CIE/IE to run more than 4 trains a day, just on Sunday and Friday. There is always at least 50 standing on those services every week, just on the trains I am on, I am sure there are also people standing on other services during the day.

Do you use a social welfare pass and is that the reason why you don't book online. You are able to reserve a seat online for €3 and then purchse a ticket with the pass in the station. Trains need to make money to justify more services.

If you don't have a pass then why would you not book online you can also buy student tickets online for the same price as the station.

thisisadamh

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Do you use a social welfare pass and is that the reason why you don't book online. You are able to reserve a seat online for €3 and then purchse a ticket with the pass in the station. Trains need to make money to justify more services.

If you don't have a pass then why would you not book online you can also buy student tickets online for the same price as the station.

I don't book online because it is an extra €3 on top of the original fare and it gives me less flexibility. I only know for sure what train I will get back on Sunday on Saturday evening.

I am only asking for one fore service on Friday and Saturday only. Not the whole week. People are always standing on the services on Fri and Sun evening.

Lolabear

I have used the train on both those days... And i do book and reserve a seat... Alot of the time the names arent shown above the seats and if they are people tend to sit in them regardless... It can be frustrating...

Jamie2k9

I don't book online because it is an extra €3 on top of the original fare and it gives me less flexibility. I only know for sure what train I will get back on Sunday on Saturday evening.

I am only asking for one fore service on Friday and Saturday only. Not the whole week. People are always standing on the services on Fri and Sun evening.

I see but extra services are not going to happen, you will be doing good if the current level is maintained in 2013 timetable, they may change the stops the current services serve to best match demand but thats about it IMO. I'm sure the evening services would be improved if they went non stop to Athlone or something like that.

I have used the train on both those days... And i do book and reserve a seat... Alot of the time the names arent shown above the seats and if they are people tend to sit in them regardless... It can be frustrating...

That can happen if the wrong set that was planned to operate x services dosn't and you are best keep saying it to IR eveytime it happens and it will be resolved in time but the 15.30 to Westport will never have the reserved seats displyed and thats included in the T&C when booking that service only.

People are always standing on the services on Fri and Sun evening

That will happen on all intericy routes on those days.

foggy_lad

Lolabear wrote: »

I have used the train on both those days... And i do book and reserve a seat... Alot of the time the names arent shown above the seats and if they are people tend to sit in them regardless... It can be frustrating...

The reservations system operates "arseways"! I have been on Westport-Dublin trains and if people have booked seats from stations along the route all those reservations should show up from Westport but what happens is in Westport there are no lights lit and no reservations show until the train leaves Westport when only the Westport reservations show. When the train stops at the next station any seats booked for that station will light up but many seats are used by people who boarded in Westport where those seats "were not reserved"! This is repeated all along the journey meaning that people are paying for reservations which they will never get.

Hilly Bill

thisisadamh wrote: »

I don't book online because it is an extra €3 on top of the original fare and it gives me less flexibility. I only know for sure what train I will get back on Sunday on Saturday evening.

I am only asking for one fore service on Friday and Saturday only. Not the whole week. People are always standing on the services on Fri and Sun evening.

Whats the online price (booked 3 days in advance ) compared to the price paid at the booking office just before travelling? Found the online price €14.99.

If the extra train is also busy and you have to stand then will you be calling for another train to be put on the following week until you get a seat?

Its unfortunate that you have to stand but if it was me, id be confident in finding a seat somewhere on the train after the train stops in the main stops like Kildare, Athlone ,etc.

Hilly Bill

foggy_lad wrote: »

The reservations system operates "arseways"! I have been on Westport-Dublin trains and if people have booked seats from stations along the route all those reservations should show up from Westport but what happens is in Westport there are no lights lit and no reservations show until the train leaves Westport when only the Westport reservations show. When the train stops at the next station any seats booked for that station will light up but many seats are used by people who boarded in Westport where those seats "were not reserved"! This is repeated all along the journey meaning that people are paying for reservations which they will never get.

The only thing there is that the person that booked the seat will have the seat number on their ticket and should request anyone in their seat to move. I understand that some might sit in a seat and refuse to move regardless of who has what ticket and if the reserved light was on or not, but someone who has reserved a seat shouldnt have to ask anyone to move.

freyners

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Do you use a social welfare pass and is that the reason why you don't book online. You are able to reserve a seat online for €3 and then purchse a ticket with the pass in the station. Trains need to make money to justify more services.

If you don't have a pass then why would you not book online you can also buy student tickets online for the same price as the station.

not in my experience, my regular ticket is almost a tenner dearer (incl booking fee) online

foggy_lad

Hilly Bill wrote: »

The only thing there is that the person that booked the seat will have the seat number on their ticket and should request anyone in their seat to move. I understand that some might sit in a seat and refuse to move regardless of who has what ticket and if the reserved light was on or not, but someone who has reserved a seat shouldnt have to ask anyone to move.

If you booked from Claremorris or Castlerea etc but I boarded in Westport without a booking and there is no indication that the seat I choose is booked from Claremorris or Castlerea etc then there is no way I will move out of my legitimately obtained seat for you or anyone else:D

If Irish rail want to buy the seat off me to give to someone with a booking I may consider a cash payment in the region of €100 but otherwise I have more right to the seat than anyone with the seat number printed on their ticket! Even the terms and conditions state that the reservation will not guarantee you a seat.

bikeman1

The Friday evening / Sunday Roscommon/Mayo trains have always been busy services. This is nothing new. I remember when the old 16:05 FO Ballina was 4 cravens and a van. You would be glad that you got on!

If you want to guarantee a seat travel on a different service, these are the peak services on this line. While it is annoying that you have to stand, IE decided to get 6 car units without the option of making them 9 with selective door operating.

markpb

foggy_lad wrote: »

If you booked from Claremorris or Castlerea etc but I boarded in Westport without a booking and there is no indication that the seat I choose is booked from Claremorris or Castlerea etc then there is no way I will move out of my legitimately obtained seat for you or anyone else:D

They do (normally). The sign will say reserved from X.

Hilly Bill

foggy_lad wrote: »

If you booked from Claremorris or Castlerea etc but I boarded in Westport without a booking and there is no indication that the seat I choose is booked from Claremorris or Castlerea etc then there is no way I will move out of my legitimately obtained seat for you or anyone else:D

If Irish rail want to buy the seat off me to give to someone with a booking I may consider a cash payment in the region of €100 but otherwise I have more right to the seat than anyone with the seat number printed on their ticket! Even the terms and conditions state that the reservation will not guarantee you a seat.

Would you do that in a theatre? Its that attitude the paying passengers have to put up with daily . Why would you expect to be paid for the seat when you travel on a pass?