Citylink scaling back services - Galway to Dublin

ANXIOUS

Just went on the city link website and it appears they have scrapped 8 services a day between Galway to athlone and then direct to Dublin. Pretty bad for the people in athlone who commute. The earliest you can get to Dublin now is around 10 am. That's go bus and city link now thy have stopped the express bus from athlone.

foggy_lad

ANXIOUS wrote: »

Just went on the city link website and it appears they have scrapped 8 services a day between Galway to athlone and then direct to Dublin. Pretty bad for the people in athlone who commute. The earliest you can get to Dublin now is around 10 am. That's go bus and city link now thy have stopped the express bus from athlone.

many operators have reduced services because of falling passenger numbers. obviously providing 5 special services each way daily going to/from Athlone non-stop was unsustainable in the current climate.

Lapin

ANXIOUS wrote: »

Just went on the city link website and it appears they have scrapped 8 services a day between Galway to athlone and then direct to Dublin. Pretty bad for the people in athlone who commute. The earliest you can get to Dublin now is around 10 am. That's go bus and city link now thy have stopped the express bus from athlone.

Noticed this yesterday. :mad:

All buses between Galway and Athlone are now put back on the old road from Athlone onwards.

The late service to Dublin Airport was always fairly full whenever I used it.

ANXIOUS

Yeah but of a kick in the teeth for the people that commute to dublin, only getting a weeks notice. The only real way to commute to Dublin now is by train or car. The price diffeence between the two has narrowed. However heuston station is no where near as handy as getting dropped on the quays.

The Idyl Race

ANXIOUS wrote: »

Just went on the city link website and it appears they have scrapped 8 services a day between Galway to athlone and then direct to Dublin. Pretty bad for the people in athlone who commute. The earliest you can get to Dublin now is around 10 am. That's go bus and city link now thy have stopped the express bus from athlone.

Five services by train and one by Bus Eireann get you in before 10am. Unless some commuters can only travel by private bus for some reason..

ANXIOUS

The only bus that will use the motorway from athlone to Dublin now is the x20 which doesn't suit any commuter.

The Idyl Race

ANXIOUS wrote: »

Yeah but of a kick in the teeth for the people that commute to dublin, only getting a weeks notice. The only real way to commute to Dublin now is by train or car. The price diffeence between the two has narrowed. However heuston station is no where near as handy as getting dropped on the quays.

Trams and buses mean that you aren't exactly stranded.
Of course, if the funds could be made available there is a perfectly good railway rotting away that could get Athlone commuters into Connolly and Pearse..

Talk to the hand

ANXIOUS wrote: »

Yeah but of a kick in the teeth for the people that commute to dublin, only getting a weeks notice. The only real way to commute to Dublin now is by train or car. The price diffeence between the two has narrowed. However heuston station is no where near as handy as getting dropped on the quays.

Heuston does have the LUAS though however I agree Heuston is not that handy

Talk to the hand

The Idyl Race wrote: »

Trams and buses mean that you aren't exactly stranded.
Of course, if the funds could be made available there is a perfectly good railway rotting away that could get Athlone commuters into Connolly and Pearse..

More direct than via Portarlington and Heuston but there are capacity issues at Connolly but could a train ex Galway be timed to meet an ex Sligo/Longford train at Mullingar?

foggy_lad

ANXIOUS wrote: »

The only bus that will use the motorway from athlone to Dublin now is the x20 which doesn't suit any commuter.

There is a Bus Éireann bus at 7.15am from Athlone that uses the motorway from Kinegad and gets to Busáras at 8.55am.

ANXIOUS

The Idyl Race wrote: »

Five services by train and one by Bus Eireann get you in before 10am. Unless some commuters can only travel by private bus for some reason..

None that bring you directly to Dublin, or as cheaply. Hang on yeah I can go ..... also

Judgement Day

I'm devastated by this news. Whoever would have thought a free-for-all would result in this. Cue BK, foggy_lad etc.

Talk to the hand

foggy_lad wrote: »

There is a Bus Éireann bus at 7.15am from Athlone that uses the motorway from Kinegad and gets to Busáras at 8.55am.

Nearly two hours on a bus. Still that's better than a train that leaves at 0520 and gets to Heuston at 0700, or another train that leaves at 0625 and gets there at 0757, or if you like a lie in get on the train at 0654 and get into Heuston at say, 0824.

The BE service definitely is an option and may be more convenient for the Docklands but you can't now deny the train gives a better choice, lovely breakfast roll optional.

This photo of Mizzoni Pizza & Pasta Co. (Athlone) is courtesy of TripAdvisor

foggy_lad

Talk to the hand wrote: »

The BE service definitely is an option and may be more convenient for the Docklands but you can't now deny the train gives a better choice, lovely breakfast roll optional.

You could at least show a picture of the rail gourmet breakfast roll which bears no resemblance to the picture you have posted.

Also the two early services you listed have NO catering service and the other only has a trolly service with no meals or hot food served!

Chris_5339762

With the greatest respect, commuting from Athlone to Dublin is madness.

I'm not surprised there has been a scaleback. There never were enough passengers for Citylink and Gobus. They both ran extra services to drive the other out of business.

ANXIOUS

While I agree that it's madness. Some people have to do it.

Talk to the hand

foggy_lad wrote: »

You could at least show a picture of the rail gourmet breakfast roll which bears no resemblance to the picture you have posted.

Also the two early services you listed have NO catering service and the other only has a trolly service with no meals or hot food served!

I know. That's why I deliberately posted a photo from an Athlone restaurant that serves lovely toasted breakfast rolls. I even put up a caption crediting them from their tripadvisor review, maybe you didn't spot that?

foggy_lad

Talk to the hand wrote: »

I know. That's why I deliberately posted a photo from an Athlone restaurant that serves lovely toasted breakfast rolls. I even put up a caption crediting them from their tripadvisor review, maybe you didn't spot that?

Unless that restaurant is open from 5am it will be little use to anyone using the trains so why bother posting the picture And dragging this thread off topic?

ANXIOUS

This is kind of going off topic. Is nobody else surprised that a bus direct from athlone doesn't have the demand necessary to keep it going?

Victor

Less breakfast roll chat, more bus chat please.

Moderator

parsi

Good scope there for folk to provide food for these services.

Maybe a chance for someone to capitalise on late night services by turning up at the stop with a small selection of filled-rolls, water and the like considering that shops are often closed at that hour.

Sponge Bob

There are still 18 buses each way from Dublin to Galway ( non stop)

http://citylink.ie/images/citylink-dublin-express-timetable-for-web.pdf

The stopping service before 10 feb

http://citylink.ie/images/citylink-dublin-commuter-for-web.pdf

Galway New Coach Station
01:00
05:00
07:30
09:00
10:00
11:00
12:00
14:00
15:00
16:00
17:00
18:00
GMIT
01:05
05:05
07:35
09:05
10:05
11:05
12:05
14:05
15:05
16:05
17:05
18:05
Athlone Town Centre Golden Island
02:35
06:35
09:05
10:35
11:35
12:35
13:35
15:35
16:35
17:35
18:35
19:35
Athlone IT Campus Bus Stop
02:40
06:40
09:10
10:40
11:40
12:40
13:40
15:40
16:40
17:40
18:40
19:40

12 Services each way

The stopping service after 10 feb

http://citylink.ie/images/citylink-dublin-commuter-for-web-feb13.pdf

Galway New Coach Station
01:00
07:30
10:00
12:00
14:00
16:00
17:00
18:00
GMIT
01:05
07:35
10:05
12:05
14:05
16:05
17:05
18:05
Athlone B&Q Store
02:30
09:00
11:30
13:30
15:30
17:30
18:30
19:30
Athlone Town Centre Golden Island
02:35
09:05
11:35
13:35
15:35
17:35
18:35
19:35

8 Services each way

They only dropped 4 return services out of 12

Counting express and stopping buses they dropped 4 out of 30 daily each way for Galway Customers.

Irishrail got them by the Nads on the new timetable. Must be.

bk

It is a pity they dropped the 06:35 ex-Athlone, other then that, the schedule still looks pretty reasonable with a bus every two hours.

Obviously no one likes to lose options, but still looks like a pretty reasonable service.

ANXIOUS

Yeah the 635 to Dublin and the 1700 to Galway were extremely handy for people commuting.

Hungerford

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Irishrail got them by the Nads on the new timetable. Must be.

You may joke but if you look at the journey times that might well be the case. The bus is still competitive on Athlone to Dublin but even the Express services can't match the train to/from Galway. :eek:

foggy_lad

Hungerford wrote: »

You may joke but if you look at the journey times that might well be the case. The bus is still competitive on Athlone to Dublin but even the Express services can't match the train to/from Galway. :eek:

Except on price!

Train costs €27 single, €41.70 return, €20 student single and return, family return €132 with no flexibility on the return train and with only 9 services a day is not as flexible as the bus which costs €11 single and €20 return with Citylink

€14.50/€19 adult single/return, €38 family return, €12.50/€16.50 student single/return with Bus Éireann

€10/€20 Adult single/return with GoBus.

The train will take about 3 hours including transfers from the city centre, Citylink can do the journey in about 2 hours 30 minutes and bus eireann come in paddy last at about 3 hours 30-50 minutes.

Jamie2k9

For getting about online fares there foggy...

purplepanda

70 miles by Bus is much too far for commuters IMO, at that far distance it has to be train & with reasonable speeds, which Athlone luckily has unlike other lines like Rosslare - Dublin or Sligo - Dublin which run slower services.

Mullingar - Dublin 50 odd miles 1 hour 10-20 mins, maybe but still to slow :pac:

Gorey - Dublin 50 odd miles 1 hour 50mins

foggy_lad

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

For getting about online fares there foggy...

Those train fares are online fares to/from Dublin city centre tomorrow. The bus fares are available as walk up fares so I chose the middle ground for the train fares. They include bus/luas as well as the €3 web charges

bk

purplepanda wrote: »

70 miles by Bus is much too far for commuters

To be honest, 70 miles is too far to commute by any form of transport.

bk

Hungerford wrote: »

You may joke but if you look at the journey times that might well be the case. The bus is still competitive on Athlone to Dublin but even the Express services can't match the train to/from Galway. :eek:

It is funny then how I have a few friends from Galway who come to Dublin frequently and vice versa and every single one of them take the bus. No one even thinks of taking the train!!

The fastest train is 2:15, but add another 20 minutes to get to O'Connell St, so 2:35. GoBus/Citylink is 2:30 to O'Connell St.

Cheapest ticket on the train booked online more than 3 days in advance: €36.20 (including booking fees and Luas ticket).

Cheapest bus ticket: €20

Bus is also far more frequent and runs late night. Also same day fares are far cheaper again and tickets are far more flexible.

Hungerford

bk wrote: »

It is funny then how I have a few friends from Galway who come to Dublin frequently and vice versa and every single one of them take the bus. No one even thinks of taking the train!!

I must admit that I hadn't factored in the cost issue.

Sponge Bob

Hungerford wrote: »

I must admit that I hadn't factored in the cost issue.

Flat rate pricing, if I go for a pint in Dublin and miss the bus to Galway...there will be another one in an hour anyway and the price is still €10 one way. If I miss my internet booked semi cheap train I'll be hammered for it.

Jamie2k9

The fastest train is 2:15

2:10:D not that it makes a big differance.

foggy_lad

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

2:10:D not that it makes a big differance.

Not when it only brings you 2km from Dublin city centre, an extra 20 minutes waiting and travelling on bus or Luas at the best of times.

Polar101

foggy_lad wrote: »

Not when it only brings you 2km from Dublin city centre, an extra 20 minutes waiting and travelling on bus or Luas at the best of times.

Not everyone needs to go to City Centre - for my travels Heuston station is much more handily located.

foggy_lad

Polar101 wrote: »

Not everyone needs to go to City Centre - for my travels Heuston station is much more handily located.

Most people do want to go to the City Centre otherwise they would all get off the buses when they stop at Heuston Station, Most of the west and southbound buses stop at heuston station and also at New Lands cross.

bk

Polar101 wrote: »

Not everyone needs to go to City Centre - for my travels Heuston station is much more handily located.

The Cork, Galway and Limerick bus services will normally stop at Hueston as they pass it if you ask them.

Oliver_Ahern

I noticed it is the same the other way too (galway-dublin) which is a real bummer since I have just recently moved to Loughrea! The last citylink is 6pm and the last bus eirean is 8.30pm.

Does anyone know of any alternative later bus say from a private company, going from Galway-Loughrea? Thanks in advance.

Mrs OBumble

The only other Loughrea option I know if is Healys - last bus 6pm: http://healytours.ie/ss_loughrea.html

All services that I know of going east from Galway: http://www.galwaytransport.info/2012/11/buses-coaches-east-from-galway-dublin-athlone-ballinasloe-loughrea-athenry-ballygar.html

... but really, these days, check out www.a-b.ie for stuff like this.

Oliver_Ahern

Why thank you Mrs OBumble! Yes, I've heard of the Healy's bus alright. Shame that its last bus is early too. Looks like it's going to be a very expensive cab ride back to loughrea if we ever wanted to go for a night out in Galway! :-(

Mrs OBumble

The other option is to spend the night in a hostel or BnB, and go home on the first bus the next morning. Depending on the cab fare and the season of the year, this may end up cheaper.

And o

serfboard

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

The other option is to spend the night in a hostel or BnB, and go home on the first bus the next morning. Depending on the cab fare and the season of the year, this may end up cheaper.

Surely the other option is to get the Citylink at 1AM?

devnull

Be a bloody long day though depending on your circumstances?

serfboard

devnull wrote: »

Be a bloody long day though depending on your circumstances?

Agreed - I was posting it as an alternative to staying the night.