[PR] Buy online - Special Discounted Fares for Internet Customers

Victor

http://www.buseireann.ie/site/news_centre/timetable_changes.asp?action=view&news_id=521

Buy online - Special Discounted Fares for Internet Customers - Published - 13th February 2007

Bus Éireann is offering a 10% discount on National Tickets, to customers who buy online through the Company's website.

Please click here to buy your ticket online.

skywalker_208

ok - ive tried this twice..waste of time. The Drivers havent a clue how to process tickets you buy online. The idea is you get an email or something, print out the code and bring it to the driver. He enters it into his ticket machine and you get your ticket for a few euro cheaper than if you handed him cash...

the 2nd time i tried it the driver told me his "machine wasnt updated to accept them" and i would have to visit the ticket booth in BusAras and get the ticket in the evening. Went to the ticket booth in the evening on the return journey and got a blank stare from the girl behind the glass.... "no sure we cant do dah here - yeh have to get dah from the driver"

Eventually got the ticket from the driver on the return journey... now i just pay cash... not worth the hassle...

markpb

Why the new press release? Isn't this the same offer that's been running for over a year now? It's a pity they haven't added any new routes to it since the start

The gf has been using it regularly on buses to Mayo the entire time and never has any problems other than drivers not accepting them in Dublin Busaras.

skywalker_208

why werent they accepting them in Busaras?

markpb

skywalker_208 wrote:

why werent they accepting them in Busaras?

Drivers don't sell tickets for express / long-distance routes in Busaras, they insist you buy them from the ticket machine. Which is fine for cash transactions but somewhat negates the point of pre-buying tickets on the net. Apart from the discount of course

Seth Brundle

What kind of retarded concept is that?

AlekSmart

Erm...Its actually quite a forward thinking concept really as its intention is to ensure that all Expressway Pax are ticketed and aboard to allow as The Airlines might say,for an On-Time departure.

Whilst the concept was always a highly desirable one,it is now virtually compulsory given the encirclement of the Central Bus Station by a Tramway.

Like much else in Ireland however,the entire concept stands or falls on how it is implimented.
The requirement to have a ticket when boarding depends Totally on the ready availibility of Ticket sales outlets either manned or automatic vending machines.
This is the area where we in Ireland tend to pause for thought and then blanch at having to actually provide such embellishments.

By far the worst scenario for any departing Expressway driver is for the last gasp arrival of the terminally unprepared passenger.
This unfortunate usually in posession of a large portmanteu or valaise has usually managed to kick up sufficient fuss to be allowed pursue the departing Coach.
It is at this point that steely resolve is required of the support staff who SHOULD require this person to desist and withdraw immediately.
Sadly the screechers usually are well practiced and know their targets and end up browbeating certain drivers into opening the door.

That is only the beginning as the obligatory enquiry into whether its the correct routing and what the fare is etc etc begins usually closely followed by a protracted period of delving and rooting into the deepest recessess of ones corsetage in order to extract,with a triumphal flourish a 500 Rupee note.

Bus Eireann is not in a position to return to the old days at Busaras,when baskets of Day-Old chicks and the odd clocking hen could be unloaded from the roof of a GNR single decker.
The present fraught arrangements at Busaras whereby coaches are stacked in orbit around the place awaiting the departure of each tranche of humanity ensures that those coaches MUST get away....

Notwithstanding all of that the current Bus Eireann internet ticketing remains far too time intensive especially from the Drivers perspective.
Hopefully with the Ministers permission the arrival of Smart(ish) Cards will allow for a swipe through facility to validate pre-purchased tickets.

MarkoP11

markpb wrote:

Drivers don't sell tickets for express / long-distance routes in Busaras, they insist you buy them from the ticket machine. Which is fine for cash transactions but somewhat negates the point of pre-buying tickets on the net. Apart from the discount of course

There is of course a number of manned ticket sales windows as well to the right of the machine

It makes perfect sense and way more efficient, much faster boarding that said I've seen passengers buy tickets boarding the bus in Busaras

Victor

markpb wrote:

Drivers don't sell tickets for express / long-distance routes in Busaras, they insist you buy them from the ticket machine. Which is fine for cash transactions but somewhat negates the point of pre-buying tickets on the net. Apart from the discount of course

Of course the typical experience is 15-20 people queing at each of 3 cashiers and 2 people queing at the (single when I was there last) ticket machine.

markpb

MarkoP11 wrote:

There is of course a number of manned ticket sales windows as well to the right of the machine

That depends on your experience. If you try leaving busaras at 8am on a Saturday morning (a surprisingly busy time), you'll find only one ticket desk open and the machine not operating yet. Friday evenings usually have the machine working but only 2 people selling tickets. 3 is a bonus but still not enough to keep up with the queues although I guess this would be an architectural problem

MarkoP11 wrote:

It makes perfect sense and way more efficient, much faster boarding that said I've seen passengers buy tickets boarding the bus in Busaras

I never disputed that, I just said that it was a policy which makes a joke of online tickets. It is possible to buy tickets on-board buses in Busaras, just not on express services.

Given more resources, I'd love to see more staff on hand to man the desks, more ticket machines and at least one machine for dispensing online tickets automatically.

Victor wrote:

Of course the typical experience is 15-20 people queuing at each of 3 cashiers and 2 people queing at the (single when I was there last) ticket machine.

This is definitely true but unlike, say, Tesco or the Luas, the machine was "deployed" and ignored. I've never seen any staff members encouraging people to use it or standing beside it helping them. There's also the rather awkward point of the machine only giving change in coins. You'll first spot this problem when someone pays for a €23 ticket with a €50 note and the place sounds like a casino on payday.