IE/DB operating Sunday timetable on St. Patrtick's Day

n97 mini

In disbelief it's not a Saturday timetable.

Last train on the Maynooth line leaves town before 9pm. Don't enjoy yourself too much.

horseburger

n97 mini wrote: »

In disbelief it's not a Saturday timetable.

Last train on the Maynooth line leaves town before 9pm. Don't enjoy yourself too much.

Why are you in disbelief about that?

Was it stated anywhere, that a Saturday timetable, would be in operation on St Patrick's Day?

Many of the bus and train services, on St Patrick's Day, every year, run according to the Sunday timetable.

Irish Rail did run services according to the Friday timetables, as well as other services according to the Sunday timetables.
http://www.irishrail.ie/media/st._patricks_2017.pdf.

Hilly Bill

n97 mini wrote: »

In disbelief it's not a Saturday timetable.

Last train on the Maynooth line leaves town before 9pm. Don't enjoy yourself too much.

It's not a new thing for this year so i can't understand the disbelief even if it's a Friday.

thomasj

This wouldn't be an issue if they had a proper Sunday timetable.

These people haven't a clue what they're doing (after all it's been over 10 years) best thing to do is contact NTA

Hilly Bill

What's your idea of a proper Sunday timetable?

n97 mini

Hilly Bill wrote: »

What's your idea of a proper Sunday timetable?

Last train not stupidly early.

St Patricks is probably the biggest socialising night of the year but but yet it's like the Catholic church are running public transport in Dublin.

Did you really need that spelled out to you?

punisher5112

Night links ran

thomasj

It's not just maynooth that has a poor Sunday timetable:

- Drogheda services are every 2 hours in stations such as skerries

- Kildare line first train is at 11:30 and every 2 hours with last train at 19:30

What is needed across all 3 commuter lines is:

- at least an hourly service
- first service between 08:30 and 09:30
- last service should be between 22:30 and 23:30

Hilly Bill

n97 mini wrote: »

Last train not stupidly early.

St Patricks is probably the biggest socialising night of the year but but yet it's like the Catholic church are running public transport in Dublin.

Did you really need that spelled out to you?

A Saturday service makes sense but
Not everyone stays in town all night or even bother heading in. If the demand was there from previous years then maybe they would change it but until then it's going to be the same as last year just incase you get shocked next year.

thomasj

How can you determine demand from previous years if there was never a service in previous years to judge demand by?

n97 mini

Hilly Bill wrote: »

A Saturday service makes sense but
Not everyone stays in town all night or even bother heading in. If the demand was there from previous years then maybe they would change it but until then it's going to be the same as last year just incase you get shocked next year.

Nitelinks ran. Serious disconnect going on there somewhere.

Hilly Bill

thomasj wrote: »

How do you determine demand from previous years if there was never a service in previous years to judge demand by?

Basically no demand.

Hilly Bill

n97 mini wrote: »

Nitelinks ran. Serious disconnect going on there somewhere.

So what's the issue since the nitelink gets you closer to home.

thomasj

Hilly Bill wrote:

Basically no demand.

How do you know?

punisher5112

thomasj wrote: »

How do you know?

Very little demand bit like the talk of 24 hours service it won't be anywhere near 3 bells.

thomasj

punisher5112 wrote:

Very little demand bit like the talk of 24 hours service it won't be anywhere near 3 bells.

Sure didn't they say there was no demand for Kildare line services on a Sunday ?

punisher5112

thomasj wrote: »

Sure didn't they say there was no demand for Kildare line services on a Sunday ?

There are way too many taxis out there and people don't like having to walk 100 meters to there door.

Hilly Bill

thomasj wrote: »

How do you know?

If the demand was there then so would the service. A bit like the way they put on extra trains before and after the parade.

thomasj

Hilly Bill wrote:

If the demand was there then so would the service. A bit like the way they put on extra trains before and after the parade.

Maybe there is , just that they're not listening to the demand? Like i said how do you know?

Hilly Bill

Maybe there isn't. Are you saying the demand is there?

monument

Just a friendly reminder: Please try not to bicker too much and please keep it civil.

Remember: Clampdown still in place, so, any long-term users going over the line will get a break for more than a few days.

-- moderator

L1011

punisher5112 wrote: »

There are way too many taxis out there and people don't like having to walk 100 meters to there door.

Taxis are expensive. Very expensive compared to buses in outer suburbia - 40 door to door Temple Bar -> Maynooth on Friday would be 43 with the car full of passengers*; Nitelink for 4 is 20. There was a period when taxis were some price rises cheaper and the Nitelink was 6 per person that ~28 versus 24 was an easy choice to make. Not anymore.

There are cities a fraction of the size of Dublin with less subsidised bus firms that provide 24h services on core routes - Brighton being the one I'm most used to. £1 surcharge over normal fares or for season ticket holders.

*the 40 was a slight discount over the meter which is less likely to be given with a full car at that.

punisher5112

One thing you all need to remember is Ireland is very small and I can't see it taking off to be honest.

Nitelinks ran all week and were cut due to extremely low numbers.

L1011

punisher5112 wrote: »

One thing you all need to remember is Ireland is very small and I can't see it taking off to be honest.

Nitelinks ran all week and were cut due to extremely low numbers.

In the depths of the worst recession since the 1930s and without the vaguest attempt to try since. They also cut the entire lot in one blunt move, not a paring back.

There are cities much smaller than Dublin with vastly superior services.

Hilly Bill

L1011 wrote: »

Taxis are expensive. Very expensive compared to buses in outer suburbia - 40 door to door Temple Bar -> Maynooth on Friday would be 43 with the car full of passengers*; Nitelink for 4 is 20. There was a period when taxis were some price rises cheaper and the Nitelink was 6 per person that ~28 versus 24 was an easy choice to make. Not anymore.

There are cities a fraction of the size of Dublin with less subsidised bus firms that provide 24h services on core routes - Brighton being the one I'm most used to. £1 surcharge over normal fares or for season ticket holders.

*the 40 was a slight discount over the meter which is less likely to be given with a full car at that.

It's always going to be more expensive if you are paying for everyone in the taxi and the 4 on the nitelink. Break it down to per person and it doesn't seem too bad.

Rashers72

So back on topic - what were the loadings like on Friday? Station parking costs, overall travel costs for a family, overcrowding, and an infrequent service means we only ever drive on days like that.

KD345

Having a Sunday service doesn't encourage anyone to leave the car at home and take the bus. For many routes it can mean a bus every 30 or 60 minutes and you risk that bus arriving full. Oddly, the NTA had Luas run on a Saturday timetable but the last tram was at 11.30pm. Meanwhile, I noticed Dublin City Council advertising all week on Twitter how there was free parking in the city on St. Patrick's Day.

It would be great if there could be some coordination between all parties to design an attractive park and ride service for St. Patrick's Day. Sell family LEAP cards at a special price, keep major routes into the city free flowing with no parking and keep trams and buses running until at least 3am.

thomasj

You can hardly put nitelink as an argument for or against 24 hour services. It was a one-way , premium, limited service.

The benefit of having a 24 hour service on each of the corridors would expand the scope as people from all over the city can get to the city and even make onward connections. Something nitelink could never do.

Nitelink was an outdated service aimed primarily at niteclub goers and pub revellers charging them a fortune , the service was a very insult to the people that work at night hours in locations where taxi was the only option. It's about time they put this dinosaur to bed and give a limited 24 hour service that doesn't prejudice against these people.

horseburger

n97 mini wrote: »

Last train not stupidly early.

St Patricks is probably the biggest socialising night of the year but but yet it's like the Catholic church are running public transport in Dublin.

Did you really need that spelled out to you?

Using trains and buses on St Patrick's Day to go socializing, might very well, in another recent discussion, have been described as "non essential journeys".

If extra buses and trains were run on St Patrick's Day, and there were more people waiting to use a particular scheduled service at a particular time - more people than would fit on a particular train or bus at a specific time - how would you suggest prioritizing each of the passengers who were out socializing?

Would you advise particular passengers who had been out socializing, not to use a particular service, to make way for other passengers, who had been working on that particular night?

If you were out socializing on St Patrick's Day, would you stand back and allow someone who had been working on St Patrick's Day, to take a seat, or the last available standing room space, where there is only space for one person, on a Dublin Bus or Irish Rail train, the same bus or train that you had intended getting, if that bus or train filled to capacity, and it meant that there would be no space for you on that bus or train?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057691645&page=88

ongarboy

My friend got the 70N nitelink to Ongar on St Patrick's night that left Westmoreland Street at 4am (early hours of Sat morning) and it was only about one third occupied. This is the only service available to the vast majority using nightclubs as the 2am service would depart too early for most. This on one of the busiest nights of the year for socialising so I can see why they are not operated every night.

L1011

Hilly Bill wrote: »

It's always going to be more expensive if you are paying for everyone in the taxi and the 4 on the nitelink. Break it down to per person and it doesn't seem too bad.

I did break it down per person. Its still vastly more expensive. The presence of taxis is not an excuse for not providing public transport.

n97 mini

horseburger wrote: »

Using trains and buses on St Patrick's Day to go socializing, might very well, in another recent discussion, have been described as "non essential journeys".

If extra buses and trains were run on St Patrick's Day, and there were more people waiting to use a particular scheduled service at a particular time - more people than would fit on a particular train or bus at a specific time - how would you suggest prioritizing each of the passengers who were out socializing?

Would you advise particular passengers who had been out socializing, not to use a particular service, to make way for other passengers, who had been working on that particular night?

If you were out socializing on St Patrick's Day, would you stand back and allow someone who had been working on St Patrick's Day, to take a seat, or the last available standing room space, where there is only space for one person, on a Dublin Bus or Irish Rail train, the same bus or train that you had intended getting, if that bus or train filled to capacity, and it meant that there would be no space for you on that bus or train?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057691645&page=88

What are you on about? Firstly paying customers are as entitled to the same standard of travel regardless of intention. Secondly, as the day is a national holiday the vast majority are off work, and thirdly they might like to head out and enjoy a few drinks with friends and family who are also off.

n97 mini

ongarboy wrote: »

My friend got the 70N nitelink to Ongar on St Patrick's night that left Westmoreland Street at 4am (early hours of Sat morning) and it was only about one third occupied. This is the only service available to the vast majority using nightclubs as the 2am service would depart too early for most. This on one of the busiest nights of the year for socialising so I can see why they are not operated every night.

It's probably the 2nd biggest night out in the year, so it's not like the people are all sitting at home. I stay local due to a train and bus service both running the last service out of town before 9pm and a bus service that only runs every 2 hours on Sundays. I go to town on the 16th instead. Unless it's a Sunday.

end of the road

n97 mini wrote: »

What are you on about? Firstly paying customers are as entitled to the same standard of travel regardless of intention. Secondly, as the day is a national holiday the vast majority are off work, and thirdly they might like to head out and enjoy a few drinks with friends and family who are also off.

his post is very simple and easy to understand if one reads it and one wishes to understand it.
he is talking about those complaining about people on ftp supposibly swamping packed busses and trains taking seats from working people, who say the business of those on ftp is less important then the working people, suggesting those services don't exist for non-essential travel, yet complain about busses and trains not being provided to take themselves socialising. he is then wondering if those complaining would wait behind if they weren't working to allow workers get on the busses and trains to get to work and get home.
quite frankly, a very legitimate point and question to raise, for which i can guarantee the answer would most likely be "no"

thomasj

The next big night out for people will be Thursday before Easter. With people finishing up for Easter people will be out that night. You'll have pubs closing up by midnight with it hitting good Friday.

Of course, with nitelinks not running ,, last bus at 11.30pm so people either have to dash for last bus or get taxi.

Of course this wouldn't be an issue if last buses were at 12.30

n97 mini

end of the road wrote: »

his post is very simple and easy to understand if one reads it and one wishes to understand it.
he is talking about those complaining about people on ftp supposibly swamping packed busses and trains taking seats from working people, who say the business of those on ftp is less important then the working people, suggesting those services don't exist for non-essential travel, yet complain about busses and trains not being provided to take themselves socialising. he is then wondering if those complaining would wait behind if they weren't working to allow workers get on the busses and trains to get to work and get home.
quite frankly, a very legitimate point and question to raise, for which i can guarantee the answer would most likely be "no"

It has nothing to do with free travel passes. How one can conflate the two is mind boggling.

end of the road

n97 mini wrote: »

It has nothing to do with free travel passes. How one can conflate the two is mind boggling.

his post has everything to do with it as he is pointing out the hypocrisy of some people in a previous thread.

n97 mini

He's trying to draw a comparison between people looking to travel for free at peak times Mon-Fri and people looking to travel at all on our national holiday. Frankly ridiculous.

monument

Warning to all: drop the free travel arguments -- it's off topic!

-- moderator

horseburger

n97 mini wrote: »

What are you on about? Firstly paying customers are as entitled to the same standard of travel regardless of intention. Secondly, as the day is a national holiday the vast majority are off work, and thirdly they might like to head out and enjoy a few drinks with friends and family who are also off.

It's a very simple question, in relation to your attitude towards other bus users.

You are saying that Dublin Bus and Irish Rail should have put on extra services for passengers going out socializing on St Patrick's Day. Yet in another discussion you displayed a negative attitude towards bus users who use services for "non essential journeys", which includes socializing - socializing that doesn't just fall into the category of going out drinking in pubs and clubs. You endorsed a comment from someone who used the phrase "non essential journeys" in relation to people using buses, for reasons other than getting to and from places of employment.

Yet, here you are, calling on Dublin Bus and Irish Rail to put on more services, for what could very easily be considered "non essential journeys", or "frivolous journeys", as described by another person.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=102814956#post102814956

You haven't answered the question that I asked you, which was:

If you were out socializing on St Patrick's Day, would you stand back and allow someone who had been working on St Patrick's Day, to take a seat, or the last available standing room space, where there is only space for one person, on a Dublin Bus or Irish Rail train, the same bus or train that you had intended getting, if that bus or train filled to capacity, and it meant that there would be no space for you on that bus or train?

J.pilkington

n97 mini wrote: »

What are you on about? Firstly paying customers are as entitled to the same standard of travel regardless of intention. Secondly, as the day is a national holiday the vast majority are off work, and thirdly they might like to head out and enjoy a few drinks with friends and family who are also off.

Massive contradiction with your earlier posts except you now have an angry tone which is unessesary.

thomasj

There wouldn't be a need for additional Sunday services if the Sunday evening services were there in the first place. That's the problem here .

CIARAN_BOYLE

Rashers72 wrote: »

So back on topic - what were the loadings like on Friday? Station parking costs, overall travel costs for a family, overcrowding, and an infrequent service means we only ever drive on days like that.

My bus route was packed. That said in fairness to Dublin bus they ran a double service through most of the day (2 buses leaving the terminus at a Sunday service departure time)

BuffyBot

monument wrote: »

Warning to all: drop the free travel arguments -- it's off topic!

-- moderator

I'm not sure it could be made any clearer..

devnull

Nitelink and late night services and special event or day services are terrible, I know many people who avoid going out after work or during the weak because the cost and hassle of getting home via a taxi is more than it's worth, I'd stay out later and make more trips if there was a proper night service.

Saying there is no demand there is crazy, a lot of the private bus operators said that there was no proof that their innovative services had demand according to Bus Eireann, else there would be more people traveling on existing services if there was demand.

The privates started and the passenger numbers flew up.