Purchased train fare online but need to come back early!

ongarboy

Hi, I purchased a train fare with a return date of next Tuesday but now need to come back on Monday. Do I need to purchase a brand new single fare for the Monday or is there a "pay the excess" option to change the date that would be cheaper for me?

Or would it be ok to just use my existing ticket on the Monday even though it specifies Tuesday as the return date?

byronbay2

You will not be able to use the original ticket but can amend it - you don't need to buy a new ticket. You will probably be charged though - get on to irishrail about it.

I went to Dublin one time on the train (from Cork) and finished my business early. I had a return ticket booked for 16.00 but arrived in time for the 15.00 train. I thought I could just change to that train but NO - that'll be €20 extra please! I decided to wait the hour in the bar and read the paper. I have never regretted my decision!

foggy_lad

ongarboy wrote: »

Hi, I purchased a train fare with a return date of next Tuesday but now need to come back on Monday. Do I need to purchase a brand new single fare for the Monday or is there a "pay the excess" option to change the date that would be cheaper for me?

Or would it be ok to just use my existing ticket on the Monday even though it specifies Tuesday as the return date?

You may need to check in the booking office, there may be a charge of €10 for changing your ticket.

http://www.irishrail.ie/cat_offers.jsp?i=4577

€10 Surcharge applies to customers travelling on services other than the times printed on the ticket except where; a customer has paid the InterCity regular fare or the maximum web single fare (listed above) has been paid for the journey

schemingbohemia

I thought the €10 option was only if it was the same day as the original booking, I thought I saw some discussion about this on twitter the other day. Best to check beforehand.

dudara

Same thing happened to me - I had to buy a new single from Cork to Dublin. Sickening. I thought I was being good by returning home earlier, and saving the business the cost of a hotel night.

If you're changing to an earlier train on the same day, then there's a €10 fee (IIRC). If you're changing to another day, then it's a new ticket.

Victor

Phone them or send them an e-mail using the form here: http://www.irishrail.ie/contact

Don't travel without at least having the ticket endorsed by the ticket office.

ongarboy

Victor wrote: »

Phone them or send them an e-mail using the form here: http://www.irishrail.ie/contact

Don't travel without at least having the ticket endorsed by the ticket office.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Called IR on the phone today and they said I'd need to book a new ticket for the return leg of the journey (which is 3 days away so still got my online discount) but they cancelled the return leg for me on my original ticket and I will get 80% refund once I send it into Amiens Street so I'll only be out about a fiver overall. The key is to notify IR up to the day prior to travel to avail of 80% refund.

schemingbohemia

Nice one, thanks for coming back and letting people know the options.

lil5

ongarboy wrote: »

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Called IR on the phone today and they said I'd need to book a new ticket for the return leg of the journey (which is 3 days away so still got my online discount) but they cancelled the return leg for me on my original ticket and I will get 80% refund once I send it into Amiens Street so I'll only be out about a fiver overall. The key is to notify IR up to the day prior to travel to avail of 80% refund.

The refund rules are also on the IR website -
http://www.irishrail.ie/index.jsp?p=220&n=139
[ectract below]

The following refund rules apply:

• Cancelled up to day before travel - 80% refund on the ticket price.
• Cancelled on day of travel - 50% refund on the ticket price.
• All cancellations must be made before time of travel to be considered eligible for refund.
• Tickets must be submitted to the address shown above before a refund can be processed.
• No refund on transaction and credit card fees.

bk

It is great that you got a partial refund. But given the competition IR now face, I think they have to vastly improve and change this process.

Not only are the direct bus services much cheaper then Irish Rail, but they are also much more flexible about bookings. Typically they allow you get an earlier or late bus at no extra cost, as long as they have space. And typically they will also allow you to change the booking time beforehand at no extra cost.

At the very least, IR should allow you to "manage" your booking online and allow you to change your booking online for another train, at no extra cost (taking into account, discounts, etc.) without the need to send your ticket back for a refund or this 20% charge.

Also ideally if there is space on the train, they should just allow you on an earlier or later train (again taking into account discounts, etc.).

IR need to become much more flexible. They can't continue to act like an airline, while their much cheaper competition offer much greater flexibility.

lil5

bk wrote: »

... I think they have to vastly improve and change this process.
...
IR need to become much more flexible.

:eek:
What are all the staff meant to do then ...

road_high

Have to say I "chanced it" a while back and took a train an hour earlier as I was running ahead of schedule. Did not seem like a big deal but I was clearly "breaking the rules".
They should put on the tickets a two ro three hour window or something.

Hilly Bill

road_high wrote: »

Have to say I "chanced it" a while back and took a train an hour earlier as I was running ahead of schedule. Did not seem like a big deal but I was clearly "breaking the rules".
They should put on the tickets a two ro three hour window or something.

And then you have the potential of overbooking for that particular train .

Hilly Bill

lil5 wrote: »

:eek:
What are all the staff meant to do then ...

Yoga

bk

Hilly Bill wrote: »

And then you have the potential of overbooking for that particular train .

In fairness due to the competition from the new motorways, with both faster cars and direct express coaches an also te increased frequencies of the trains, they just aren't that busy anymore.

In 2011 *, even on the 5pm Friday Dublin to Cork, One of the busiest trains all week, there were still empty seats.

* haven't taken it much in 2012 since te launch of Aircoach to Cork.

I've only seen the trains jammed once in the last few years and that was durin the snow we got just before Christmas a few years ago.

I think it would be better in Irish Rail moved to the system used in te Netherlands. There the maximum fare is €20 one way, no matter how far you go. The ticket can be used on any train, at any time, you just have to validate it (date stamp) before you board. No seat reservations or booking fees.

If you want to guarantee a seat, you have to book a first class ticket, which makes first class more attractive.

This is a much simpler and easier to use system IMO, more similar to the bus services an thus more competitive with them.

Hilly Bill

Sounds good but the usual heads will still find a fault with it