Heuston Station

looksee

I had a visitor this week who flew from the UK to Dublin airport, the flight was late, which was unfortunate, but it happens. Then the bus to Heuston was late, and the driver was in a temper, brusque with the passengers as though it was their fault he was late.

Because the bus was late they got to Heuston just exactly as the train was leaving, so my visitor had to wait 2 hours for the next one. But Heuston services closed down so there was nowhere to sit other than on the cold steel benches in the draughty station. Two hours in the perishing cold for an elderly person is not on.

Was she mistaken, is there somewhere to wait out of the cold? Apparently it is not well signposted if there is.

Seanmk1

looksee wrote: »

I had a visitor this week who flew from the UK to Dublin airport, the flight was late, which was unfortunate, but it happens. Then the bus to Heuston was late, and the driver was in a temper, brusque with the passengers as though it was their fault he was late.

Because the bus was late they got to Heuston just exactly as the train was leaving, so my visitor had to wait 2 hours for the next one. But Heuston services closed down so there was nowhere to sit other than on the cold steel benches in the draughty station. Two hours in the perishing cold for an elderly person is not on.

Was she mistaken, is there somewhere to wait out of the cold? Apparently it is not well signposted if there is.

I'm fairly sure that Heuston doesn't have a proper heating waiting room.

The only alternative is to buy a cup of coffee in the Galway Hooker bar and nurse it carefully.

messrs

looksee wrote: »

I had a visitor this week who flew from the UK to Dublin airport, the flight was late, which was unfortunate, but it happens. Then the bus to Heuston was late, and the driver was in a temper, brusque with the passengers as though it was their fault he was late.

Because the bus was late they got to Heuston just exactly as the train was leaving, so my visitor had to wait 2 hours for the next one. But Heuston services closed down so there was nowhere to sit other than on the cold steel benches in the draughty station. Two hours in the perishing cold for an elderly person is not on.

Was she mistaken, is there somewhere to wait out of the cold? Apparently it is not well signposted if there is.

I think the Supermacs in there opens until 9pm but you would prob have to buy something to sit waiting in there

Beechwoodspark

Best option would be sit in the bar I think it is open til around 9?

looksee

No, I had suggested she go into the bar, but she went in just after 7 and the barman said he was closing. Must be the only bar in Dublin that closes before 8pm. Surely a ticket reader on a door into a waiting room would ensure that only people with tickets got to sit in the warm!

And then she was charged €35 for a ticket that she could have got on line for €19 or €25 - if she were capable of buying on line...or indeed had a smart phone to do it.

bk

If she was heading to somewhere like Cork or Galway, then she would have been better off getting one of the private coach services from outside the door of Dublin Airport to her destination.

Simpler, direct, probably faster, more comfortable (depending on your definition of comfort), more frequent, run later, cheaper and if the worst happens, the Airport is more comfortable and has more facilities if you need to wait late.

Any time my elderly mother flies out of Dublin, she always getting Aircoach from Cork to the door of Dublin Airport. Much easier then messing around with Heuston and transfers, etc. IMO

looksee

The original intention was to get the bus, but the last BE bus to cork (the route she needed) was at 5.30pm. What is that about? I rang BE as I could not believe that was the last bus, and was assured that it was. The other buses do not stop so were no help. In the end she trained to Thurles and we drove the 50 mins to pick her up.

Pissartist

That's awful op, i work beside Heuston, the only option would be supermacs in the station, it's warm in there and they have decent food and coffee, but if it was an elderly relative of mine i'd have told them to go to the Ashling hotel across the road they'd be well looked after there.

Xterminator

Hi Op

i can understand your frustration. the delay just snowballed and ruined your visitors travel plans. Hopefully you can use the time together to make good memories of their trip to replace one bad expereince.

Supermacs is pretty well lighted an obvious, and in the station. Its open 6am to 9pm - so in the absence of knowing about the hotel close by, thats where you visitor should have gone. Warm bright and a nice cup of tea/coffee and some company.

Cant see how it could be better signposted?

L1011

looksee wrote: »

Must be the only bar in Dublin that closes before 8pm.

The Connolly bar has similar opening hours.

Also think the SIPTU bar (which has a public licence even though its not normally open to them; unlike all the similar bars) may still open something like 5pm-7pm some nights; but that's a real edge case!

cgcsb

OP, why did she not fly to Cork, if she were only coming from the UK? Also, realistically she needed to book the train online, or get someone to help her. I thought that trains to Cork ran on the hour??


Also the seating area at the southern entrance to the station is pretty sheltered.

Dravokivich

If it was going to be a 2 hour wait, she could have walked over across the liffey and gone to a number of places right by the bridge.

Louche Lad

Dravokivich wrote: »

If it was going to be a 2 hour wait, she could have walked over across the liffey and gone to a number of places right by the bridge.

This is what I do, as and when I get caught out on my way back to Limerick. I think the place I usually go to is Duggan's.

Utter Consternation

Train stations, in the majority, are not the place i'd like to spend any period of time at all. They're usually cold and have a few oddballs hanging around.

XPS_Zero

I'm young and (now) fit and I despise nothing more, nothing at all, than waiting endlessly for public transport, esp in a cold place.



By and large, CIE don't give a rats ass about passenger convenience or comfort because they are by nature a monopoly, it's one of many reasons things like the NTA were created to drag them kicking and screaming into providing a better service. When you can't be fired for doing a bad job, and your boss can't, and his boss can't, and you never ride on the public transport you govern because you are paid well enough to drive a nice warm car, you have no reason to improve, on anything. You might do it anyway, but you have no PUSH to do it.


You can see examples of it everywhere. After years and years of having no connection to the bus at Cherrywood Luas stop, a major terminus, where you used to have to walk down a long windy hill to get to a 145 bus stop then wait, without a shelter, in the wind and sometimes freezing rain...they finally put bus stops beside the Luas (though not for the 145).


Instead of putting in a timer and a double sided bus shelter, as that high ground gets pelted by wind and is very exposed, they just stuck two poles in the ground...that's it...that was their bus stop at a major terminus.


That's the extent of the effort they went to, and that's post-NTA creation.


Also in CIEs defense, the powers that be in this country have no stomach to stand up to antisocial elements, none at all. You can murder someone and be walking the streets a decade later while your victim turns to dust in a box in the ground, and that's murder, the most extreme crime known to human society, so when it comes to aggressive junkies they often give you the answer "ah we can't put that there they'll take it over" - in this case a warm waiting room. But you can, it would just require staff, security, a transitpolice, actually having some f----g bottle and backbone.


So there you have it, a combination of a company with no customer service ethos, and a state and political establishment that don't think crime in this country is a big concern - and you get expressiveness like this.

Idbatterim

bk wrote: »

If she was heading to somewhere like Cork or Galway, then she would have been better off getting one of the private coach services from outside the door of Dublin Airport to her destination.

Simpler, direct, probably faster, more comfortable (depending on your definition of comfort), more frequent, run later, cheaper and if the worst happens, the Airport is more comfortable and has more facilities if you need to wait late.

Any time my elderly mother flies out of Dublin, she always getting Aircoach from Cork to the door of Dublin Airport. Much easier then messing around with Heuston and transfers, etc. IMO

as part of the sale of Aer lingus to IAG, there should have been a stipulation that a permanent twice daily cork to dublin service be reinstated. A few hours up to dublin, where traffic can be horrendous, the stress of it. Or get to small cork airport, twenty something minutes in the air and non of the dublin traffic and airport related stress...

Why are Irish passengers having to fly abroad to connect to places that Dublin offers that cork doesnt. or hours by bus or to Dublin. I think its ridiculous!

bk

looksee wrote: »

The original intention was to get the bus, but the last BE bus to cork (the route she needed) was at 5.30pm. What is that about? I rang BE as I could not believe that was the last bus, and was assured that it was. The other buses do not stop so were no help. In the end she trained to Thurles and we drove the 50 mins to pick her up.

For some reason, BE for years have said that there is no demand between our two biggest cities after 6pm! Sounds like something out of the 1950's

Then along came Aircoach and GoBE a few years ago and started offering a service every 30 minutes almost 24/7 and unsurprisingly those buses are absolutely jam packed.

It sounds like she was going to an intermediate stop, so those direct services would be no use to her. It is a pity Aircoach don't do a stop service to Cork any more.

Stephen15

XPS_Zero wrote: »

You can see examples of it everywhere. After years and years of having no connection to the bus at Cherrywood Luas stop, a major terminus, where you used to have to walk down a long windy hill to get to a 145 bus stop then wait, without a shelter, in the wind and sometimes freezing rain...they finally put bus stops beside the Luas (though not for the 145).

Instead of putting in a timer and a double sided bus shelter, as that high ground gets pelted by wind and is very exposed, they just stuck two poles in the ground...that's it...that was their bus stop at a major terminus.

That's the extent of the effort they went to, and that's post-NTA creation.

It would be a ridiculous idea to route the 145 or the 155 for that matter via the Luas in Cherrywood to be fair it would add on significant time for those travelling from Bray and Shankill to the city centre and cause delays further on up the route. The bus is already unreliable enough as it get's held up in traffic in Bray.

The NTA are responsible for bus stop provision nowadays not DB. DB only have the contract for their upkeep for all bus stops in the GDA used by DB and GAI.

john boye

Idbatterim wrote: »

as part of the sale of Aer lingus to IAG, there should have been a stipulation that a permanent twice daily cork to dublin service be reinstated. A few hours up to dublin, where traffic can be horrendous, the stress of it. Or get to small cork airport, twenty something minutes in the air and non of the dublin traffic and airport related stress...

Why are Irish passengers having to fly abroad to connect to places that Dublin offers that cork doesnt. or hours by bus or to Dublin. I think its ridiculous!

Should they bring back the Shannon stopover too?

rebel456

looksee wrote: »

I had a visitor this week who flew from the UK to Dublin airport, the flight was late, which was unfortunate, but it happens. Then the bus to Heuston was late, and the driver was in a temper, brusque with the passengers as though it was their fault he was late.

Because the bus was late they got to Heuston just exactly as the train was leaving, so my visitor had to wait 2 hours for the next one. But Heuston services closed down so there was nowhere to sit other than on the cold steel benches in the draughty station. Two hours in the perishing cold for an elderly person is not on.

Was she mistaken, is there somewhere to wait out of the cold? Apparently it is not well signposted if there is.

I'm sorry to hear of your visitors unfortunate experience at the hands of Dublin Bus & Irish Rail - and the airline of course for the delay.

I will take a guess that your visitor was planning on taking the 7pm train to Cork, but had to wait til the 9pm as no 8pm train. Your visitor likely was on the 747 bus from the airport to the station - which in itself is a disaster given the meandering route it takes through the city centre.

At Heuston you only really have the option of Supermacs post 7pm, or head over the bridge that the LUAS crosses where you can visit one of the pubs or the Aishling Hotel. But then again, for someone new to the area and elderly with a bag they may not want to leave the station and trek anywhere in the dark.

In future I would highly recommend taking the GoBe or AirCoach directly from Dublin Airport to Cork. An air conditioned coach that runs mostly (to my experience) on time. No trying to reach a bus-train connection, one mode of transport from the airport to Cork City Centre.

road_high

747 bus is truly horrendous. You’d want all day as a safety margin if meeting a connecting flight or train which you’d imagine would be the whole point, but no- it’s more important to piss around every back street of the city centre for one or two tourists.
I got it over a decade ago and pretty sure it went almost direct just serving Connolly/Busaras and out. Over an hour for the alleged connecting bus to the main airport and main railway station is an awful service for this day and age. Hop on a direct coach to cork or wherever and you’d be halfway to your destination, almost there by the time you’ve boarded the train etc

devnull

road_high wrote: »

747 bus is truly horrendous. You’d want all day as a safety margin if meeting a connecting flight or train which you’d imagine would be the whole point, but no- it’s more important to piss around every back street of the city centre for one or two tourists.
I got it over a decade ago and pretty sure it went almost direct just serving Connolly/Busaras and out. Over an hour for the alleged connecting bus to the main airport and main railway station is an awful service for this day and age. Hop on a direct coach to cork or wherever and you’d be halfway to your destination, almost there by the time you’ve boarded the train etc

Recently I've found Aircoach from the city center even at peak time via Drumcondra is a little quicker than Dublin Bus from O'Connell Street via the Port Tunnel with the Cat and Cage bottleneck nowhere near as bad now.

Both get stuck in traffic but the 747 route around Cathal Bruga Street, Gardiner Street, Talbot Street, Commons Street and the quays is a nightmare at peak time.

From Heuston the 747 is horrendous these days, far better to get the LUAS to the city centre and get an Aircoach or Airlink from there.

rebel456

devnull wrote: »

Recently I've found Aircoach from the city center even at peak time via Drumcondra is a little quicker than Dublin Bus from O'Connell Street via the Port Tunnel with the Cat and Cage bottleneck nowhere near as bad now.

Both get stuck in traffic but the 747 route around Cathal Bruga Street, Gardiner Street, Talbot Street, Commons Street and the quays is a nightmare at peak time.

From Heuston the 747 is horrendous these days, far better to get the LUAS to the city centre and get an Aircoach or Airlink from there.

When going to the airport, and if taking the train to get up to Dublin from Cork, that is what I do now. Train to Heuston, LUAS to city centre & Aircoach from O'Connell St. I might chance the 747 only if it's dead quiet around.

Until Metro West comes along (50 years if we're lucky), or Metro North (20 years if we're lucky), it would be an idea to have Intercity Trains make a stop before Dublin - like Park West for instance. And frequent buses to connect to the outer suburbs, industrial estates, and of course the airport via the M50. Like the way the Green Bus goes from Red Cow.

looksee

Thanks for all your interest. Yes, she was going to an intermediate stop so a bus/train to Cork would not work. We have only recently moved here from Waterford so have not sussed all the connections, it took me ages to figure out all the options and then communicate with her - and to add to the problems she has a new smart phone so contact was not reliable. Honestly she is an experienced traveller and can usually sort herself out. We have all been younger and thought nothing of hauling a bag off to find somewhere to stay in an unfamiliar situation, but getting older doesn't mean you get daft, it just means you just don't have the 'go' after a day's travelling.

All the stuff she 'should' have done or even 'could' have done are really not important here, what needs to be dealt with is the ridiculous situation where the main train station for the country has no accommodation for anyone to sit in comfort. Apparently she did see Burger king and looked in but was not clear about why she felt she could not stay there, I would have thought it would have been worth it just to be warm but something put her off, and I was not going to hold an inquest about it. Irish Rail should not be relying on such as Burger king to shelter Irish Rail customers.

ongarboy

I see Sbarro pizza has opened in Heuston where that sweet shop was and there are big Brambles Cafe opening soon signs on the old Easons book/giftshop. There must be a dozen eating and drinking venues in the station now!

Corca Baiscinn

rebel456 wrote: »

When going to the airport, and if taking the train to get up to Dublin from Cork, that is what I do now. Train to Heuston, LUAS to city centre & Aircoach from O'Connell St. I might chance the 747 only if it's dead quiet around.

Hi Rebel, do you think your plan, ie Luas to cc then Aircoach is as quick or quicker than staying on Luas to the Point and then the 747 via the tunnel?

The full 747 route would put years on you, That around the houses route from the Quays to Talbot Street/Connolly means that again if under time pressure you're probably quicker to get off at Point and take the Luas but of course it's an extra fare.

Sorry OP, for diverting again. You are quite right that your thread is about the poor facilities in Heuston when trains are still timetabled and right too that it's shameful. It's not as if your visitor was expecting to find a waiting room open at midnight

devnull

The Aircoach 702, 703 and the Airlink 747, 757 all stop at The Point, so if you stop there you have a lot of choice.

XPS_Zero

Stephen15 wrote: »

It would be a ridiculous idea to route the 145 or the 155 for that matter via the Luas in Cherrywood to be fair it would add on significant time for those travelling from Bray and Shankill to the city centre and cause delays further on up the route. The bus is already unreliable enough as it get's held up in traffic in Bray.

The NTA are responsible for bus stop provision nowadays not DB. DB only have the contract for their upkeep for all bus stops in the GDA used by DB and GAI.

You can always count on some of the posters of this site to argue with a point you are not making and ignore the points you are trying to make. Never having grown out of that classic leaving cert mistake of answering the question you wish was asked instead of the one on the actual paper.


I wasn't suggesting they do. They already run the 84 past it. I was suggesting they actually put timers and a bus shelter on what is a major interface so some people can get off the Luas and decide if they wanna wait for the 84 or walk it for the 145. For example if there is hail, wind, rain, show, you could say I'll wait the extra 10 min for the 84 rather than get drenched walking down hill.


ATM it does not matter, you'll get drowned either way because there are no shelters at all, no timers, no seats, nothing, at this major interchange, one with major construction going on around it ANYWAY now it would be a perfect time to put this stuff in.

Beechwoodspark

ongarboy wrote: »

I see Sbarro pizza has opened in Heuston where that sweet shop was and there are big Brambles Cafe opening soon signs on the old Easons book/giftshop. There must be a dozen eating and drinking venues in the station now!

My little lady -daughter -wanted a balloon from there on their opening day

Their prices were shocking. 5 euro + for a slice of pizza.

Beechwoodspark

Has anyone tried them? Worth it?

BailMeOut

I live in Cork and getting from Dublin airport to Cork via public transport is terrible. You can get the Airport coach but after a long flight this is a miserable way to travel and it has to go into the city first before heading on its way adding at least 40 mins to the journey. Getting from the airport to Heuston is then not the most seamless route either unless you take a taxi.

Can never fathom why there are not direct quick bus links to Dublin Airport from the other cities via the M50/M1 and then why does the Airport Coach not go to Cork Airport?!

Beechwoodspark

Did anyone hear the rumor that brambles are not going into where Easons was now and easons might be reopening their store there

dashcamdanny

Hey. I missed my train just yesterday evening. Had a 1 hour wait.
Galway Hooker bar closes early for some reason.

I had the whole family, so we headed to the hotel just over the bridge and bought a few teas in the hotel bar. Was very nice.

I believe if CIE made a heated waiting area it would attract the local junkie rabble into the building. You always see them outside the main door to the benches in the right.

Stephen15

dashcamdanny wrote: »

I believe if CIE made a heated waiting area it would attract the local junkie rabble into the building. You always see them outside the main door to the benches in the right.

I guess you could have a security in the waiting room or you could open up an airport style lounge which I believe exist in train stations in the UK and on the continent available to first class passengers complimentary and second class passengers willing to pay a fee to use.

Del.Monte

This is CIE, this is 2019 - 185 years since the first train left Westland Row for Kingstown - these things take time. Such facilities such as waiting rooms, toilets, buffets and security don't even come on their radar. Rome wasn't built in a day.

gimli2112

Many, many years ago I spent 9 hours in it on a New Years day waiting for the only train. Bad hangover, no facilities, nowhere in town open. I often imagine it'll be a lot like that in Hell.

Beechwoodspark

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Did anyone hear the rumor that brambles are not going into where Easons was now and easons might be reopening their store there

Can anyone confirm the above

Beechwoodspark

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Did anyone hear the rumor that brambles are not going into where Easons was now and easons might be reopening their store there

So we are now into October and no progress made on the brambles taking over the Easons shop in Heuston. Looks like they might not be moving in there at all?

L1011

Eason won't be reopening regardless

Beechwoodspark

L1011 wrote: »

Eason won't be reopening regardless

With Christmas on the way it might be attractive to them but I agree if they have taken all stock and fixtures and fittings out, big ask to get that sorted for the Christmas trade.

What’s the hold up with brambles does anyone know? I know a few weeks ago there was a rumour that they were backing out

Dravokivich

Everything was taken out.

whisky_galore

They have nice heated waiting rooms 'down the country', but can't have them in one of its major stations in the capital owing the large zombie and scumbag population.

Addle

whisky_galore wrote: »

They have nice heated waiting rooms 'down the country', but can't have them in one of its major stations in the capital owing the large zombie and scumbag population.

Down some of the country, the ticket offices don’t, or rarely, open and the only place to wait is outside.

MrAbyss

bk wrote: »

For some reason, BE for years have said that there is no demand between our two biggest cities after 6pm!

There was a reason: Unions. This cancer still infects CIE from head to toe.

lordleitrim

I see Caffè Nero are advertising in Indeed.ie for staff for a new outlet at Heuston Station. I'm trying to figure out where they might be locating as I believe all units are currently occupied. Unless they are operating just a kiosk to replace the AMT Coffee kiosk when that coffee chain went bust?

halfpastneverr

Pret are moving into the outlet where Pulse deli was located. Advert up looking for staff.

lord lucan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120485993#Comment_120485993

I'd say that's exactly what's happening,there's a unit being constructed where AMT was at the moment.

halfpastneverr

Yeah, was a huge box with a delivery label addressed to 'cafe nerro heuston' in where the construction is going on in the auld AMT kiosk when I was passing this morning.

abff

Not sure where to post this query, but it involves Heuston Station, so here goes.

I booked tickets on the train to Cork this Saturday on behalf of an elderly neighbour. I asked him for his email when making the booking, but there was a typo in the email address he gave me. I got conformation of the booking, reservation number, etc. and passed these on to my neighbour.

Is there a danger that the booking might be invalidated because of the error in his email address? I couldn’t find a number to call to check this (maybe I didn’t try hard enough?), but I would hate him to turn up at Heuston on Saturday and find that he has no tickets and this his reserved seats in the ‘quiet’ carriage are not actually reserved.

L1011

the res number is all that the TVM asks for normally.

Disco24

Is it possible for IE to run a number of the Cork services to Connolly, maybe even onto Dun Laoghaire with major station only stops?

If they got to stop at drumcondra or connolly would open more options for transfer via bus to airport.