Dublin Bus - Airlink being re-launched this year

dublinman1990

I heard a rumour from an enthusiast forum today that the 2 Airlink routes from Dublin Bus, the 747 & 757, are getting a relaunch later this year.

What is being noted so far is that it will get new buses, a new livery & new timetables.

Any more information on this news to date?

Stephen15

It could do with it alright, for a premium Airport service it feels quite dated for the higher price it commands. Could go with the same body and engine as an SG for commonality of maintance with leather seats, luggage racks and USB ports.

ax586

dublinman1990 wrote: »

I heard a rumour from an enthusiast forum today that the 2 Airlink routes from Dublin Bus, the 747 & 757, are getting a relaunch later this year.

What is being noted so far is that it will get new buses, a new livery & new timetables.

Any more information on this news to date?

Apparently going 24hr is what I heard aswel.

p_haugh

Stephen15 wrote: »

It could do with it alright for a premium Airport service it feels quite dated for the higher price it commands. Could go with the same body and engine as an SG for commonality of maintance with leather leats, luggage racks and USB ports.

Could do similar to Lothians Edinburgh Airport buses. They are quite a quality spec.

john boye

Would these have to be hybrid/electric or does that rule not apply to commercial services?

Stephen15

ax586 wrote: »

Apparently going 24hr is what I heard aswel.

I know the 41 is going is supposed to be 24hr not about the Airlink as DB would have to apply for licence from the NTA to run the Airlink 24hr as it's a commercial not a PSO route which the 41 is.

Could do similar to Lothians Edinburgh Airport buses. They are quite a quality spec.

Translink run a similar service between Belfast CC and International Airport.

bk

ax586 wrote: »

Apparently going 24hr is what I heard aswel.

Sounds like they feel they need to revamp the service with the rumoured 24/7 41 service coming to the airport soon.

john boye wrote: »

Would these have to be hybrid/electric or does that rule not apply to commercial services?

Dublin Airport Authority seem to be even more adamant that buses operating from the airport need to move to zero emissions vehicles over the next few years.

coylemj

bk wrote: »

Dublin Airport Authority seem to be even more adamant that buses operating from the airport need to move to zero emissions vehicles over the next few years.

Yeah, zero emissions. At zero cost to the DAA.

How about they offer reduced parking rates for electric cars? No, because of course that would reduce the vast profits they make from parking :rolleyes:

AngryLips

The biggest problem with Airlink is not the onboard conditions, which - due to heavy wear and tear- are just below the very high standard onboard regular DB services. The issue is that ridiculous route taken by the 747. It seems to go around town in such a round-about way. There’s no point to it. It really doesn’t need to go further south than the south quays for example, which would still give it similar catchment coverage. Plus it does this absurd loop around all areas between O’Connell Street and Busarus for no obvious reason.

Stephen15

AngryLips wrote: »

The biggest problem with Airlink is not the onboard conditions, which - due to heavy wear and tear- are just below the very high standard onboard regular DB services. The issue is that ridiculous route taken by the 747. It seems to go around town in such a round-about way. There’s no point to it. It really doesn’t need to go further south than the south quays for example, which would still give it similar catchment coverage. Plus it does this absurd loop around all areas between O’Connell Street and Busarus for no obvious reason.

Not wrong to be fair. It was orginally two routes one which went from Hueston and the other which went from Busaras but they were both merged into one during the recession.

coylemj

Stephen15 wrote: »

Not wrong to be fair. It was orginally two routes one which went from Hueston and the other which went from Busaras but they were both merged into one during the recession.

+1 same thing happened to the Greystones (702) Aircoach which used to turn off the Rock Road at the Merrion Gates, then it went straight to the East Link bridge and the Port Tunnel. During the recession, it was merged with a route which serviced D2 hotels on the quays and several D4 hotels so it's now a PITA, especially in the morning when you're competing with rush hour traffic on the quays.

A sister of mine constantly gives out about the route the 747 takes from Heuston Station to the airport.

pclive

The 747 route needs to be changed!

roughly the route from Heuston should be
North Quays - Bus Aras - Port Tunnel - DUB

return from DUB
Port Tunnel - Bus Aras - South Quays

forget trying to serve EVERY hotel in the city centre !

Jamie2k9

pclive wrote: »

The 747 route needs to be changed!

roughly the route from Heuston should be
North Quays - Bus Aras - Port Tunnel - DUB

return from DUB
Port Tunnel - Bus Aras - South Quays

forget trying to serve EVERY hotel in the city centre !

They would lose way to much business however as it's a 10 minute service they should split and operate two routing that enable quicker routing to Heuston and maintain some of existing route. There is not high demand to Heuston station if the bus took 30 minutes or an hour.

Anyone know what way they planned to operate had the CG bus gate gone ahead?

road_high

Terrible service. An hour to get from Heuston to airport at least. I was shocked with how bad it had become. Used it over ten years ago and think it went direct up the Quays and busaras. As any sane route would

cherryghost

I regretibly used it last year to meet someone without English at the airport. Thought 1 hour to get there would have sufficed. Boy was I wrong.

Daemonic

If coming to Dublin through Heuston and then on to the airport, I'd always suggest Luas to the point and pick up the Airport bus there. About 20-25 minutes for each leg of the journey.

Qrt

I nearly always dodge the airport buses and just grab the 41 or 16. I got the 41 last time late in the day (20:00 or so) and it barely took 20 minutes to get to O'Connell Street.

fritzelly

Qrt wrote: »

I nearly always dodge the airport buses and just grab the 41 or 16. I got the 41 last time late in the day (20:00 or so) and it barely took 20 minutes to get to O'Connell Street.

Why would you get the normal buses that go all round the place to get to the airport, dunno the 41 but the 16 goes up and down every road.

Vic_08

fritzelly wrote: »

Why would you get the normal buses that go all round the place to get to the airport, dunno the 41 but the 16 goes up and down every road.

That sort of silly hyperbole is childish and unnecessary.

Both 16 and 41 take the same route as Aircoach from the city to Whitehall (41 uses Gardiner St northbound). The 16 takes a small detour via Beaumont Rd. and both use then go directly to the Airport via the Old Swords Road.

The reason some people may want to use them in preference to Airlink/Aircoach is obvious: the considerable difference in cost for a small time saving, €7 vs €3.30 cash, €2.50 Leap or €1.50 if availing of a Leap 90.

AngryLips

Qrt wrote: »

I nearly always dodge the airport buses and just grab the 41 or 16. I got the 41 last time late in the day (20:00 or so) and it barely took 20 minutes to get to O'Connell Street.

With Airlink you can be sure of getting into town reliably in 20 minutes or so, that's not the case with the 41. You're also sure that you won't be inconveniencing other passengers boarding the bus after you and it most of the time isn't as packed as the 41. As for the 16, I'd pay extra to avoid that for the dumb routing alone.

ExoPolitic

AngryLips wrote: »

With Airlink you can be sure of getting into town reliably in 20 minutes or so, that's not the case with the 41. You're also sure that you won't be inconveniencing other passengers boarding the bus after you and it most of the time isn't as packed as the 41. As for the 16, I'd pay extra to avoid that for the dumb routing alone.

Each to their own I suppose, for those with free travel passes, the 41 and 16 are free...

Stephen15

ExoPolitic wrote: »

Each to their own I suppose, for those with free travel passes, the 41 and 16 are free...

Aircoach take FTP aswell

fritzelly

Stephen15 wrote: »

Aircoach take FTP aswell

Yup and the DB one doesn't - go figure!

Qrt

fritzelly wrote: »

Why would you get the normal buses that go all round the place to get to the airport, dunno the 41 but the 16 goes up and down every road.

It's cheaper.

AngryLips wrote: »

With Airlink you can be sure of getting into town reliably in 20 minutes or so, that's not the case with the 41. You're also sure that you won't be inconveniencing other passengers boarding the bus after you and it most of the time isn't as packed as the 41. As for the 16, I'd pay extra to avoid that for the dumb routing alone.

If I'm arriving home, I'm definitely not going to be in a rush. And if it's late enough, the bus will be fairly empty too.

ExoPolitic

Stephen15 wrote: »

Aircoach take FTP aswell

So between 41, 16 and Aircoach, there is almost no reason really for the 747...

cgcsb

bk wrote: »

Dublin Airport Authority seem to be even more adamant that buses operating from the airport need to move to zero emissions vehicles over the next few years.

While simultaneously providing some of the most extensive car parking facilities of any airport in it's size category in the world?