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Public transport too expensive

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  • 04-07-2008 3:37pm
    #1
    ntlbell
    Registered Users Posts: 16,288 ✭✭✭✭


    I couldn't believe when I took a look at the price of a bus ticket

    80e! for a monthly pass

    I haven't used public transport for about 7/8 years regularly and was pretty shocked at the cost's

    If you purchased a car you could nearly run it for close enough to that (I'm not far off it at atm)

    Anyone else find the cost of the tickets outrageous or am I just behind the times?

    two stops the other day on the luas e1.50!


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    #2
    Polar101
    Registered Users Posts: 3,774 ✭✭✭Polar101


    I don't really feel that way.. I have an annual bus/rail pass which my employer bought me. As I don't pay taxes for it, it probably comes to about 60€-70€ a month, which I find very reasonable since I can use the ticket anywhere around greater Dublin.

    I don't like driving, so public transport suits my current situation better, and I find it to be much cheaper (even if I consider that it is slower).


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    #3
    Run_to_da_hills
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,009 ✭✭✭✭Run_to_da_hills


    ntlbell wrote: »
    I couldn't believe when I took a look at the price of a bus ticket

    80e! for a monthly pass

    I haven't used public transport for about 7/8 years regularly and was pretty shocked at the cost's

    If you purchased a car you could nearly run it for close enough to that (I'm not far off it at atm)

    Anyone else find the cost of the tickets outrageous or am I just behind the times?

    two stops the other day on the luas e1.50!
    I can guarantee when smart cards are implemented in all these high fares will be significantly reduced to get you to buy them. London is the same, one stop in Zone 1 is 4 quid cash but with Oyster it is only 1.50.


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    #4
    BendiBus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,075 ✭✭✭BendiBus


    ntlbell wrote: »
    80e! for a monthly pass
    .
    .
    .
    If you purchased a car you could nearly run it for close enough to that (I'm not far off it at atm)

    €80 Less 41% using the tax saver scheme = €47 approx per month.

    That would get you a little over a litre of diesel per day. Not to mention tax, insurance, parking, cost of buying the car in the first place.


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    #5
    ntlbell
    Registered Users Posts: 16,288 ✭✭✭✭ntlbell


    BendiBus wrote: »
    €80 Less 41% using the tax saver scheme = €47 approx per month.

    That would get you a little over a litre of diesel per day. Not to mention tax, insurance, parking, cost of buying the car in the first place.

    obviously i wasn't adding in the cost of the original car.

    but for someone who owns there car as i do.

    i don't pay for parking in work.

    I didn't know about the tax saver scheme.


    i was working on 960 a year

    would tax/insure/petrol my car for a year..


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    #6
    ardmacha
    Registered Users Posts: 7,476 ✭✭✭ardmacha


    would tax/insure/petrol my car for a year..

    Small car and good value insurance there.


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    #7
    Bluetonic
    Registered Users Posts: 7,588 ✭✭✭Bluetonic


    BendiBus wrote: »
    €80 Less 41% using the tax saver scheme = €47 approx per month.

    That would get you a little over a litre of diesel per day. Not to mention tax, insurance, parking, cost of buying the car in the first place.
    Your making the presumption that everyone is paying tax at 41%.

    There are people who pay tax at the 20% rate only.

    You get relief at which ever the highest rate of tax you pay, couple this with a 6% PRSI saving also.

    www.taxsaver.ie


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    #8
    afatbollix
    Registered Users Posts: 4,046 ✭✭✭afatbollix


    im on the train right now to longford from dublin... the ticket cost 31:50... WTF i was going to drive but was picking up a car to drive to westport... its 47 euro return for the westport line.... ill be driving the full way from now on!!!!

    50 euro would get you to westport and back twice in my car!!!


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    #9
    ardmacha
    Registered Users Posts: 7,476 ✭✭✭ardmacha


    50 euro would get you to westport and back twice in my car!!!

    Would it? There and back is 500km, say you use 6L/100km then that's 30 litres of juice, which costs pretty much €40 these days. Add in the M4 toll, if you go that way and you'd have €45, not far off €47.


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    #10
    godtabh
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 23,205 Mod ✭✭✭✭godtabh


    ntlbell wrote: »
    I couldn't believe when I took a look at the price of a bus ticket

    80e! for a monthly pass

    I haven't used public transport for about 7/8 years regularly and was pretty shocked at the cost's

    If you purchased a car you could nearly run it for close enough to that (I'm not far off it at atm)

    Anyone else find the cost of the tickets outrageous or am I just behind the times?

    two stops the other day on the luas e1.50!

    I get the annual bus and rail ticket.

    Daily return for me is €5.50 or something like that. 5 times a week for for weeks adds up to about €110. I also use it at the weekend and the nite link a couple of times a month. Well worth it


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    #11
    Saruman
    Registered Users Posts: 11,389 ✭✭✭✭Saruman


    Polar101 wrote: »
    I don't really feel that way.. I have an annual bus/rail pass which my employer bought me. As I don't pay taxes for it, it probably comes to about 60€-70€ a month, which I find very reasonable since I can use the ticket anywhere around greater Dublin.

    I don't like driving, so public transport suits my current situation better, and I find it to be much cheaper (even if I consider that it is slower).

    It costs me about €70 to fill the tank of my car, this lasts me only 4 days or roughly 400 odd miles, less if a lot of city driving is involved. Public transport might seem expensive but its pretty cheap compared to driving.


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    #12
    Run_to_da_hills
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,009 ✭✭✭✭Run_to_da_hills


    BendiBus wrote: »
    €80 Less 41% using the tax saver scheme = €47 approx per month.

    That would get you a little over a litre of diesel per day. Not to mention tax, insurance, parking, cost of buying the car in the first place.
    Do you drive a bendybus ? :confused:


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    #13
    vektarman
    Registered Users Posts: 2,923 ✭✭✭vektarman


    ntlbell wrote: »


    i was working on 960 a year

    would tax/insure/petrol my car for a year..
    Don't forget servicing, tyres, etc. I pay €2 bus fare from Celbridge to Dublin city centre, slow transport I know but I console myself with the fact that a taxi would cost me 25 times that amount.


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    #14
    ntlbell
    Registered Users Posts: 16,288 ✭✭✭✭ntlbell


    vektarman wrote: »
    Don't forget servicing, tyres, etc. I pay €2 bus fare from Celbridge to Dublin city centre, slow transport I know but I console myself with the fact that a taxi would cost me 25 times that amount.

    Yea I guess it's a personal thing..

    i use about 25e a petrol a month

    the car is just due a service now for the first time in 3 years and the tyre's are grand since it was bought :P


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    #15
    John R
    Registered Users Posts: 4,107 ✭✭✭John R


    ntlbell wrote: »

    the car is just due a service now for the first time in 3 years

    :eek: Remind me never to buy a car from you.


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    #16
    ntlbell
    Registered Users Posts: 16,288 ✭✭✭✭ntlbell


    John R wrote: »
    :eek: Remind me never to buy a car from you.

    20k done in over 3 years....

    yea you'd be mad :rolleyes:


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    #17
    Saruman
    Registered Users Posts: 11,389 ✭✭✭✭Saruman


    I guess different strokes and all that... if you only spend €25 per month as opposoed to the €70 every 4 days or so i spend then great for you. Although i think John R's point was regardess of the fact you only did 20k in 3 years, you still should get your car serviced every year according to service companies.


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    #18
    spank_inferno
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,892 ✭✭✭spank_inferno


    I concur that it is very expensive.
    My Wife and I could pay over €80 between us to commute to dublin by bus.
    All for sitting in a damp smelling, noisy slow & infrequent bus eireann coach.

    Alternativey we sit in comfort spending €45 on fuel going to work in half the journey time the bus takes.

    I spent 4 years using Bus eireann and I will never go back


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    #19
    IanCurtis
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,004 ✭✭✭IanCurtis


    spank_inferno wrote: »
    I concur that it is very expensive.
    My Wife and I could pay over €80 between us to commute to dublin by bus.
    All for sitting in a damp smelling, noisy slow & infrequent bus eireann coach.

    Alternativey we sit in comfort spending €45 on fuel going to work in half the journey time the bus takes.

    I spent 4 years using Bus eireann and I will never go back

    You buy a house miles out of Dublin and then complain about the transport :rolleyes:

    Typical Irish idiotic attitude


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    #20
    Saruman
    Registered Users Posts: 11,389 ✭✭✭✭Saruman


    IanCurtis wrote: »
    You buy a house miles out of Dublin and then complain about the transport :rolleyes:

    Typical Irish idiotic attitude

    In fairness i doubt they had a choice! I had to do the same thing as did 10's of thousands of others.
    House prices in Dublin were so high we were forced out of Dublin as we could not afford to buy a house.


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    #21
    ntlbell
    Registered Users Posts: 16,288 ✭✭✭✭ntlbell


    Saruman wrote: »
    I guess different strokes and all that... if you only spend €25 per month as opposoed to the €70 every 4 days or so i spend then great for you. Although i think John R's point was regardess of the fact you only did 20k in 3 years, you still should get your car serviced every year according to service companies.

    Well it's a bit like an EA telling you it's a great time to buy a house :D


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    #22
    Slice
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,133 ✭✭✭Slice


    I couldn't believe when I took a look at the price of a bus ticket

    80e! for a monthly pass

    I haven't used public transport for about 7/8 years regularly and was pretty shocked at the cost's

    If you purchased a car you could nearly run it for close enough to that (I'm not far off it at atm)

    So it would cost €960 a year for twelve monthly unlimited travel bus tickets (less if you bought an annual ticket) and you reckon that's more expensive than the annual cost of owning a car?


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    #23
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,299 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    http://www.aaireland.ie/toptips/costofmotoring2005.asp


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    #24
    ntlbell
    Registered Users Posts: 16,288 ✭✭✭✭ntlbell


    Slice wrote: »
    So it would cost €960 a year for twelve monthly unlimited travel bus tickets (less if you bought an annual ticket) and you reckon that's more expensive than the annual cost of owning a car?


    It's more than i spend a year.

    I don't drive my car unilmited for that price i drive it to work and back.

    I would be gettig the bus to work and back not sitting on it 8 hours a day.

    i'm aware my car useage is not normal as I don't live very far from work ( in a car) and there's no traffic so it's not fair to compare to the average punter.

    But i just found it very exspensive when i looked at the site and it could easiliy be i'm just out of touch and haven't used public transport for so long.


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    #25
    Slice
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,133 ✭✭✭Slice


    I think it's disingenuous to say that it's cheaper to drive to work and back in a car than it is with public transport because there's the fixed cost associated with having a car that you don't seem to be accounting for. I really don't see how public transport is more expensive and if it is then relative to what? Walking?


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    #26
    shoegirl
    Registered Users Posts: 2,018 ✭✭✭shoegirl


    BendiBus wrote: »
    €80 Less 41% using the tax saver scheme = €47 approx per month.

    That would get you a little over a litre of diesel per day. Not to mention tax, insurance, parking, cost of buying the car in the first place.

    That is if your employer is willing to participate. Many refuse to participate on the grounds of simply not being bothered. They are under no obligation to offer this to employees.

    In my own situation, I was quite shocked to discover that a return bus ticket to work would cost me 7 euros per day. My trip to work is about 7 km. So per month that is about 280km which is more than covered by a full tank of petrol for my 1.2 litre engine. Tax costs about 25 euro a month and insurance is 28 euros. I've a residential parking permit which sets me back 85 per year, and maintenance is about 350 on average.

    So that comes to just under 140 per month.
    If I took the bus it would cost 200 euros. Incredible.


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    #27
    shoegirl
    Registered Users Posts: 2,018 ✭✭✭shoegirl


    Saruman wrote: »
    In fairness i doubt they had a choice! I had to do the same thing as did 10's of thousands of others.
    House prices in Dublin were so high we were forced out of Dublin as we could not afford to buy a house.

    In fairness petrol prices were considerably less, which made longish commutes more feasible.


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    #28
    Saruman
    Registered Users Posts: 11,389 ✭✭✭✭Saruman


    Not really, when i moved to westmeath in 2005 petrol was about €1.01 - €1.05 and today its about €1.30 or so (I use Tesco so others may be a little more). So its only a difference of about .25c a litre which means it costs about €15 more to fill my tank now than it did when i moved. Sure it adds up but its not going to cripple me in any way. If it gets to €2 per Litre then i will start to seriously worry.

    Anyway getting off track, i think public transport is cheaper to use than a car.. Although only in Dublin and for a daily commute. Public transport is not good enough outside of Dublin to make not having a car feasible unless you do not like to go off the public transport route.


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    #29
    OTK
    Closed Accounts Posts: 556 ✭✭✭OTK


    So bus option is about 50e/month after tax rebate. But using a car is far more pleasant.

    Most people grossly underestimate the costs of car ownership. The OP is not alone.
    ntlbell wrote: »
    obviously i wasn't adding in the cost of the original car.
    Yes, most people ignore the 10% depreciation and the 5% loan interest/loss of interest on capital. So what's your car worth? Get 15% of that figure and that's your first underestimate of car costs.
    i don't pay for parking in work.
    Someone pays for it and that person gives you that benefit tax free and it is policy to allow this subsidy to car drivers because public servants like parking for free in dublin.
    I didn't know about the tax saver scheme.
    It is badly promoted and takes some work to apply for but it does save you nearly half the annual fare cost if you are on higher rate tax.

    i was working on 960 a year...would tax/insure/petrol my car for a year..
    I would be amazed if this is not an underestimate.
    ntlbell wrote: »
    i use about 25e a petrol a month...20k done in over 3 years....
    Doesn't add up. 25e gets you 19 litres of petrol. If you have a 1 litre car and drive gently you'll use maybe 6.5 litres/100km. That's 292 km per month or 3,500 km per year.
    the car is just due a service now for the first time in 3 years
    In 3 years, a car that's in use should have had two minor services and one major service, regardless of mileage. That's at least 700e

    There are myriad other costs associated with owning a car. For example, in each of the last two years, I've paid 200e to fix damage done to the car by people in car parks. I could leave it unfixed but then suffer the loss when I go to sell.

    I prefer using my car to the bus but I don't kid myself that it costs less. If the bus were free, I would still drive. It takes less effort to drive.


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    #30
    Colm R
    Registered Users Posts: 997 ✭✭✭Colm R


    With petrol at 1.32 and diesel at 1.40 I think we are onto something here. I work in the city center and never drive unless I need to go out of hours.

    My girlfriend drives (until recently) as she needs to cross the city to work and the buses are not very good linking up. However when petrol hit 1.30, she has now decided to leave the car at home.

    I wonder though will IE and DB factor in the increased number of customers they have and will get, to offset higher fuel costs when seeking fare increases.


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    #31
    Saruman
    Registered Users Posts: 11,389 ✭✭✭✭Saruman


    OTK wrote: »
    If the bus were free, I would still drive. It takes less effort to drive.

    This has to be the most realistic statement so far. Its true, even if we had a free Bus system in Dublin i think only a few people would give up their car as a bus is just not comfortable and too unreliable and lets face it, a lot of us just hate being around other annoying people on a moving vehicle.

    Cars cost a lot more than public transport but the cost is not why people do not use public transport.

    If we had a public transport system like Chicago (can vouch for this one) or New York then it might be different. Even London which is similar to Dublin in layout/design as opposed to a US city design you would find a lot more people using public transport there than here (disregarding population reasons) because its so much better than here. Its not cheap in London and nor is it cheap in Chicago either. In Chicago its $1.75 for a bus ride and $2 for the EL (like a subway/dart).


    At the end of the day, we use our cars for comfort.

    When i lived in Dublin though i did take the bus instead of driving into the city centre if i was going in shopping on a Saturday as traffic and parking were too much hassle but for anywhere else in Dublin i would not even consider public transport.


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