Expressway Route X8 Dublin to Cork to be replaced by PSO Route 245X

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Changes will mean that passengers in Fermony, Mitchelstown, Cahir, Cashel and Newlands Cross will continue to have connections between Dublin and Cork following the withdrawal of Bus Eireann's commercial route X8.

https://www.nationaltransport.ie/cork-to-dublin-bus-connectivity-to-be-maintained-by-introducing-a-new-public-service-obligation-pso-route-245x/

The National Transport Authority (NTA) is pleased to confirm that from Sunday 5 September 2021, a new Public Service Obligation (PSO) route will operate between Cork and Dublin, serving Fermoy, Mitchelstown, Cahir and Cashel.

This route, 245X, will offer four services per day between Cork and Dublin, and will initially be operated by Bus Éireann, supported by funding from the NTA.

The Transport for Ireland route is being introduced following the cessation of Expressway route X8, with its final service operating on Saturday, 4 September 2021. After the announcement of Expressway’s intention to exit Route X8, the NTA carried out a detailed review and assessment of transport connectivity. This identified and supported the need for maintaining a link between Dublin and Cork, particularly for communities in Tipperary.

NTA CEO Anne Graham said: “We have undertaken a thorough and careful assessment of the entire transport system along the Cork to Dublin route. It became clear there was a need to preserve connectivity for the towns along the route and we are pleased to ensure a seamless transition for the communities affected. We believe this brings certainty and avoids any disruption to public transport provision in the area, which is particularly welcome ahead of the resumption of third level education in the autumn.”

The 245X will maintain the same timetable, with the same stops as the previous commercial route, terminating in Dublin city. Four services a day will operate in both directions.

The principal changes will be:

- The livery of the coaches serving the route will change to TFI/Bus Éireann.

- Some fares between Dublin and Cork will increase by €1, however for the first time, a 30% Leap Card discount will be applied, meaning that, using Leap Card, a single ticket between Cork and Dublin will be €12.25 instead of the previous fare of €16.50. Leap Cards can be bought online, delivered by post to any household in the country and easily topped up on Android or iPhone devices 24 hours a day using the Leap Top Up app

- Passengers will be able to buy a ticket online at buseireann.ie but reserving a seat will not be possible.

Earlier this year TFI Local Link launched additional services with the 858 service connecting Portlaoise and Thurles and an enhanced 828 service between Cashel and Portlaoise. These routes provide greater connectivity and flexibility for the communities of Cashel, Thurles, Urlingford, Johnstown, Durrow and Abbeyleix. The interconnectivity of these routes provides a stronger link to national bus and rail networks in Portlaoise, Thurles and Cashel including the 245X and also represents a significant investment in rural transport.

Full Timetable and fare information can be found here: https://www.buseireann.ie/service_updates.php?id=5046&month=Aug

road_high

Guess they’re being slaughtered by the privates? Will Expressway survive much longer? The leaner machines seem to ve

Cookie_Monster

Was this tendered openly or just gifted to BE?

Grab All Association

The X8 skipped larger towns Thurles and Portlaoise. It was purposely allowed to fail.

Now that it’s PSO, it should be serving Thurles, Portlaoise, Kildare, Newbridge, Nass to maximise connectivity and fare revenue. Ironically this bus service had its roots serving Thurles up until the mid 90s

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117783549#Comment_117783549

i don't think it's an actual new route, so it couldn't be gifted to BE seeing as it was their route in the first place.

just it's method of operation has changed from commercial to PSO.

but the press release suggests to me that the route itself is not changing.

Darc19

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117783566#Comment_117783566

can you imagine the journey time from Fermoy to Dublin then! You'd be doing very well having it under 5 hours - and that would mean no-one would use it. Newbridge to Naas alone can take over an hour.

Peregrine

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117783566#Comment_117783566

It's supposed to be an express route. It already takes 3:45 from Cork to Dublin. 3:10 from Fermoy and 2:05 from Cashel.

Thurles, Portlaoise, Kildare, Newbridge and Naas all have rail connections to Dublin and Cork and/or direct buses to Dublin. The people from Fermoy, Mitchelstown, Cahir and Cashel shouldn't have to sit on a bus crawling in and out of every town between Dublin and Cork.

LXFlyer

To clarify here, there was a very limited service via Thurles which formed park of the old Interlink network.

The 8 was redesigned to operate along the N8 between Dublin and Cork, serving all the towns en route with a comfort stop at Urlingford.

After the M8 opened, the route was renumbered X8, and changed to operate non-stop between Dublin and Cashel.

PSO Route 828 operated by M & A coaches replaced the X8 between Portlaoise and Cashel, operating along the old N8 and serving the towns en route.

The 828 between Cashel and Portlaoised has been converted to a Local Link route and expanded, and an additional PSO Local Link route 858 between Thurles and Portlaoise has been launched - https://www.transportforireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/TFI-Local-Link-Laois-Offaly-Tipperary-Cashel-Thurles-Urlingford-Timetable.pdf

There's also Local Link route 855 linking Cashel, Cahir with Tipperary and Limerick Junction - https://www.transportforireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/locallink-route-855_june18_webv.pdf

Bernard Kavanagh and JJ Kavanagh operate commercial local services in the area too.

Expecting the X8 to go all around the houses is nuts when there are alternative services.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117778071#Comment_117778071

The cancellation of the X8 was announced last year alongside the X1, X12, 20/X20, but deferred by the request of the NTA.

The remainder of the Expressway network has very little viable competition, and until that changes it should be ok for now.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117783549#Comment_117783549

It presumably will be tendered out in due course, but in the interests of continuity of service BE will operate it at first.

The press release indicates that BE will operate it initially, presumably until it can be tendered out.

mrunsure

IMG_20210821_170658005.jpg

Here is the 1998 timetable for the 8. It used to be scheduled for 4 hours 25 minutes