Dublin Coach - Tralee/Killarney Route

embraer170

How long can Dublin Coach continue to run their Dublin - Tralee/Killarney route? All I see are empty buses with at best 2 to 5 people on them by the time they reach Kerry.

I'd love to see the service last but all I hear are reports of terrible loads.:(

FionnK86

Killarney/Tralee route is only opened a short while, but it's definitely growing. Summer is not a good reference as a lot will use service to University of Limerick from Kerry/Limerick stops. The service also has high load factors from Dublin to Kildare Village, which probably gives a dig out to extended part of the route.

It won't be cut as the frequency of 30 minutes is needed from Kildare to Dublin to support Dundrum-Airport service. Like their Waterford route it will take pax a few months to make their mind up about service.

embraer170

Thanks, I definitely see what you are saying especially about students but the Kerry services have been running for almost a year now (since 28 August 2015) and I have never seen one of their buses with more than 5 people onboard.

In fact, the majority have been totally empty... for a long time I thought I was looking at positioning runs until a family member took one of their services and they were the only person onboard after Limerick.

Again, maybe I have just been looking at the wrong times which is why I would love feedback from regular customers. In fact, I'd really love to hear that their buses are full most the time.

Quackster

embraer170 wrote: »

Thanks, I definitely see what you are saying especially about students but the Kerry services have been running for almost a year now (since 28 August 2015) and I have never seen one of their buses with more than 5 people onboard.

In fact, the majority have been totally empty... for a long time I thought I was looking at repositioning runs until a family member took one of their services and they were the only person onboard after Limerick.

Again, maybe I have just been looking at the wrong times which is why I would love feedback from regular customers. In fact, I'd really love to hear that their buses are full most the time.

I take it on a semi-regular basis and the numbers are definitely growing, albeit gradually.

Most recent bus I was on had about a dozen on it to Tralee, which is the most I've seen yet.

They added stops in Abbeyfeale and Newcastle West in recent months and this has definitely increased usage.

Quackster

It should also be noted that BÉ have followed their usual practice and significantly cut fares between Limerick and the towns that the new service serves.

skywanderer

If this service was subvented under the free travel scheme I'm sure passenger numbers would rise significantly.

foggy_lad

skywanderer wrote: »

If this service was subvented under the free travel scheme I'm sure passenger numbers would rise significantly.

Maybe on the late night services but during the day it is probably the only route where the train is probably faster and slightly more comfortable.

FionnK86

Official line from DC is that any route after 2004 is not funded by government for free travel scheme, suppose that's fair they have to make a profit and i'm sure BE provide a decent enough service.

embraer170

I’m still seeing empty buses. I happened to be at the Red Cow this evening. A Dublin Coach to Ennis was packed to capacity. The Killarney bus had 5 people on it.

I want to see this service survive but all I see and hear about is empty buses.

Quackster

embraer170 wrote: »

I’m still seeing empty buses. I happened to be at the Red Cow this evening. A Dublin Coach to Ennis was packed to capaxity. The Killarney bus had 5 people on it.

I want to see this service survive but all I see and hear about is empty buses.

Did the Killarney bus arrive shortly after the Ennis bus? If it did, that would explain the low loading.

embraer170

Quackster wrote: »

Did the Killarney bus arrive shortly after the Ennis bus? If it did, that would explain the low loading.

That's true. It however doesn't change the point that few people are using the Kerry buses.

Quackster

embraer170 wrote: »

That's true. It however doesn't change the point that few people are using the Kerry buses.

Relatively few are travelling Dublin to/from Kerry but from what I've seen it's getting good enough usage from folk travelling on the Limerick-Kerry corridor.

thelad95

To be fair I can’t imagine too many would be insane enough to sit on a bus for 5 hours with no plugs or toilet when there’s a train service with both that only works out a few euro more expensive if you book online.

Quackster

thelad95 wrote: »

To be fair I can’t imagine too many would be insane enough to sit on a bus for 5 hours with no plugs or toilet when there’s a train service with both that only works out a few euro more expensive if you book online.

Whatever about sockets, DC coaches do have toilets!

As for cost, Tralee/Killarney to/from Red Cow is guaranteed €15 each way if booked online, which is possible up to three hours before departure.

Cheapest on the train is €23 each way and must be booked a minimum of three days in advance (and if a peak service several days more in advance to get that price).