Irish Rail 1st Class

milhous

Looking at a day out in Dublin (from Dundalk), I was thinking breakfast and a beer on the way up Sounded good. There's an intercity at 10am which is the preferred time. It's an extra 25quid to go 1st class (for one way).
As I was planning on staying over but decided against it I've a few more euro for luxuries. Would it be worth the extra few Bob?

Thanks

Zaph

It's about 1h20m on the train, which is only a bit longer than many people's daily commute. Personally that wouldn't be worth an extra €25 to me, spend it on a nicer lunch or a few pints when you reach Dublin.

Hilly Bill

Personally i wouldn't bother unless the train was fairly full.

Del.Monte

It's usually not much over an hour Dundalk/Connolly http://www.irishrail.ie/media/dublin-belfast_27032017_.pdf.pdf

and not much time to get served and eat your meal in comfort. As for €25 extra for 1st - not worth it unless the train is packed.

XPS_Zero

If you are going on the longer journeys the upgrades defo worth it (I always do it) but keep in mind for the shorter journey: they take the orders on the Enterprise about a few minutes after it leaves then it will take them time to make it (there are two of them at best usually one to make the food) and that will be alongside other orders from the main restaurant car and any others in 1st, so you' end up rushing your meal a bit by the time you are heading towards Dublin you might not be able to fully relax and enjoy the experience the way you would on a longer journey
I know if I'm going from Dublin to Belfast it will be nearly the 45 min mark again the plate hits my table.

I agree with the others, spend the money on a nice meal somewhere when you arrive.

Hilly Bill

Zaph wrote: »

It's about 1h20m on the train, which is only a bit longer than many people's daily commute. Personally that wouldn't be worth an extra €25 to me, spend it on a nicer lunch or a few pints when you reach Dublin.

No first class on the commuter its an hour on the enterprise.

milhous

Thanks guys. That's a negative on the 1st class.

XPS_Zero

milhous wrote: »

Thanks guys. That's a negative on the 1st class.

If you're going to Beflast defo give it a go (pay on board NOT online or at the desk - works out cheaper especially during the summer period).

Hilly Bill

XPS_Zero wrote: »

If you're going to Beflast defo give it a go (pay on board NOT online or at the desk - works out cheaper especially during the summer period).

How does it work out cheaper?

L1011

Discount standard + buy on board supplement versus fixed price advance first I imagine

Hilly Bill

It's still the same price if you upgrade at the booking office or on board.

tabbey

Years ago in Britain, you could upgrade for a few quid to a limited number of first class coaches at the weekend. For a long journey, it was well worth it.

A couple of years ago, travelling in France, booking a TGV from Paris Montparnasse to Brittany, I was offered a first class seat for little more than standard.

It is a no brainer for off-peak services, a lower fare would fill seats and grow the market among a certain group of the travelling public.

Apart from the 0700 Dublin - Cork, most first class is under-utilised.

Stephen15

I've always thought First class on trains was more for business travellers who needed a bit more space and less noise in order to complete tasks while on the train. As a leisure traveller I wouldn't use it personally and would consider it a waste of money.

I remember being in Italy once and being on a crowded train which had a first class compartment which was empty as you'd be fined if you had a second class ticket and went in there which I thought was stupid also the commuter trains in and around London all have pointless first class seats which are the same as standard class with a white piece of cotton that says first class.

coylemj

Stephen15 wrote: »

I've always thought First class on trains was more for business travellers who needed a bit more space and less noise in order to complete tasks while on the train. As a leisure traveller I wouldn't use it personally and would consider it a waste of money.

The chief benefit is that if you're in first class and you board the train at the beginning of it's journey early in the morning, the staff come to your seat, take orders for breakfast and it's is served to you at your table before they open the restaurant car for the plebs.

That and the fact that the passengers are the civilised type who don't play videos on their mobile phones or conduct phone calls on speaker.

If you boarded a Dublin-bound train at Dundalk with a first class ticket, I doubt if anyone would call to you looking for an order. Waste of money IMHO.

XPS_Zero

2

Hilly Bill wrote: »

It's still the same price if you upgrade at the booking office or on board.

It's not. They charge €25 online and €20 on the train.


On virgin on weekends you can still upgrade, but in Ireland you can upgrade any time there is FC seats available. The FC on commuters in the UK is being abolished, it's the height of absurdity and as has been said not even any real difference.

Hilly Bill

It is. It's €20 off peak.

XPS_Zero

No matter what, look in screenshot, it asks for €25, but I've traveled at those times and it's always €20 on board.

Hilly Bill

I didn't mention anything about the online price.