Aircoach or GoBus?

run_Forrest_run

So I need to go Cork-Dublin City next Saturday, returning on Sunday. I am not under any real time pressure.
Who would you choose? I believe there is only €2 in the difference.
What are the chances of a jacks being on the Aircoach bus?
What if I missed my scheduled bus, is it OK to get the next one (if there is availability)?

Is there is a difference in comfort? Leg room etc?

devnull

Aircoach
- €9 single / €18 return bought online
- €15 single / €22 Return bought on coach
- More regular (17 journeys in each direction per day)
- Toilets on most (90%) of departures
- Very Flexible ticketing (see here)
- More central location in Dublin
- Must print out ticket

GoBus
- €10 single / €20 return bought online
- Cannot be bought on the coach
- Less frequent Mon-Thur and Sat (10 in each direction) and Friday/Sunday (15 in each direction)
- Toilets on every bus.
- Slightly better location in Cork
- Can show ticket to driver on phone.

Leg-room is variable, both operators have a variety of different coach models operating on the route so there is no one company which I would say is better than the other when it comes to comfort.

The 2012 Setra Aircoach have is the most comfortable coach, but they only have one. The next most comfortable is the Aircoach 2008/2009 Jonckheere's, then I'd say that the GoBus Volvo 9700 is the best. Aircoach have 3 Scania Levante's which are not that comfortable however, but if you are under 6ft you won't notice any problems no matter what coach you get.

run_Forrest_run

thanks a million devnull for that great answer, I think I'll opt for Aircoach.

bk

Devnull's post is very good, but there are a few mistakes in it.

Aircoach
- Toilets on most (90%) of departures

In my experience, I'd say it is more like 60 to 70%. They will stop half way if they don't have a toilet and you ask.

- Very Flexible ticketing
While the walk up tickets are very flexible, there has been some doubt about the online tickets, one person experienced a situation where the driver said the online ticket was only for the date and time booked, despite what Aircoachs site says, we should really get some clarification on this.

- Must print out ticket
Not true any more, you can just show them the email on your phone now.

One other point, if booking online, with Aircoach you have to book before 5pm the previous day. With GoBus you can book online up till 1 hour prior to departure, which is much more flexible.

GoBus
- Cannot be bought on the coach

You can however buy the ticket at the Ticket Vending Machines in Busaras and Parnell Bus stations. €15 single, €25 return. Surprisingly it is one of the first options on the TVM's

I've yet to have working wifi on GoBus.

As a regular I haven't settled on one company or the other, frequently switching between them based on the circumstances and frequently taking one down and the other back.

Aircoach I much prefer their pick-up and drop off locations in Dublin, Busaras is out of the way and inconvenient. Aircoach also have a better schedule with more services. Finally Aircoach was the leader of this service to Cork, I feel GoBus schedule wouldn't have been half as good as Aircoaches had it not been for the competition from Aircoach.

On the other hand with GoBus you seem to be guaranteed to get a toilet equipped coach and their online book is much more flexible, allowing you to decide to leave just one hour in advance, yet still guarantee a seat and cheap ticket, very good *.

Neither of them are perfect yet, they still have a way to go to develop these services, but the competition is great for travellers and I think things will only get better with both

* BTW Citylink to Galway are the best for this, they allow you to book online up till 15 minutes in advance of departure. Very good, specially if you are using your smart phone to book the ticket.

devnull

Online tickets are fully flexible, the driver was in error, and I'd say it's just a badly informed driver who got confused, as I used the service a couple of weeks ago and was booked on an earlier coach and used a later one with no problems. The only difference is people who were booked on the coach were allowed on first, and I boarded ahead of people who didn't have an online ticket.

They have 8 toileted coaches now and nine are needed for the route. Remember they've added a 2012 Setra in recent weeks, complete with toilet. 8 out of 9 is 88%, prior to that Setra coming I'd agree it would be around 70% or so. Of course if a vehicle is off the road for any reason or running late it may mean there are more non-toileted coaches, but everything being normal, it's 88%. Just the same as GoBus are occasionally using hired in coaches without toilets. I just wanted to outline a normal run of the mill situation.

Didn't realise GoBe tickets could be bought at the bus station, that certainly is not advertised online, where ti is very clear that they cannot be purchased anywhere other than online.

bk

devnull wrote: »

Online tickets are fully flexible, the driver was in error, and I'd say it's just a badly informed driver who got confused, as I used the service a couple of weeks ago and was booked on an earlier coach and used a later one with no problems. The only difference is people who were booked on the coach were allowed on first, and I boarded ahead of people who didn't have an online ticket.

Perhaps, I'm going to try to contact Aircoach and clarify this.

I certainly agree that people who had an actual booking for the coach in question should board first. Followed by those with a booking for another time and those with return tickets and then finally those looking to buy a ticket. Only fair.

devnull wrote: »

They have 8 toileted coaches now and nine are needed for the route. Remember they've added a 2012 Setra in recent weeks, complete with toilet. 8 out of 9 is 88%, prior to that Setra coming I'd agree it would be around 70% or so. Of course if a vehicle is off the road for any reason or running late it may mean there are more non-toileted coaches, but everything being normal, it's 88%. Just the same as GoBus are occasionally using hired in coaches without toilets. I just wanted to outline a normal run of the mill situation.

I realise that might by the numbers on paper, but actually on the ground, using the services the last couple of times I've used Aircoach, I'd say 50% of the time it has been the Jockheeres, which don't have toilets. They seem to be actually using the Jocks more frequently over the last few weeks, compared to two months ago. In particular they seem to be using the Jocks on the busiest peak time services.

I haven't seen the Levantes around much, so I think they might not have worked out so well, perhaps they are having maintenance issues.

GoBus do use hire in's but they always seem to be coaches with toilets. I have not gotten a single GoBus yet that didn't have a toilet.

In fact every GoBus I've gotten so far seems to be a hire in, with no working wifi, but always with a toilet. I haven't had the pleasure of using the 2012 branded coaches yet.

devnull wrote: »

Didn't realise GoBe tickets could be bought at the bus station, that certainly is not advertised online, where ti is very clear that they cannot be purchased anywhere other than online.

Yup, I guess GoBus want to push people to buying online exclusively, but it is certainly possible to buy in the station, it is right on the first screen of options on the TVM.

devnull

bk wrote: »

I realise that might by the numbers on paper, but actually on the ground, using the services the last couple of times I've used Aircoach, I'd say 50% of the time it has been the Jockheeres, which don't have toilets. They seem to be actually using the Jocks more frequently over the last few weeks, compared to two months ago. In particular they seem to be using the Jocks on the busiest peak time services. I haven't seen the Levantes around much.

I generally don't travel during peak time, and I see completely the opposite, I don't see any Jonckheere's around and both journeys I have been on recently have been Levantes and have also seen us being passed by two of the other Levante's on one of the trips. I've also seen one of the white Panthers and been on the new Setra once.

It is sensible though, to put the highest capacity vehicles on the busiest services, so perhaps that is what they are doing.

GoBus do use hire in's but they always seem to be coaches with toilets. I have not gotten a single GoBus yet that didn't have a toilet.

In the early days I saw a couple of them hired in from various companies without toilets going around, I was on one in September. I haven't seen them lately, but then again I 'm not around busaras at all.

Count_Hook

Does anyone have any info re stops on the Aircoach? Haven't travelled on it in a while, and they always used to stop at least in Urlingford, possibly Cashel, Mitchelstown or Fermoy aswell depending on request.

Are all services express to Dublin like GoBe or do they still stop?

devnull

They are all express now, the only stopping service is Bus Eireann
http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1360752838-008X.pdf

Count_Hook

Cheers - that's another option so! Absolutely hated that Urlingford stop

run_Forrest_run

I was on an Aircoach bus in December, Cork-Dublin and return and it stopped in Urlingford both times as there was no loo on the bus. It seems that if there is a loo on the bus then it won't stop.
The stop itself isn't too bad, it's just 2 miles off the motorway and they don't hang around BUT my problem is the state of the toilets!! The mens jacks is basically a feckin hut. Cold running water and no hand soap etc.

Koops80

If it goes down to a toss of a coin(assuming both services being equal) then id go with the irish owned company

gobnaitolunacy

Aircoach, no Urlingford stop on way up. Stop alright on way down, arrived maybe 10-15 mins late into Cork, no biggie.

Bus on way down had more legroom, not a bus anorak so couldn't tell ya what make it was.

Otherwise, comfy enough seats, friendly drivers. Irish Rail would want to up their game, and/or reduce fares. Big time.

run_Forrest_run

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

Otherwise, comfy enough seats, friendly drivers. Irish Rail would want to up their game, and/or reduce fares. Big time.

if only...you see IE are a state body so they don't operate like a normal business. When they are suffering reduced passenger numbers they increase their fares!
On the other hand, in the private sector where businesses are run like...well businesses they cut costs and try reduce fares to entice more customers to their business. IE will not cut costs or fire the drift wood because they don't have to, the unions are ensuring the company continues to operate like the inefficient lump that it is while us, the tax payer continue to fund the great big white elephant that is CIE.

...phew, I feel better now