Dublin Coach Experience Discussion Thread

ExoPolitic · 08-09-2020 04:07PM

road_high wrote: »

They’re also fast and relatively cheap too

They are the fastest from Waterford to Dublin, I always make sure I catch a DC. Most legroom onboard to of all the operators.

punisher5112 · 08-09-2020 05:06PM

ExoPolitic wrote: »

They are the fastest from Waterford to Dublin, I always make sure I catch a DC. Most legroom onboard to of all the operators.

Is that on the older coaches, I find they're cramming in as many seats as they can, how people fit in them is beyond me....

road_high · 08-09-2020 05:51PM

ExoPolitic wrote: »

They are the fastest from Waterford to Dublin, I always make sure I catch a DC. Most legroom onboard to of all the operators.

Yea same to Kilkenny which is the same route. No stops after RedCow which they do in circa 1 hour all going well. Also quicker than the train outside of rush hour. This service was doing very well pre lockdown. It’s not expensive either and the airport link is very frequent and quicker than others that use the Port tunnel

road_high · 08-09-2020 08:57PM

Saw a few today on the Waterford M9 Route, both looked like the newer Mercedes 6 axles coaches - understand Belfast isn’t running yet so might be using all the”good” ones

L1011 · 08-09-2020 09:01PM

punisher5112 wrote: »

Is that on the older coaches, I find they're cramming in as many seats as they can, how people fit in them is beyond me....

My experience on an older coach was that my knee room involved it being slapped by the tray table every time the bus braked, because the latch didn't work.

GT89 · 08-09-2020 09:24PM

road_high wrote: »

Saw a few today on the Waterford M9 Route, both looked like the newer Mercedes 6 axles coaches - understand Belfast isn’t running yet so might be using all the”good” ones

That's understandable and logical to be fair. Most operators would use their newest vehicles when available same reason Dublin Bus would keep most of their single door buses off service at weekends in order to maximise fuel efficency as the newest vehicles are the most fuel efficient.

Gearoidk · 13-09-2020 07:11PM

john boye wrote: »

Can we open a book on when the first breakdown is spotted? I'll have this month's mortgage on 'before the end of the week'!

Not a breakdown but the driver had to stop on the M7 yesterday to check his coolant levels

belfast stephen · 14-11-2020 04:31PM

well the first of there new Decker coaches has been seen in the country but on a sad not it looks like they are not bringing back there 400/M1 service between Dublin and Belfast which is a shame

Quackster · 14-11-2020 05:55PM

belfast stephen wrote: »

well the first of there new Decker coaches has been seen in the country but on a sad not it looks like they are not bringing back there 400/M1 service between Dublin and Belfast which is a shame

There's certainly no market for it right now and with it being a deregulated route, they have the advantage of being able to relaunch it whenever they feel like it.

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime · 14-11-2020 05:58PM

Any news on quick park in Dublin airport ?

Gone past it a few times recently and it's all blocked off

colm_mcm · 29-11-2020 11:18AM

The wheels on this bus don’t go round and round.

_Kaiser_ · 29-11-2020 07:43PM

^^ Not much has changed by the looks of that. Only 6 years old but looks ready to fall apart and I'm guessing engine issues as well looking at the back of it.

Amazing when you compare 20 year old ex-Dublin Buses that are still out there daily and in far better shape.

Truckermal · 29-11-2020 07:58PM

Hard to judge but that Tyre looks like a slick..

colm_mcm · 29-11-2020 08:57PM

Truckermal wrote: »

Hard to judge but that Tyre looks like a slick..

That’s a reflection on my windscreen to be fair. It had plenty thread on it from what I saw.

punisher5112 · 29-11-2020 09:16PM

Rear steer issue right there .....

Remember it's 1st year of service it done Dublin tours inner city. Tax break and was it 10 or so purchased.

Nigel Fairservice · 25-08-2021 07:31PM

I got my first Dublin Coach since the pandemic this evening. The bus was 40 minutes late. The real time tracker on the app doesn't seem to be working. Nice to see things haven't changed too much!

Citrus_8 · 25-08-2021 07:44PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117803531#Comment_117803531

I'm surprised they are still allowed to operate at this low level of service quality. Would be better to give the routes to better operators.

Quackster · 25-08-2021 08:31PM

Have travelled Dublin-Tralee with them maybe half a dozen times since the beginning of May. One service was about twenty minutes late arriving into Tralee due to breakdown near the M50. The following Ennis bus picked us up and was rerouted to Tralee (mustn't have been any Ennis passengers on board). All other times it ran on time.

Tomrota · 26-08-2021 07:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117803589#Comment_117803589

Are Dublin coach routes sanctioned by NTA?

end of the road · 26-08-2021 07:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117803589#Comment_117803589

their routes are commercial routes, so aren't subject to the same system as PSO routes operated by the likes of dublin bus or bus eireann or GAI.

essentially they just apply for the license for the route and as long as there aren't more then i think 2 or 3 other operators they will be granted the license.

end of the road · 26-08-2021 07:58PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117807794#Comment_117807794

they would be in that the NTA have granted them a license to operate the routes, however the NTA don't regulate how those routes are operated like they would do with PSO routes.

Citrus_8 · 26-08-2021 08:14PM

The NTA probably don't want to regulate private routes too much as it may cost them effort and money in return.

I've recently looked the fares for Naas to Dublin or Ashbourne to Dublin - fares are insane. 5, 6, 7 Euro for a single 1 hour trip. For commuters without a Tax Saver Ticket it's very much and I'm not surprised there are so many people using cars. Pay a fiver and struggle with poor service is a sad sad experience.

For Naas a train is probably best - around 30mins 4.90 Euro. But only to Heuston, meaning additional costs to get to the actual working place.

Ashbourne is a bit strange to me - Bus Eireann 45-50mins, I think 5 Euro. How do they manage to do to from Busaras to Ashbourne so quickly during peak hours I don't know. I suppose the actual time is closer to 1 hour.

Ashbourne Connects or how it's called, takes a tunnel and I think it's 6 or 7 Euro, taking 1 hour.

Expensive. But coaches are comfy and timetable ris more realistic, just not as frequent service as the Bus Eireann.

Apologies for OT. Dublin Coach is 1 hour to city from Naas, pricey, unreliable, busses aren't well kept. I think the NTA should regulate these private routes (operators I mean) better. Isn't there a PSO alternative, by Bus Eireann?

tgdaly · 07-10-2021 10:12AM

Can anyone confirm where the stop in Dublin Airport is located for the 726 service. Their website indicates it is outside Terminal 1. However, a map I received with my booking shows it as up near the Terminal 1 short term car park.

LXFlyer · 08-10-2021 06:38AM

As per the map when you click on "Dublin Airport" on the 726 timetable:

https://www.dublincoach.ie/timetables-fares/stop-times-map-info.php?stop=15

Tomrota · 10-10-2021 05:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117808086#Comment_117808086

Well the problem is, they’re able to charge these extortionate prices as a result of the fares of the PSO routes. Route 126 is over 6€ from Naas to Dublin one way. Change that to the standardised 2,50€ fare and the private companies would follow suit overnight. It really is no wonder the N7 has so much traffic on it with the extortionate fares the NTA, and as a result private operators, are charging. Far cheaper and FAR more comparable to commute using a car.

LXFlyer · 10-10-2021 06:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118001588#Comment_118001588

You and the other poster seem to be quoting cash fares, rather than those offered when using a LEAP card. Why would anyone still pay cash when LEAP is substantially cheaper?

The126 is EUR 5.39 single from Naas to Dublin using LEAP, and a weekly unlimited Green Zone ticket costs EUR 49.40, which if used for five return journeys a week reduces the single fare to EUR 4.94.

Ashbourne is EUR 4 single using LEAP, and EUR 39.80 for a weekly unlimited Red Zone ticket using LEAP.

Presumably if the lower fare that you propose were to be charged on the likes of the 103, 115, 120 and 126, you would be happy for all those routes to then operate as standard bus routes, stopping at every bus stop within the greater Dublin area along their routes picking up and setting down local travellers, rather than the limited stop service that they currently operate within Dublin, thereby reducing the ability of longer distance commuters to use them?

Now what I DO think is needed is a monthly/annual ticket for the GDA regional routes that also offers travel within Dublin on the city bus services. That is long overdue.

Quackster · 11-10-2021 07:12PM

Have got the 20:15 Dublin/Tralee a good many times now over recent months (last Irish Rail service at 19:00 is simply not good enough) and this evening is no exception.

It's become quite the regular habit now for the one bus to operate the 20:00 Cork & 20:15 Tralee services as far as Red Cow (with the obvious knock-on delay to the Cork service). According to various drivers, Dublin Coach simply doesn't have enough busses!

91wx763 · 16-11-2021 09:23AM

Noted at Dublin Airport this morning. Exhaust blowing like a Harley Davidson, tail light out on the back, headlight out on the front. Would have worked to the airport in darkness this morning, a dozen years old now, time for a one way to Hammond Lane methinks.....

Citrus_8 · 16-11-2021 06:22PM

Can't expect anything better from Dublin Coach. Shocking is that they are allowed to operate Dublin Airport routes.

91wx763 · 16-11-2021 09:51PM

Ironically I travelled on 2010 JJ Kavanagh Setra. No WiFi or sockets but an incredibly smooth journey in a comfortable vehicle.

Dublin Coach Experience Discussion Thread

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