New Galway / Killarney express service

Mrs OBumble

Noticed that CityLink are starting a new service between Galway and Killarney.

http://citylink.ie/index.php/routes-a-timetables/timetables/galway-killarney


Wonder if it will survive past the end of summer.

n97 mini

Handy for tourists. Galway is well set up with that bus station for the private operators. Makes the private services very visible as well as being a focal point.

The_Wanderer

Being from Kerry I would love to know how this route can be sustainable non-stop. Especially in the off season. Seems like a half brained idea to me.

embraer170

Really need an operator to launch Killarney/Tralee - Dublin - Dublin airport.

Mrs OBumble

The_Wanderer wrote: »

Being from Kerry I would love to know how this route can be sustainable non-stop. Especially in the off season. Seems like a half brained idea to me.

Twice a day express connection between two major tourist centres, without stopping at every lamppost? Sure how could that ever be sustainable??? :rolleyes:

It's already been written up on TripAdvisor = has interest from tourist sector.

Probably won't get many locals on it - though as a Galway resident, I might even consider it as a day trip. And it would make events at the INEC more attractive (down on the evening bus, night in a bnb, up again in the morning bus and home in time for morning tea).

I can see it might not operate thru winter (or it might surprises us). But for the summer it should be a no-brainer.

LXFlyer

embraer170 wrote: »

Really need an operator to launch Killarney/Tralee - Dublin - Dublin airport.

You do already - Aer Lingus Regional.


Alternatively Irish Rail and Dublin Bus 747.

embraer170

You do already - Aer Lingus Regional.

Alternatively Irish Rail and Dublin Bus 747.

At not always reasonable prices and/or convenient times.

LXFlyer

embraer170 wrote: »

At not always reasonable prices and/or convenient times.

There is a train every two hours - what more do you want?

The fact that no operator has launched a service suggests to me that the market just isn't there.

You have Cork and Shannon within close proximity, which combined offer quite a widespread number of routes, and which offer flights to European hubs.

embraer170

lxflyer: I understand what you're saying but from actual experience, I don't agree.

Arrive at DUB anytime after 17:40 and there is no way to make it Killarney/Tralee the same evening. Both the last train and flight are at 19:00. In 1990s/2000s, while the last train was at 18:30 you would still have a late flight at 22:00/22:30.

The way back is not much better. The first flight gets to Dublin at 08:30 (meaning it's just about safe to book a 09:40 connection) and the first train at 09:30 (so an 11:30 departure from Dublin airport). In the 1990s, you could be in DUB at 06:45 and connect to the first wave of Aer Lingus European departures to FRA, BRU, etc. all on one ticket.

It is true that the road network wasn't as good then but I know few business people who feel like leaving home at 01:30 and driving for 3.5 hours to catch a 06:00 flight. I would agree that most of those probably wouldn't take a bus either .

Using Shannon and Cork almost always means a connection through Heathrow (or Amsterdam, which is always a lot more expensive), unless you are flying to a leisure destination in Spain, Portugal, Italy.

LXFlyer

I would beg to differ on fares through hubs - very often both BA and KLM (who codeshare with EI out of Cork) have decent fares on offer right across Europe - it's a case of looking for them. It can often be cheaper than a direct flight.

As a seasoned traveller I would also suggest that anyone getting up at 01:00 to get an 06:00/07:00 flight needs their head examined. Far better to travel the evening before or at least stay over in Dublin, because otherwise you just end up being knackered and losing work time. Likewise, travelling until 02:00/03:00 coming home is madness.

There has to be an element of common sense about this.

Mrs OBumble

Interestingly, the new service isn't coming up when I look on www.a-b.ie. And the lads in the Kerry forum haven't been able to see a bus-stop sign for it either.

So I'm wondering if, despite advertising that they're starting tomorrow, it's just slightly possible that the route licence hasn't actually been issued yet. I seem to recall that this company has done something similar before. :pac: My money says they'll run anyway.

embraer170

lxflyer wrote: »

I would beg to differ on fares through hubs - very often both BA and KLM (who codeshare with EI out of Cork) have decent fares on offer right across Europe - it's a case of looking for them. It can often be cheaper than a direct flight.

I have rarely found competitive fares to major European cities through LHR/AMS. Even then, they end up with stupidly long connection times.

As a seasoned traveller I would also suggest that anyone getting up at 01:00 to get an 06:00/07:00 flight needs their head examined. Far better to travel the evening before or at least stay over in Dublin, because otherwise you just end up being knackered and losing work time. Likewise, travelling until 02:00/03:00 coming home is madness.

I would suggest that different things work for different people. I travel quite a bit and much prefer arriving somewhere late than overnight in a hotel and arriving late the next morning.

Looking at the number of late night coaches to/from Dublin airport, there is obviously at least a bit of demand.

Aircoach to Cork 22:25, 23:25, 00:25
Aircoach from Cork 03:00, 05:00, 06:00

Citylink/Air Eagle to Galway 22:15, 23:15, 00:30, 01:15
Citylink/Air Eagle from Galway 03:45, 04:45, 05:45, 06:45

GoBus to Galway 21:45, 22:45. 23:55
GoBus from Galway 04:15, 06:15

JJ Kavanagh to Limerick 21:45, 00:30
JJ Kavanagh from Limerick 04:30, 07:30

Jamie2k9

I would suggest that different things work for different people. I travel quite a bit and much prefer arriving somewhere late than overnight in a hotel and arriving late the next morning.

Looking at the number of late night coaches to/from Dublin airport, there is obviously at least a bit of demand.

Aircoach to Cork 22:25, 23:25, 00:25
Aircoach from Cork 03:00, 05:00, 06:00

Citylink/Air Eagle to Galway 22:15, 23:15, 00:30, 01:15
Citylink/Air Eagle from Galway 03:45, 04:45, 05:45, 06:45

GoBus to Galway 21:45, 22:45. 23:55
GoBus from Galway 04:15, 06:15

JJ Kavanagh to Limerick 21:45, 00:30
JJ Kavanagh from Limerick 04:30, 07:30

Of course there is demand to the second, third and foruth largest urban centers in ROI. Killarney is the size of a surburb of these cities and you think such a service is viable?

embraer170

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Of course there is demand to the second, third and foruth largest urban centers in ROI. Killarney is the size of a surburb of these cities and you think such a service is viable?

Probably not 5 services but maybe 1. It also probably wouldn't serve Killarney/Tralee alone but also Castleisland, Newcastle West, Adare.

Jamie2k9

embraer170 wrote: »

Probably not 5 services but maybe 1. It also probably wouldn't serve Killarney/Tralee alone but also Castleisland, Newcastle West, Adare.

Maybe one however how can an operator decide what the best time to run it is. Having only one services won't work as the public won't take such risks in the event flights etc are delayed and they are left stranded in Dublin.

What sort of journey time are we looking at 4.5-5 hours?

embraer170

I would estimate Killarney - Dublin airport with a break (but without traffic) at about 4.5hrs. While I don't believe in a high frequency service, I think a limited service also stopping at the larger towns along the way could be a good complement to the trains and flights (which may not survive past the present PSO contract).

truedoom

doesn't matter to much, won't show up half the time

(if the other intercounty services are anything to judge by).

LXFlyer

Any service such as this would have to be able to operate on a commercial basis, i.e. without a subsidy, and being honest, I just can't really see that happening.

PLL

Why can't they throw on a couple of times for this route over Christmas. They would definitely get a good few people like myself who are dreading the long changing in limerick journey.

If only they did some market research

Mrs OBumble

I suspect they do a lot of market research - they've done a lot of variation with this service when it operates. Why don't you email them and ask?