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Heuston's staff. Why I oughtta...

Like A Fox

Has anybody else noticed how damn unpleasant the staff in Heuston Station are?

Here's how a general inquiry such as "Excuse me, do you know which platform the Cork train is at?" is answered by those charmers.

First the Irish Rail eye-toss-to-heaven. This reminds the customer that they are about as intelligent a a bowl of cornflakes.

Second, the sigh. A loud, pained exhalation before answering the question lets the consumer know that their audacious inquiry is the worst part of their day.

Thirdly the "Go on." I didn't understand this answer the first time I heard it, but boy when it got repeated more slowly for me I realised that "GO. ON." roughly translates as "The train is over there Miss. Enjoy your journey."

I sure felt silly for not getting that.

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fh041205

Carawaystick wrote: »

Are the people they have to deal with in Dublin not the same people they have to deal with out of Dublin - especially regarding Heuston services?

I don't think so. You get more people in Dublin and by extension, more aggro, more idiots to deal with, more people making every attempt to evade a fare. Staff in more rural locations tend to be friendlier because they don't have to watch their backs as much. You see it all the time in Dublin with people damaging dart cables, spray painting and otherwise damaging stations and worryingly regular blockades on the line at Broombridge.

Pineapple stu

antoinolachtnai wrote: »

If the guy is wearing a uniform and he is on the concourse, he is in customer service, no matter what his job description is. If you approach staff at an airport and ask for your gate, they will certainly point you in the right direction, if they don't actually find the information for you.

True, most IE staff would do this but you will always get the miserable one here and there.

Judgement Day

fh041205 wrote: »

I don't think so. You get more people in Dublin and by extension, more aggro, more idiots to deal with, more people making every attempt to evade a fare. Staff in more rural locations tend to be friendlier because they don't have to watch their backs as much. You see it all the time in Dublin with people damaging dart cables, spray painting and otherwise damaging stations and worryingly regular blockades on the line at Broombridge.

I tend to agree with the poster who pointed out that is the Dublin area where the staff are the most unfriendly/unhelpful - and Cork too - but just because they have a lot to put up with is no excuse for their surly attitude to dealing with passengers. Perhaps they should save their bad manners for scumbags and treat ordinary members of the public with the respect that they deserve.

VERYinterested

fh041205 wrote: »

I don't think so. You get more people in Dublin and by extension, more aggro, more idiots to deal with, more people making every attempt to evade a fare. Staff in more rural locations tend to be friendlier because they don't have to watch their backs as much. You see it all the time in Dublin with people damaging dart cables, spray painting and otherwise damaging stations and worryingly regular blockades on the line at Broombridge.

Wonder what was eating the oul Hag at Ceannt Station so, must have had a lot of Dublin punters through that day :rolleyes:

In my experience of Iarnrod Eireann the place I have seen most attempts at fare evasion is at Limerick Junction where a lot of people get on to the reserved carriage and plainly don't have a ticket and then give people that do evils and give the Inspector a lot of grief.

missmatty

I know this isn't the 'ranting and raving' thread so I will hold back, although I could go on for hours about IE.

I nearly missed my own train to work one sweet morning lately because I had to do one guy's job for him in Heuston. There were two Italian tourists in the station who wanted a day return to Cork and they were told at the desk that it was 20E or something like that cheaper each to buy the tickets online than buy them at the cash desk.

So they were talking to one IE guy on the concourse and I was standing minding my business and I got roped in to get their tickets for them on those internet computers as yer man couldn't use the internet, even used my own email address on the IE website. I didn't mind really as they were nice people and I couldn't blame them wanting to save a load of money. But the whole thing took so long i nearly missed my own train just because they are all so useless in Heuston.

The whole platform number thing is stoopid as well, just ends up with tons of people blocking the concourse then descending on the train in a flood. And when you book a seat either the name doesn't come up on the digital display so somebody takes your seat, or else (like last week) the wrong names came up so no-one knew what the hell was going on. Give me strength.

Cookie_Monster

Just put the platform notification board in Heuston in the bar, problem solved:D

fh041205

VERYinterested wrote: »

Wonder what was eating the oul Hag at Ceannt Station so, must have had a lot of Dublin punters through that day :rolleyes:

In my experience of Iarnrod Eireann the place I have seen most attempts at fare evasion is at Limerick Junction where a lot of people get on to the reserved carriage and plainly don't have a ticket and then give people that do evils and give the Inspector a lot of grief.

In fairness though, the things i've mentioned above are far worse than sitting in a reserved seat. I get your point though.

missmatty, fair play to you for helping them out, its nice to know that there are people who will do that.

Zoney

fh041205 wrote: »

In fairness though, the things i've mentioned above are far worse than sitting in a reserved seat. I get your point though.

missmatty, fair play to you for helping them out, its nice to know that there are people who will do that.

I'm also glad there are folk here who would help out tourists. I've twice been helped out by passerbys in Munich in figuring out the cheapest ticket to buy (I think I have it now but it's confusing that the "Partner" ticket is not just for two people but is up to something like 5 - there were 3 of us on each occasion). The bank of ticketmachines at the airport subway is intimidating even with a bit of German.

My most infuriating experience at Heuston was not IÉ's fault, but the banks. All ATMs out of cash on a Sunday. Had to walk to some shop near Phoenix Park.

jlang

Other countries can manage to print the platform number on the timetable months in advance.

missmatty

That's the thing, I didn't want them to go home thinking that not only is the whole logic of the rail system stupid, but that the people are too (and unhelpful) :P

jkmanc1974

Interesting how the ticket machines in Heuston will not accept the "on-line" printed tickets........to quote a member of staff -" The machine doesnt accept photocopies look it!!!"

1 member of staff assigned to the machines to look after approx 700 people heading into Dublin from the West is bad form......

Brgds
Johnny

Like A Fox

Yeah it's pretty ridiculous to spend all that money on new technology (stalls) that isn't compatible with the other new technology (online tickets).

Although if you print the ticket from a ticket machine (think they only have 'em in Hueston, Cork and Galway) then it'll work at the stalls.

KC61

To go back to the original post regarding lack of any information on platform numbers, the large departures board in the station concourse clearly states under every train departure (where there is no platform assigned) the following message:

PLEASE WAIT ON CONCOURSE UNTIL PLATFORM NUMBER IS ADVISED

DWCommuter

KC61 wrote: »

To go back to the original post regarding lack of any information on platform numbers, the large departures board in the station concourse clearly states under every train departure (where there is no platform assigned) the following message:

PLEASE WAIT ON CONCOURSE UNTIL PLATFORM NUMBER IS ADVISED

I did that once for a Kildare service. I waited and waited and waited, Then I thought the train was delayed. It was in Sallins by the time I realised that it left on time and the system had ****ed me over. In fairness it was an experiment as I knew damn well from observation and experience what platform it departed from. I went and drank some satisfying pints, but agonised over how a tourist or non-regular user would feel.

Its probably best if the railway wasn't run for the benefit of staff and regulars.:D

highlydebased

Like A Fox wrote: »

Yeah it's pretty ridiculous to spend all that money on new technology (stalls) that isn't compatible with the other new technology (online tickets).

Although if you print the ticket from a ticket machine (think they only have 'em in Hueston, Cork and Galway) then it'll work at the stalls.

Unfortunately it doesnt for pre-booked

If you print from a ticket machine for normal tickets, it works

If you print from the pre-booked collection machine it doesnt. Those ones dont have the magnetic strip yoke at the back

mk6705

Like A Fox wrote: »

Although print the ticket from a ticket machine (think they only have 'em in Hueston, Cork and Galway) then it'll work at the stalls.

They have ticket machines in many, many more places.

Other than that, I'd agree that the staff are more helpful outside of Dublin. A good example going back to the original post would be asking a member of Staff in Mallow (Mala bai) "When's the train to Tralee?" and without trying to make me feel stupid or anything he said "This platform, ten to eleven". Much better isn't it?

fh041205

There seems to be quite a trend of platforms not being displayed properly in Heuston. There are at least 2 people in this thread who have seen this and i suspect there are a lot more. That really is unforgiveable. Its something that defeats the whole point of rail travel and tbh infuriates me more than anything else in IR at the moment because its such a basic requirement.

Chris_533976

The prebooked seats thing was only working on the right hand side of the train from Galway to Dublin the other day and not at all on the way back. Ridiculous. And because it hardly ever works, people logically feel they can sit anywhere. Then the people come on who have booked those seats and get pissed.

skelliser

ask steven seagal, pretty heplful along with the eastern european special forces dudes

Fairdues

People get stressed when they travel by train, obviously.

Fairdues

Or should I say, Irish Rail? Having said that, not everybody feels that way, I'm sure.

mk6705

Fairdues wrote: »

Or should I say, Irish Rail? Having said that, not everybody feels that way, I'm sure.

I quite enjoy rail travel...but alot of people don't seem that happy about it. It's a personal thing I suppose.