Dublin Airport Bus Service Changes & Discussion

belfast stephen

i did notice there if you put just belfast into the destination you get Dublin express 785 but if you put belfast opposite Europa bus station you get Aircoach

devnull

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122265408#Comment_122265408

It's worth noting as well that where both show up Dublin Express seriously undercuts Aircoach on price.

Aircoach doesn't seem to appear for all the Dublin area they service, but Dublin Express does,

Looks like another schooling commercially.

p_haugh

Had a look there out of interest - they have now updated the website with the changes (The 701 still isnt visible in the timetables section but the URL is live). TFI data not updated yet, other than for the 702.

Route 700:

https://www.aircoach.ie/timetables/700?date=2024-06-30

Route 701:

https://www.aircoach.ie/timetables/701

mikeybhoy

There was a lot of talk a while back of DB bringing back the Airlink in some shape or form but all gone quiet now. Anyone have any update on this

AX636

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122340913#Comment_122340913

Not till next year

bikeman1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122340913#Comment_122340913

I presume DB have to get their house in order and be fully able to run their own PSO services reliably plus the upcoming bus connects additions before they will go back to running a commercial airport service.

john boye

Speaking of the 747, some absolute whopper has just been on Newstalk lamenting the loss of it and explaining how he has to drive to the airport now as he doesn't know where to get the Dublin Express coach. Obviously the useless host sympathised fully with him instead of asking why he couldn't just look up where to get the coach

Glencarraig

I have never asked Aircoach (probably wouldn't get an answer anyway) and was wondering if anybody knows why they wont accept the old age free travel pass on their O'Connell St to Airport to Belfast route?

devnull

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122384362#Comment_122384362

It is not eligible to join the Free Travel Scheme because it is a cross border route that operates based on international authorisation rules rather than a route license on domestic rules.

Glencarraig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122384597#Comment_122384597

Translink will being me both ways on my ROI Smart Travel Pass which gives me free travel throughout NI so it's basically the same thing. I wont hold my breath waiting for Aircoach to get their act together.

devnull

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122384846#Comment_122384846

If you're talking from Belfast end, Translink won't allow a commercial operator like Aircoach to join the scheme.

Unfortunately your Department of Infrastructure is more interested interested in looking after the interests of the operators that it funds rather than the passengers of all public transport services.

devnull

Since it has started to dominate this thread, following feedback from posters, the posts relating to the Aircoach timetable changes and resulting issues have been moved to their own thread:

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058359965/aircoach-june-2024-changes-cancellations-and-issues

Moderator

Glencarraig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122385080#Comment_122385080

Im talking from Dublin, not Belfast. If Translink can allow me to travel free in both directions why is it that Aircoach cannot?

devnull

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122389633#Comment_122389633

Because the NI Department of Infrastructure will not allow commercial bus operators such as Aircoach to join the NI free travel scheme for NI residents and won't reimburse them for travel. They have tried to join this scheme in the past but have been rejected. This has been stated by Aircoach on a number of occasions.

In addition, the Irish NTA does not allow routes to join the free travel scheme that are international in nature, so therefore Aircoach cannot be reimbursed for journeys by ROI free travel pass holders on the corridor either. Again this is something that Aircoach have stated on a number of occasions in the past.

The reason that Translink are able to do so is that there has been a long standing agreement between the two countries that have allowed publicly funded bus services to take each others free travel passengers that predates any of the commercial operators coming on stream. It's basically something similar to 'grandfathers rights' as someone basically described it.

Glencarraig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122389721#Comment_122389721

Thanks for that, explains a lot. Only reason I was asking is because of the bus transfer from Newry at the moment and going on until end of August due to the realignment of tracks to the new station in Belfast. The coach is a faster option atm.

halfpastneverr

Got Dublin Coach from the airport to Red Cow Luas the other evening and the entire downstairs of the bus absolutely reeked of diesel fumes. Petrol station forecourts smell better! The rear doors weren't in operation either, which meant people barging on with bags while people still tried to get off with their bags. First time I've used DC in years as I usually use airport hopper (who are excellent) but who stop running pretty early in the evenings.

mikeybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122389732#Comment_122389732

If the rear door is not working the bus shouldn't be on the road it's an emergency exit.

devnull

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122389732#Comment_122389732

Are you stating that you think the emergency exit on the bus was not functioning? I would strongly suggest that if you did and the driver knew about it, you ensure that is reported to the appropriate authorities.

LF403

Aircoach have reinstated return tickets to Dublin City Centre and Drumcondra.

The price is still 10 euro for a single, IIRC 15 for a return on the bus. I'll double check/update when I can. (price online is 10 for a single, 12 for return).

belfast stephen

have move my post to the topic as if effects but aircoach and Dublin express

As this effects both Aircoach and Dublin Express

from mid October both Aircoach 705x and Dublin Express will move from the current glengall street to another city centre location due to the Boyne bridge and other public Realm works for a period of 12 months

Rock Steady Edy

Walk on Aircoach return fare from Monkstown to Dublin Airport now €20, up from €17 in July. Single same at €12.

p_haugh

Aircoach & Dublin Express stops in Belfast moving to Upper Queen Street for now

https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast-news/details-new-belfast-city-centre-30095129

And interesting mention in the article:

Last week the head of Translink said the company was in talks to allow the private bus firms temporary access to the new transport hub but this is not expected until mid or late 2025 due to the ongoing works around the new station

Hopefully that "temporary" part of the statement becomes "permanent"!

belfast stephen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122699652#Comment_122699652

my understanding from my contacts at DX is they will move into the new staion

p_haugh

Seems some of the Irizar buses for Aircoach for use on the car parks are parked up at Scania in Finglas currently!

p_haugh

...

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/translink-missing-out-on-potential-120k-per-year-from-delays-in-letting-dublin-airport-bus-companies-use-new-340m-station-OYKV3KX3X5EAVAAPNBYQ4BZV6U

mikeybhoy

How come Translink and the NI govt. seem to get grilled on here for not allowing privateers at the new bus station yet BE and the NTA have the exact same if not worse approach to allowing privates access to the new bus station in Limerick.

At least Translink is willing to allow talks and operators can apply to use it. No mention of privates being let into Limerick bus station.

devnull

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122818625#Comment_122818625

I m not sure why they are saying that they need the public realm works to be completed to use stands that are currently laying idle and why this means that private operators cannot come in but public ones can?

Then I read the last few words about things being subject to stands being avaliable, what are the chances that by the time the public realm works are complete, suddenly Translink find some ways of using the new stands and say they cannot find any space for them?

A reminder that when Aircoach tried to get in the Europa for years, they were told that their application was not being rejected but they need to consider health and safety aspects that needed invetigating and this process was needlessly dragged out for years and the company it ws reported here took legal action and reported them to the Office of Fair Trading.

There are very good reasons that benefit Translink to not have a well resourced, direct competitor in their bus station and you can be sure that they woud rather not have them there. The ones that are there already are far less of a commercial threat to TransLink.

devnull

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122818925#Comment_122818925

The environment for private operators in Northern Ireland is different to that of the Republic in many ways. Private operators have far less rights and freedom within the country and Translink have a much tighter grip on the industry than Dublin Bus or Bus Eireann do here, they have a much bigger monopoly and don't have an indepednent regulator. In addition whereas the CIE companies are ran more or less at arms length from the government, Translink are not, all which makes them have a much more stronger position than any competitor with far higher barriers to entry, all of which will be seen as factors that could go against them if this was ever to end up in court.

Translink saying that they are having talks, means nothing apart from the fact they are willing to meet people and allowing people to apply means just the fact they are allowing people to apply. It doesn't mean that the talks will be successful or the application will be accepted. if they didn't allow people to apply or show that it is possible to do so, then straight away the other operators would likely be off to court saying it was a closed shop. By having talks and an application process it no longer screams closed shop.

However we don't know what the bar is in terms of what TransLink want to allow operators in. They could set the conditions and the terms so high that they are commercially unrealistic or they could drag their heels on the process or say there is no room once the public realm works are completed. I'm sure the operators again will argue that it's convienent that the public realm works don't effect TransLink but they do effect it's competitors. This would be a very interesting case under EU law bearing in mind some of recent cases in Europe with regards to access to facilities to private operators on publicily funded infrastructure works, but Brexit obviously means it won't be something that ever gets tried under EU Law.

We will see what happens, but as i've said before, I'll only believe that direct, major competitors with TransLink are allowed in Grand Central when I see it. I hope that I will be pleasantly surprised.

mikeybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122819455#Comment_122819455

Oh I'm well aware but I'm just saying that the NTA and Bus Eireann aren't exactly in a hurry to allow private operators into bus stations either. Okay fair enough when it comes to older bus stations like Busarus but a brand new bus station like Limerick should have space for both BE and privates.

bk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122819488#Comment_122819488

I’ve been complaining about it for years, I feel strongly that private operators should have equitable access to bus stations. If they are paid for by the Irish taxpayer then they should be open to be used by all companies. Ideally the bus and trains stations should be in the ownership of the NTA and operated similar to how DAA operates Dublin Airport.

Not that anyone wants to use the dump that is Busaras.

I think this is partly why there has been less pressure for this, many of the old bus stations are either too small or not attractive anyway to private operators. GoBus tried with GoBE on the Cork to Dublin route using Busaras and the Cork bus station, but it wasn’t really a good experience for them or their customers. Having said that you are right this is starting to change with new bus stations being developed.