Aircoach: Dublin - Belfast

n97 mini

Could someone tell me what these coaches are like? Are they the super deluxe ones I hear bk mention, i.e. comfy seats and toilets?

I'm going to Belfast next week, train is default choice, but I'm consider Aircoach, especially if it has a toilet as I'm travelling to a social event!

highlydebased

n97 mini wrote: »

Could someone tell me what these coaches are like? Are they the super deluxe ones I hear bk mention, i.e. comfy seats and toilets?

I'm going to Belfast next week, train is default choice, but I'm consider Aircoach, especially if it has a toilet as I'm travelling to a social event!

Was in Belfast a couple of weeks ago and very very nearly got the Aircoach but went for train instead- regretted it as the train was wedged. Will use aircoach next time I think!

devnull

The Aircoach Belfast route is run by Setras which have two less rows of seats than a standard spec coach (seat 45 instead of 53) so plenty of leg-room. They don't have toilets though

360 panorama of the model of coach on the Belfast route here:
http://www.aircoach.ie/swf/360coach.swf

n97 mini

Does anyone know is anyone running coaches with toilets on the Belfast/Dublin route?

devnull

The Ulsterbus / Bus Eireann service doesn't have toilets either, not sure if they stop at a petrol station if someone requests it though en-route as their service stops at a few places en-route where the Aircoach one sticks to the motorway as it's non stop after it stops at Dublin Airport from Dublin City Center.

schemingbohemia

Maybe ring Customs to report suspicious activity on the bus and you'll be pulled over after you cross the Border? You should be able to have a wee then.

Victor

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Maybe ring Customs to report suspicious activity on the bus and you'll be pulled over after you cross the Border? You should be able to have a wee then.

Advocating false claims to the authorities and disrupting public transport schedules is not acceptable.

Moderator

schemingbohemia

Sorry I must have missed out putting in a smilie, I wasn't actually serious.

n97 mini

Have things moved on in the last two years does anyone know? Any coaches on Dub-Belfast route with toilets now or is it still the train?

BeardySi

Aircoach running the same coaches, BE/Ulsterbus have some swanky new coaches but I don't think there's toilets on them. So it's likely just the train.

On the train front, the Enterprise trains are being refurbished, so some services are being run with IR Intercity trains, these seem to be rather more crowded than the usual ones on any train I've gotten recently ( I dunno are they smaller or there's just more folks taking the train)...

Banjoxed

Treadhead wrote: »

Aircoach running the same coaches, BE/Ulsterbus have some swanky new coaches but I don't think there's toilets on them. So it's likely just the train.

On the train front, the Enterprise trains are being refurbished, so some services are being run with IR Intercity trains, these seem to be rather more crowded than the usual ones on any train I've gotten recently ( I dunno are they smaller or there's just more folks taking the train)...

Swanky, you say? But are they Fierce Swanky Altogether?

LXFlyer

Treadhead wrote: »

Aircoach running the same coaches, BE/Ulsterbus have some swanky new coaches but I don't think there's toilets on them. So it's likely just the train.

On the train front, the Enterprise trains are being refurbished, so some services are being run with IR Intercity trains, these seem to be rather more crowded than the usual ones on any train I've gotten recently ( I dunno are they smaller or there's just more folks taking the train)...

Effective Monday, the Dublin/Belfast trains will be operated as follows:


Monday-Saturday:


Enterprise Set:
Ex-Belfast: 08:00, 14:05
Ex-Dublin: 11:00, 16:50


Irish Rail ICR:
Ex-Belfast: 10:35, 16:05, 21:35 (this will advance to 21:15 from June 1)
Ex-Dublin: 07:35, 13:20, 19:00


NIR CAF Set (No First Plus or full catering):
Ex-Belfast: 06:50, 12:35, 18:05
Ex-Dublin: 09:35, 15:20, 20:50




Sundays:


Enterprise Set:
Ex-Belfast: 09:00, 16:05
Ex-Dublin: 12:00, 19:00


Irish Rail ICR:
Ex-Belfast: 13:05, 19:05
Ex-Dublin: 10:00, 16:00


NIR CAF Set (No First Plus or full catering):
Ex-Belfast: 11:05
Ex-Dublin: 14:00

devnull

Treadhead wrote: »

Aircoach running the same coaches, BE/Ulsterbus have some swanky new coaches but I don't think there's toilets on them. So it's likely just the train.

The majority of the 2004 Setras on the Belfast route have been withdrawn from service in the last six months actually. There still are 2-3 but most are now operated by the 2008/2009 Jonckheere SHV's, that used to operate on the Cork Route prior to Cork getting new coaches last year, which whilst still not having toilet, offer a little more room, wheelchair access and are fresher inside.

There is talk about the Belfast route getting some new coaches by the end of the year, but it's impossible to say if that has any foundation or not at this stage.

Aircoach still is the only provider on the bus side offering a regular non stop service though.

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime

Bus eireann 151 coaches are thrown on to the X1 from time to time with an on board toilet.

Just can't be certain which ones.


Also above statement is not true. Ulsterbus have x2 services that are dublin - belfast only.

devnull

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

Also above statement is not true. Ulsterbus have x2 services that are dublin - belfast only.

Did you not read the word REGULAR.

There are no X2 services between Dublin City Centre and Belfast. Since the X2's in that direction are Dublin Airport to Belfast only.

The Whole X2 offering is:
Belfast - Dublin Airport: 1
Belfast - Dublin Airport - Dublin City: 4
Dublin Airport - Belfast: 3
Dublin City - Dublin Airport - Belfast: 0

Meanwhile the Aircoach offering is
Belfast - Dublin Airport - Dublin City: 22
Dublin City - Dublin Airport - Belfast: 22.

Terrontress

When those Setras were introduced, I thought that they were the most fantastic bus I had ever been on. I last went on one in March and they are now very tired indeed.

devnull

Over the past 12 months they are slowly being withdrawn and replaced with newer vehicles. There was 20 of them at the start of 2014, only 6 left now.

The 2008/9 Volvos are very good coaches as well though, perhaps even slightly better than the Setras, only think they lack is the toilet.

Terrontress

devnull wrote: »

Over the past 12 months they are slowly being withdrawn and replaced with newer vehicles. There was 20 of them at the start of 2014, only 6 left now.

The 2008/9 Volvos are very good coaches as well though, perhaps even slightly better than the Setras, only think they lack is the toilet.

Is there any value left in them to sell or do they just get scrapped?

mickmmc

The 04 Setras that Dublin Coach now use on the Dublin-Limerick service and Dublin-Waterford service are ex Aircoach Setras (as far as I am aware).

devnull

Some of them were given a slight refurbishment and passed to Dublin Coach, but not all.

Crumbs868

Don't forget air coach run this service from their Belfast depot (buses and drivers based in Belfast) so associated benefits (taxes, jobs, spin offs etc) do not flow up to Irish tax payer / economy

Something to consider. Where I can have a similar service from a local Irish company (even bus eireann) they always get my vote