[Article] Coach operator links city with Dublin

thejollyrodger

03/09/04

Coach operator links city with Dublin
By David Clerkin

http://www.irishexaminer.com/pport/web/business/Full_Story/did-sgDHpnOCtZJbEsgadLjt5C321I.asp
PRIVATE coach operator Aircoach has turned up the heat on Bus Éireann with a new service linking Cork City with Dublin.

The service, which will be launched today, will offer eight departures in both directions and cost €20 for a one-way trip and €30 return.

Aircoach managing director John O’Sullivan said the Aircoach brand was well known for providing comfortable transport and an on-time service.

“We offer an unrivalled service at very competitive prices and will demonstrate this to intending passengers in the months ahead,” he said.

The service will depart from Patrick’s Quay and will serve Fermoy, Mitchelstown, Cashel, Durrow, Abbeyleix and Monasterevin on the way to Dublin, where it will terminate at Westmoreland Street beside O’Connell Bridge.



Departures start at 6am and continue to 7pm. Mr O’Sullivan said the route timings would allow business travellers from Cork to get to Dublin in time for a 10am start and return home at 6pm.

Aircoach said that its customers would be able to enjoy greater comfort than that available from rival operators because it deliberately reduced the number of seats on buses to 44, allowing each passenger to have more legroom.

Standard buses carry more than 50 passengers.

The company also operates the world’s first integrated ticketing system that allows passengers to buy tickets online or using a mobile phone text message.

Users receive a text message that is similar to a barcode and scan the screen of their mobile phone when boarding.

The new route is the latest move in Aircoach’s expansion outside its Dublin base. The company, which opened for business in 1999 by operating a service linking Dublin Airport with the city’s major hotels, recently launched new routes from the airport to Belfast and Portlaoise.

The Cork service will link in with the Portlaoise-Dublin Airport route to allow Cork travellers easier access to the airport.

The company recorded turnover of €7.2 million last year, generating profits of €1.28 million, and employs 120 people. It also operates a private car park at Dublin Airport that undercuts Aer Rianta’s rates.

thejollyrodger

Seems a bit expensive at €30 return, but a darn good service with loads of leg room, those little T.V's on the ceiling and leather seats

BuffyBot

Used the Dublin Airport - Portlaoise route yesterday. Fantastic, comfortable buses and a easier journey. For a little more than Dublin Bus/Bus Eireann for the same trip, I know who wins my business

Genghis

BuffyBot wrote:

Used the Dublin Airport - Portlaoise route yesterday. Fantastic, comfortable buses and a easier journey. For a little more than Dublin Bus/Bus Eireann for the same trip, I know who wins my business

Were there many passengers on the bus with you? The Portlaoise service was a brave move, I'd like to know how it is working out.

BuffyBot

About 12 fellow passengers - not bad for a middle of the day, mid week service so soon after starting I think

John R

Aircoach said that its customers would be able to enjoy greater comfort than that available from rival operators because it deliberately reduced the number of seats on buses to 44, allowing each passenger to have more legroom.

Not exactly. The main competition on the Dublin - Cork route is Irish Rail who are already providing greater comfort than Aircoach can hope to provide. With the imminent introduction of a new fleet for the route and an hourly service the only advantage they can get over rail is price.

The company also operates the world’s first integrated ticketing system that allows passengers to buy tickets online or using a mobile phone text message.

That is not really what integrated ticketing is all about, buying tickets with a mobile (a multimedia phone only btw) is a nice gimmick but integrated ticketing is something entirely different. It is not something that any one operator can do on its own so to make these claims is a bit silly.

antoinolachtnai

Well, the big advantage over the train is that the Aircoach service brings you to where you want to go, rather than just dropping you where the rail happens to end. As well as being more comfortable, this also knocks out a lot of the time advantage of taking the train.

The whole integrated ticket question is not really resolved. It isn't altogether clear that integrated ticketing will be much of a boon for intercity travel. There is no firm timeline for introducing integrated ticketing that I know of and there is certainly no bottom-up project plan for it.

parsi

antoinolachtnai wrote:

Well, the big advantage over the train is that the Aircoach service brings you to where you want to go, rather than just dropping you where the rail happens to end. As well as being more comfortable, this also knocks out a lot of the time advantage of taking the train.

Ah not quite - it still only brings you to where the bus ends - in this case Westmoreland St - which is handy if thats where you wanna go (and thats also where the bus from Heuston ends)...to be honest I wouldn't choose to go on a coach up to Dublin from Cork if I was going on business travel - just a bit too cramped for me...

BuffyBot

In their defence, these coaches are most comfortable than pretty much any train I've ever been on.

deRanged

I intend to use the aircoach to head to Dublin soon. Comfy seats - no worries about getting a seat, much cheaper than the train, drops you in the city centre - sounds good to me. I spent years travelling up and down on the train and I'm in no rush to repeat the experiences.

Victor

Maybe it's me, but don't trains and planes have creature comforts like (a) dining car (b) speed of service (c) comfort of movement (d) more than one toilet?

antoinolachtnai

It's going down to Cork we're talking about here. Not Prague.

thejollyrodger

nice to have the competition but Ill take the train thanks (especially when the new intercitys arrive )

damien

Not exactly. The main competition on the Dublin - Cork route is Irish Rail who are already providing greater comfort than Aircoach can hope to provide.

Strange, I thought the competition was the crap Bus Eireann service from Cork to Dublin / Dublin to Cork. Sometimes it can be standing room only on that service. Surely that means there is a market there ripe for the taking.

The Bus to dublin is used by those who need to save as much as possible. I know folks who would use it to save even just 5 euro, because to them the 5 euro is worth a lot.

Victor wrote:

Maybe it's me, but don't trains and planes have creature comforts like (a) dining car (b) speed of service (c) comfort of movement (d) more than one toilet?

When's the last time you went on a train from Cork to Dublin ? Dining car is not guranteed, they frequently run out of everything including tea and coffee.

Aer Arrann to Dublin is fast, but getting out of Dublin airport and into town can be a pain. Aer Arrann to Dublin cancels flights frequently enough and you can easily get delayed in the airport for an hour before you take off.

Each mode of transport has advantages and disadvantages. I think Aircoach will find it's own niche as comfortable travel to Dublin but cheaper than the train. A little bit more than Bus Eireann but a way more comfortable journey.

John R

antoinolachtnai wrote:

It's going down to Cork we're talking about here. Not Prague.

4 hours in a coach seat is stretching the limits of comfort in my view.

John R

damien.m wrote:

Strange, I thought the competition was the crap Bus Eireann service from Cork to Dublin / Dublin to Cork. Sometimes it can be standing room only on that service. Surely that means there is a market there ripe for the taking.

The Bus Eireann service from Cork has always been one of their least popular routes into Dublin, IE often take more on one train than the whole days bus service. When the new stock arrives and they increase the frequency to hourly I expect the usage of the train service to increase considerably.
Oh and can you explain why you believe the Bus Eireann service is crap and why you another coach operator will be any better.

damien.m wrote:

The Bus to dublin is used by those who need to save as much as possible. I know folks who would use it to save even just 5 euro, because to them the 5 euro is worth a lot.

Students and budget tourists make up a large part of that group and unless Aircoach offer student discounts they will be sticking to BE. The tourists will tend to anyway because BE run a comprehensive network and many tourists will be going further than city - city, many also use tourist passes.

damien.m wrote:

When's the last time you went on a train from Cork to Dublin ? Dining car is not guranteed, they frequently run out of everything including tea and coffee.

Frequently?
I can't remember the last time I was on any train that was scheduled to have catering that was without any facilities.

damien.m wrote:

Aer Arrann to Dublin is fast, but getting out of Dublin airport and into town can be a pain. Aer Arrann to Dublin cancels flights frequently enough and you can easily get delayed in the airport for an hour before you take off.

Each mode of transport has advantages and disadvantages. I think Aircoach will find it's own niche as comfortable travel to Dublin but cheaper than the train. A little bit more than Bus Eireann but a way more comfortable journey.

Speaking of Aer Arann, it is a ridiculous suggestion that the Aircoach service will be used by business people, none bar the obsessively tight fisted would even consider it. Anyone on expense accounts that doesn't drive will use the air service or the first class rail product which are both a world away from any coach service, leather seats or not.

vector

John R wrote:

...
Speaking of Aer Arann, it is a ridiculous suggestion that the Aircoach service will be used by business people, none bar the obsessively tight fisted would even consider it. Anyone on expense accounts that doesn't drive will use the air service or the first class rail product which are both a world away from any coach service, leather seats or not.

Very well put, a good idea but who are the customers?
Well maybe even with this uncertainty itis easy to fill only 50 seats.

Victor

damien.m wrote:

When's the last time you went on a train from Cork to Dublin ? Dining car is not guranteed, they frequently run out of everything including tea and coffee.

And somehow you are going to get a better service on a coach?

the_syco

Can someone PLEASE think of the prices!

Seriously; post up the prices.

Dublin to Galway on the train is €40, but €16 or something by bus. So whats the difference to Cork?

BuffyBot

And somehow you are going to get a better service on a coach?

Certainly cleaner and more comfortable than most of IE's trains.

Victor

the_syco wrote:

Seriously; post up the prices. Dublin to Galway on the train is €40, but €16 or something by bus. So whats the difference to Cork?

The service, which will be launched today, will offer eight departures in both directions and cost €20 for a one-way trip and €30 return.

http://www.buseireann.ie/site/your_journey/fares_and_tickets.asp#fares

Cork Adult Single €20.50 Adult Monthly €33.00

BuffyBot wrote:

Certainly cleaner and more comfortable than most of IE's trains.

Who's going to keep the bus clean? The driver?

sliabh

BuffyBot wrote:

Certainly cleaner and more comfortable than most of IE's trains.

From my experience of the Aircoach buses to the airport I' still prefer a train. There is much more room in a train seat, you can walk about on the train and most importantly you trafic congestion is not going to be a problem for a train. I doubt the new service has any magic route through or around Monasterevin on a Friday afternoon!

Metrobest

I think the Aircoach service is a winner. I've used their services to/from the aiport on several occasions. It was wonderful. The driver greeted me with a smile, explained the ticket options available and actually said ''goodbye'' when i stepped off the coach. My last experience of CIE, on the other hand, was when the 747 driver grunted: ''What do you think you're doing''? when I had the blind cheek to step on a bus, already loaded with passengers, to stick my ticket into the machine and take a seat (he was having a chat outside the bus with one of his buddies and didn't want to be disturbed! tut tut)

Lack of customer service is endemic throughout CIE, particularly on routes they monopolise. I wish Aircoach well. I suspect they will pick up a lot of Dublin-Cork passengers who don't want to go to Heuston or Busaras (think citilink to galway).. If passengers can be sure of an on-time service I can see train passengers being tempted also. However, aside from the horrendous no.90 bus, train is far better way to travel Dublin-Cork right now.

Bus journeys are not neccesarily uncomfortable. In Europe people travel long-distance coach and it's no problem. The problem with Ireland is that the roads are too narrow, too bumpy, so after two hours on a bus you get uncomfortable. A three-lane autobahn from Dublin-Cork would solve that problem instantly.

sliabh

Aircoach has definitely gone down hill since they were sold. I was a great fan when they started. Every quarter of an hour a shiny blue bus would whisk you to the airport for a fraction of the price of a taxi.

By May of this year the original owner had sold up and the new crowd did not seem to care as much. I was regularly waiting for over half an hour for a bus, and this is at 5:30 in the morning when traffic cannot be an excuse. I have seen the bus drivers with nearly full busses ignore tourists at designated bus stops in the city centre to pick up airport workers standing by the road on the north side of the city. The staff have become surly and unhelpful as well. “I have been waiting over 35 minutes", Driver - “Well I am on time". As they have expanded to cover more routes it has become harder to get the bus you want at the airport, I have had waits of over 30 minutes at the airport as the buses leaving are going to Sandyford and are no use to me going to Leeson Steet for Ranelagh.

IgnatiusJRiley

Metrobest wrote:

I think the Aircoach service is a winner. I've used their services to/from the aiport on several occasions. It was wonderful. The driver greeted me with a smile, explained the ticket options available and actually said ''goodbye'' when i stepped off the coach. My last experience of CIE, on the other hand, was when the 747 driver grunted: ''What do you think you're doing''? when I had the blind cheek to step on a bus, already loaded with passengers, to stick my ticket into the machine and take a seat (he was having a chat outside the bus with one of his buddies and didn't want to be disturbed! tut tut)

Actually I have to say that any time I've taken the 747, I've found the drivers to be very friendly and polite and, as far as I know, the 747 is cheaper than the Aircoach. They've never said 'goodbye' but I've managed to get over the hurt of that!

Victor

sliabh wrote:

I have seen the bus drivers with nearly full busses ignore tourists at designated bus stops in the city centre to pick up airport workers standing by the road on the north side of the city.

Why would they do that seeing as the airport workers get discounted tickets?

sliabh

Victor wrote:

Why would they do that seeing as the airport workers get discounted tickets?

I don't know. I got the impression it was because the drivers are mates with whoever they were picking up. They recognised them and there was some banter. It's pretty ****ty for the tourists stranded on O'Connell Street though.