Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
Thanks all.

Bus questions & need "local" advice

  • 15-08-2019 5:15pm
    #1
    drive on right
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭


    Hi.

    We will be spending 2 weeks in Ireland WITHOUT a car (too hard to drive on the OPPOSITE side of the road for us. We live in USA).

    I was all ready to buy bus tickets on line for 2 Bus Journeys:
    BUT then I remembered reading about lots of BUS PROBLEMS: such as Bus being 1 hour late OR arriving 20 min. early. People on Trip Advisor had some really awful experiences and mistakes can happen.

    1) We want to go FROM: Cashel on a Saturday (Expressway X8); Change buses in CAHIR - to Expressway 55 (or NEXT bus is Bus Eireann Bus 355) going TO: WATERFORD for the day.

    We are FINE if we miss the 10:30 in Cahir due to the X8 (arrival 10:25) being late. We can just visit Cahir Castle for an hour.

    But....we do NOT want to wait 2 hours in case the bus is always late.

    If the X8 is coming from Dublin Airport - would it typically run late on a Saturday?

    Since we will be in small villages - there are not many options.

    On the RETURN from Waterford: We arrive in Cahir at 17:55 and need to wait until 19:20 for the X8 to got to Cashel.
    That is FINE - we will eat dinner.

    BUT.....I am concerned that IF the X8 at 19:20 "the LAST bus" (Cork to Dublin) does NOT come. We could be stuck in Cashel with no Taxis in Cashel itself!!

    2) On a SUNDAY: we are leaving Cashel & going to Dublin.
    Based on what people on Boards advise - we might take a train INSTEAD of a bus.

    On A Sunday in September:
    On Expressway X8 -(Cork to Dublin) IF we get on bus at 11:40 in Cashel WITH Luggage: will there still be SEATS for us?

    Cashel is the LAST "Pick Up" listed (all the following Stops are "Drop-off Stop Only"). So I am concerned that we would have to STAND for 1 hr, 45 min until Heuston Station BUS Drop Off.

    If it gets VERY crowded BEFORE the Stop in Cashel:
    We could get a Taxi to Thurles and take the TRAIN to Dublin from Thurles.

    Your opinion please?

    I appreciate any advice you have to share.

    THANK YOU!!


Comments

  • #2
    Stephen15
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,907 ✭✭✭Stephen15


    Driving in Ireland especially outside of Dublin is relatively easy and straightforward as the main roads are generally good and easy to drive on even if it is on the left hand side. In general the roads outside of Dublin are generally very quiet. Driving on the other side of the road is generally not an issue just be extra careful on roundabouts plenty of people I know drive in other countries on the right hand side of the road with relative ease.

    Public transport on the other hand is generally fairly limited outside of Dublin and Cork in rural areas buses are generally few and far between in rural areas. I would certainly take the risk of driving before I'd rely on public transport in Ireland in order to get maximum enjoyment out of my stay.


  • #3
    drive on right
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭drive on right


    Thank You Stephen 15 for the encouragement and advice.
    At this point it might be a little too late to hire a car.

    My husband and I discussed this many times.
    It is when your Instincts kick in (swerve to avoid the sheep OR another car BUT you go to the RIGHT instead of left)
    or Start in the Round about the driving the WRONG way.
    Plus you start reaching down for the shift that is NOT on your RIGHT anymore.

    We have been able to plan MOST of our trip with Taxis & Trains (Shannon to Doolin; Killimer Ferry to Tarbet - to Dingle; Train to Cashel. Then Cashel to Dublin ? by Bus OR train?, Dublin to Belfast).

    What I am trying to find out is:
    SHOULD I do my best to AVOID the Bus (Coach) especially in a small Village like Cashel or Cahir?
    Or when we need to be somewhere at a specific time (and the bus is over 30 min. late?)??

    After reading about all the problems that people are having with the buses:
    I just can't get all them out of my head.

    I am really hesitating buying tickets on line.

    But....I actually can't buy tickets on line:
    The Bus Eirean web site has a flaw.
    The Time Zone automatically CHANGES the DATE of ticket in "Check Out" for people OUTSIDE of Ireland (GMT).
    The ticket READS 1 day earlier.
    This is a known problem. People have changed the Clock & Time Zone on their Computers.
    I tried it but didn't work for me.


Advertisement