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Beware of long bus journeys...

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  • 03-07-2008 6:54pm
    #1
    RadioCity
    Registered Users Posts: 340 ✭✭


    ...not for the journey itself but when you get to stop for a break.

    I wonder has anyone noticed the ridiculous rip off nature of the cafe/shop in Bus Eireann depot in Monaghan, which incidentally is not controlled by BE.

    Any bar of chocolate (hardly a wide selection) costs 95c, including the smallest Cadbary's Snack bars.

    A plain sandwich and a bottle of water €5.30. (A handmade sandwich in O'Brien's wouldn't cost much more)
    And thats a sandwich thrown together that day and NOT Ballygowan/River Rock water.

    The worst I saw was a small tub of Pringles, €1.75.

    Sterling is accepted, but don't dare pay in coins which is where children especially get caught unwittingly, coins are accepted Euro for Sterling. I find that a bit rich as 40% or more of the people that pass through there are travelling to/from/through Northern Ireland and may only have sterling.

    A problem is that the passengers have no other shop convenient to the Bus Station so generally have no choice but to be ripped off.


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    #2
    ShoulderChip
    Registered Users Posts: 3,875 ✭✭✭ShoulderChip


    hmm,
    how much time have you on your hands?


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    #3
    Wertz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,909 ✭✭✭✭Wertz


    No shop will offer a rate on foreign coinage.

    TBH anyone travelling by public trnasport in this country should realise already the rip off nature that exists in shops like these (and the wider service in general IMO) and pack their own food/drink accordingly.


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    #4
    jor el
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,713 ✭✭✭✭jor el


    RadioCity wrote: »
    A problem is that the passengers have no other shop convenient to the Bus Station so generally have no choice but to be ripped off.

    Convenient is the key word here. It's handy to have a Spar and Centra shop within 5 minutes of where I live. I can simply walk down there for the bread and milk. It's a lot cheaper to go to Tesco of course, but not so convenient to walk the 30 minutes to get there. You pay for what's handy, if they want it cheaper they can probably walk 10 minutes from the depot to get it.

    Bringing your own crisps, sandwiches and drinks would be ideal, but that can sometimes be not so convenient too.

    edit. That sounds a bit like I'm having a go at you, which I'm not. The over charging by a lot of businesses is rampant in this country, and ridiculous in some cases, but people need to learn to vote with their feet. There'll always be those willing to pay, no matter the cost. For the rest of us, it's put up, shut up, or get out. I choose, get out.


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    #5
    ShoulderChip
    Registered Users Posts: 3,875 ✭✭✭ShoulderChip


    convenience is the word.


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    #6
    RadioCity
    Registered Users Posts: 340 ✭✭RadioCity


    Its the most dismal, filthy, disgusting building for anyone who's had the pleasure, only to have no choice of where they want to eat in the 10-15 minute break.

    I can't see it changing anytime soon!


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    #7
    axer
    Registered Users Posts: 5,517 ✭✭✭axer


    I think you should plan ahead if you know you are going on a long journey. Much like at the airport, the bus people know most will just purchase items there out of convenience - but the customers well pay for the convenience.

    I travelled from my home town to berlin by bus first (2 hours) then by airplane (2 hours) and then by car (1 hour) yesterday. I would have been starving thus would have been forced to purchase over priced food along the way somewhere instead I brought 3 sandwiches, a muffin and a drink (just a pity I had to buy another drink the other side of security at the airport :mad:).

    Bottom line is they will charge as much as they can get away with. Don't buy there if you do not think it is value for money. If possible plan ahead to save money.


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    #8
    Beanstalk
    Registered Users Posts: 1,212 ✭✭✭Beanstalk


    I know that bus station well, always have to stop there on the way home, it's an absolute disgrace, the most expensive shop i've encountered in this country.

    The hot food is nearly always burned and dried out cause it's reheated about three times a day, id rather go hungry. If you get the bus after six they stop at a proper filling station - much better..


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    #9
    bambam
    Registered Users Posts: 597 ✭✭✭bambam


    Prices are shocking, but for what it's worth, there's a Lidl next door and a grocery shop 2 mins away on Glaslough st (Mc Kenna's).


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    #10
    watna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,367 ✭✭✭✭watna


    I used to get the bus to derry regularly when i was in college. That bus break place in Monaghan was horrible. I was never stupid enough to buy anything there though. I always bought stuff on my way to busaras.

    As said above they can charge you huge prices because you have no choice but to shop there.


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    #11
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    RadioCity wrote: »
    ...which incidentally is not controlled by BE.

    Sterling is accepted, but don't dare pay in coins which is where children especially get caught unwittingly, coins are accepted Euro for Sterling.

    ...no choice but to be ripped off.

    You said it yourself. Nothing to do with Bus Eireann. It's a commercial concern. There are lots of small shops around the country charging a lot more than supermarkets. That's their choice; just as you have the right to refuse to pay the higher prices and not buy anything.

    As for the sterling issue. If someone is looking to buy goods in the Republic with Sterling then that is their lookout. Nobody has to accept foreign currency in Coin at any exchange rate. They will not accept Euro coins in Newry for the very same reason.

    If you take on a long Bus journey without preparation then you'll have to pay for the convenience factor.


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    #12
    kersti
    Registered Users Posts: 79 ✭✭kersti


    I expect when I'm on a long journey and likely to be presented with only one or two options that those companies will be taking advantage of the situation - it's not just buses, think of the dining car on trains, the snacks you can buy on planes and even the snack bars in cinemas and theatres. If you don't want to spend you can always take your own.


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    #13
    pow wow
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,288 ✭✭✭pow wow


    RadioCity wrote: »
    Its the most dismal, filthy, disgusting building for anyone who's had the pleasure, only to have no choice of where they want to eat in the 10-15 minute break.

    I can't see it changing anytime soon!

    +1.

    Can't say I miss that place on the trek from Dublin to Derry! To be fair though I never thought their prices were too out of the way, when compared to the little newsagent and coffee shops in Busarus.


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    #14
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    to be fair those prices are nothing compared to train snack car prices and are on a par with many convenience stores! when did you last buy a mars bar for less than 90cent?

    and you are paying to have this shop open only for the bus passengers which is a very limited market so prices have to be a bit higher to turn some profit,

    also as stated above there is nothing stopping you making sandwiches and buying a cheaper drink in aldi or tesco's


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