Irish Rail price increase

spitonmedickie

I totally missed that there was going to be an increase in train prices, I regularly go Cork Dublin first class, student (I know lap of luxury but it makes the trip bearable and I get work done) and last week I paid €26.89 for that let, next week it's gone up to €34.39 a 28 odd % rise. That seems like a crazy jump. When was this announced or What'd I miss?

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058333268/irish-rail-price-increase

The online fares are discounted over the booking office/TVM fares, and the discount rate can change.

The normal 1st Class single fare from Dublin to Cork is €66.85.

spitonmedickie

It's been consistently €26 for the last 12 plus months though! The cost of reserving a first class seat only is gone from €12.50 to €20 which is the same difference.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121673110#Comment_121673110

No it hasn’t.

The fare I quoted is the normal booking office/TVM fare.

What you’re talking about is the discounted online fare.

The 12.50/20.00 supplement depends on the type of train - the former is an ICR, the latter a Mark IV.

davetherave

It could be that there are x amount available at €24, and then once they are gone it goes to €34? Like, just picking three different days over the next few weeks some departures have the 24 and some have the 34.

spitonmedickie

The €24 fare above is trains with a premier carriage not citygold. That's always been cheaper. The supplement for citygold, has until this week, been 12.50

spitonmedickie

Irish Rail have told me the increase came into effect on 25th January so I'm not imagining it. But need to chase the NTA for more.

LXFlyer

The supplements remain EUR 10 for ICR operated trains and EUR 20 for Mark 4 Citygold operated trains. You can see that by trying to make a booking for a reservation only.

The online fare (before the supplement) can change at Irish Rail's discretion, provided they are below the NTA approved maximum online fare. Those fares are generally discounted when compared with the booking office fares.

spitonmedickie

It doesn't "remain" €20 though. As of three weeks ago when I paid it last it was €12.50. And has been for the last year. it's increased to €20 which is my point.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121678399#Comment_121678399

Well then that was an online promotional discount, albeit for an extended period, but as far as I’m aware the company is free to change those at their discretion.

namloc1980

I've been taking citygold for years and it has been €12.50 supplement each way every time. Never €10 or €20. Always €12.50. Since the end of January it has **** to to €20 with no explanation. I've asked Irish Rail and they can't explain it and keep referencing the NTA. I've asked the NTA and they keep pointing back to Irish Rail.

Coffeelock2020

I believe €20 is reasonable for the Mark 4 product.

€12.50 seems an unrealistically low price.

There isn't much point in Irish Rail operating such a product for €12.50.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754827#Comment_121754827

It certainly was €20 when there was a full service before Covid.

But as I said above they may have had a promotional discount while catering was suspended.

Promotional fares aren’t governed by the NTA.

bikeman1

If you can afford a €12.50 upgrade, you can afford a €20 upgrade, which I still think is good value.

I’d rather it was €30 and you got two free drinks and a small snack. It would be very nice.

Two coffees and a small breakfast on the way down and then a panini and salad with a beer or wine and drink would be a proper premium product.

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121760112#Comment_121760112

you are incorrect on your claim that if one can afford 12 euro they can afford 20 euro.

there isn't anything to show this is the case, especially as there is an 8 euro difference between 12 euro and 20 euro, with some who have that 12 euro having no more then that or others maybe having a couple of euro more only but not enough to stretch to the 20 euro.

if irish rail were offering the onboard environment they were offering 20 or more years ago such as a cooked from scratch meal as an example, then charging 20 or 30 euro would be reasonable.

but now, the offering is not really first class in all honesty, it's just it in name.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121776382#Comment_121776382

The point is if you have money for first class then you have money.

Nobody travelling first class is scratching together their last 12e for it.

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121779562#Comment_121779562

they have the money they have yes, but because they have one number doesn't mean they have, or can have another number, because they only have what they have.

bikeman1

The you go in standard class like everyone else. It’s that simple. Also €20 is pretty reasonable still.

end of the road

not for what you get it isn't.

so they either create an actual offering worth paying the price or they scrap it.

supereurope

There's a new first class coming - there's at least one refurbished coach, it operated on the 16:00 Dublin-Cork service on Thursday. So this might explain the increased cost of the upgrade.

And not before time too - I took the 11am Dublin-Cork train a few weeks back (thankfully I booked just before the cost of the upgrade increased), and the coach was in an awful state - very tatty and hardly "first class."

Beta Ray Bill

Just checked the DB fares there for sh*ts and giggles. They've gone up too.

I think last year I paid around 30/40 euro for a first class ticket from Köln to Hamburg.

It's about €50 now.

Going up across the board it would seem, but what I will say is that "Coach" on DB is the equivalent to first class on Irish Rail/Amtrak 🤣

2nd class is around €20/30