Public transport too expensive

1huge1

RuggieBear wrote: »

I think the train is incredible value here compared to Britain. I used to travel up and down from Leicester to St Pancras...1 hr 20mins and it used to be the bones of £70 sterling return unless you booked a month in advance when it became 17.50.

Had to do Liverpool to London once which was over £100

Ya but just because its good value COMPARED to the UK doesn't mean its good value, were all aware that you get ripped off in the UK.

When you compare or prices to continental Europe were a disgrace, I remember travelling around German there 2 years ago, not only was the service brillaint but the price is affordable for anyone.

Slice

Isn't the average income before tax about 20% lower in Germany than the average income in Ireland? Also, aren't their taxes considerably higher?

Victor

KC61 wrote: »

The problem here is that anto-t was travelling on two different routes, which would not be the usual travel pattern.

No, trainwise he was coming and going from Longford. Actually he seem to be be ambiguous.

In any case, with a return ticket, you are allowed return on adjacent routes without surcharge. See appendix here: http://www.platform11.org/resources/IE_conditions_of_carriage_2004.pdf

FocusIreland

daily ticket from Naas to Dublin is e7.50 which i found its a little bit expensive alright. 5 euro should be ok cause i cost the same on my bike. my bike is always faster than the bus. bike cost 50 mins total since i got up from my bed and bus cost nearly 2 and half hour cause i have to drive to the bus stop then walk to where i want to go in town.
if u use bus 6 days a week then its 45 euro. a month more than 180 euro for just one people. buy a weekly ticket wont give u a big saving. i m even thinking about moving back to dublin.

Run_to_da_hills

I would be very content with CIE's pricing for Dublin and Greater Dublin area, but I think they make a big deal out of it if it is any way outside this catchment area, It is like the old "Trunk Call" ratings that the P&T used to charge us for making a call out of Dublin. Just because you board a different colour bus that travels twice the distance as a city bus shouldnt mean that they should charge you well over triple the fare.

People commute daily from these catchment areas. People must still remember that CIE is still alive and well and has the monopoly for most of the bus fleet in this country. The rail service is worse again with their pricing structure as they often charge twice the price for different journeys of the same distance out of the city.

Morgans

I think commuting rail is cheap, and good value. Obviously to a varying degree depending on circumstance.

But the like for like comparison of whether it is cheaper to drive or to use public transport is wrong. Generally from those defending public transport here, it seems that, on a one-for-one basis, its acceptable that the cost of public transport (bus, train) should roughly equal the cost of driving. I dont think this should be the case. It should be far cheaper to go by public transport.

Meself, girlfirend, and friend needed to travel to Cork recently for a wedding. Thought about the train - over 200 all in, maybe even closer to 250. Bus could get us within 15 miles ish of destination and didnt really suit. There really was only one option. Should public transport beween major irish cities cost more than flying between them. Anyway, we drove. The more carpooling/multiple travellers in cars makes a huge difference. To go alone, I'd guess it is still somewhat cheaper by car, but not a whole pile.

godtabh

If people commute regularly I'm amazed that more of them dont have the tax free tickets.

Alot of the people in my office commute every day but only 1 or 2 have the annual ticket. There is a system there for saving money but people just dont use it

fh041205

Morgans wrote: »

I think commuting rail is cheap, and good value. Obviously to a varying degree depending on circumstance.

But the like for like comparison of whether it is cheaper to drive or to use public transport is wrong. Generally from those defending public transport here, it seems that, on a one-for-one basis, its acceptable that the cost of public transport (bus, train) should roughly equal the cost of driving. I dont think this should be the case. It should be far cheaper to go by public transport.

Meself, girlfirend, and friend needed to travel to Cork recently for a wedding. Thought about the train - over 200 all in, maybe even closer to 250. Bus could get us within 15 miles ish of destination and didnt really suit. There really was only one option. Should public transport beween major irish cities cost more than flying between them. Anyway, we drove. The more carpooling/multiple travellers in cars makes a huge difference. To go alone, I'd guess it is still somewhat cheaper by car, but not a whole pile.

You'd be better off with ryanair if you're going to cork, you could save a bundle. Out of interest where were you going from. 75e each on the train is extorsion.

markpb

kearnsr wrote: »

Alot of the people in my office commute every day but only 1 or 2 have the annual ticket. There is a system there for saving money but people just dont use it

Unfortunately a lot of companies aren't interested in taking part. Even when they're told of the PAYE discount, they couldn't be bothered with the effort.

Victor

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

I would be very content with CIE's pricing for Dublin and Greater Dublin area, but I think they make a big deal out of it if it is any way outside this catchment area, It is like the old "Trunk Call" ratings that the P&T used to charge us for making a call out of Dublin. Just because you board a different colour bus that travels twice the distance as a city bus shouldnt mean that they should charge you well over triple the fare.

There is a problem insofar as Irish Rail use the same fares as Dublin Bus in the Dublin Bus area and Dublin Bus fares are kept low by the Department of Transport.

Morgans

fh041205 wrote: »

You'd be better off with ryanair if you're going to cork, you could save a bundle. Out of interest where were you going from. 75e each on the train is extorsion.

Not sure what the fare was exactly, girlfriend was doing the enquiries, we were travelling to cork (kent station?) from Dublin Hueston before moving on to the celebrations.

Just checked on irish rail.ie. Trial booking from Dublin Hueston to Cork at 8pm tonight - one way seemingly = €79.50.

Reasonable??

Ham'nd'egger

Morgans wrote: »

Not sure what the fare was exactly, girlfriend was doing the enquiries, we were travelling to cork (kent station?) from Dublin Hueston before moving on to the celebrations.

Just checked on irish rail.ie. Trial booking from Dublin Hueston to Cork at 8pm tonight - one way seemingly = €79.50.

Reasonable??

You clicked the price for First Class, Morgan; Standard Class one way is €33 online; €64.50 return.

AlekSmart

Hmmmm..As of yesterday (Thanks to Minister Dempsey and the unaccountable Dublin Airport Authority.....Nothin I can do Boss,they`re private now)....One way from Birmingham International to Holyhead = £36.60. Stg.

If myopic politicians could only be forced to accept it,the best possible way of addressing our current carbon and social difficulties is by providing LOTS of sheap efficient comfortable PUBLIC Transport !!

Will we do that......Will we Fluich !!! :mad:

the_syco

My only comment is this: it's about €2 from Connolly to Leixlip, but it's about €5 from Kilcock to Maynooth.

Morgans

Hamndegger wrote: »

You clicked the price for First Class, Morgan; Standard Class one way is €33 online; €64.50 return.

Thanks Ham'nd'egger. Never had to book online before, and lucky I didnt have to do now..:o €64 euro. Fair enough. Premium instead of Standard Seats. I see what I did. Thanks.

FocusIreland

rail is good when u r living beside the station.but rural people have not choice. wherever we go we have to drive 1st. a guy i know he s paying more than 1K euro a year for just park his car outside the train station. and how many people dont have to change when they arrived in dublin? no matter change bus or luas, still extra cost. very few lucky people can take the bus or rail as a nearly door to door service. mostly have to walk or travel again. a lot of people use the public service just to beat the traffic jam,but it really cost at least double time if u live in rural area.

Victor

Then those people need to reconsider the journeys that they are making.

People living in rural areas also need to look at their contribution to their problems - people are living down boreens and killing villages.

Hotblack Desiato

Spot on Victor. The "I'll live where I damn well choose - what right do planners have to stop me?" followed by "waaah why aren't there world class services at my one-off house's doorstep" mentality of so many people is quite something.

techdiver

FocusIreland wrote: »

rail is good when u r living beside the station.but rural people have not choice. wherever we go we have to drive 1st. a guy i know he s paying more than 1K euro a year for just park his car outside the train station. and how many people dont have to change when they arrived in dublin? no matter change bus or luas, still extra cost. very few lucky people can take the bus or rail as a nearly door to door service. mostly have to walk or travel again. a lot of people use the public service just to beat the traffic jam,but it really cost at least double time if u live in rural area.

This is about to get worse too:

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0717/rail.html

How can the government be serious about promoting the use of public transport when they keep doing this??

baingal nancer

I had to pay for my 3 year old yesterday on the bus?i always thought under 5's were free but seems dublin bus have changed this to under 3's,which is a disgrace imo

godtabh

the_syco wrote: »

My only comment is this: it's about €2 from Connolly to Leixlip, but it's about €5 from Kilcock to Maynooth.

But doesnt it just come to econimcs for that?

What percentage of people travel from between Dublin and Leixlip compared to Maynooth to Kilcock?

Whats the fair from Conolly to Kilcock?

Hotblack Desiato

techdiver wrote: »

This is about to get worse too:

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0717/rail.html

How can the government be serious about promoting the use of public transport when they keep doing this??

Free parking is habitually abused (a) by people who live within easy walking distance of the station and are able bodied (b) by people not taking the train at all.

It is like the clamping in Dublin city centre that is constantly moaned about. If parking was not abused habitually, enforcement would not be needed. In the case of DCC, they actually make a slight loss on the parking, after paying enforcement costs, but this is regarded as worth it as spaces are available for shoppers etc. not occupied by day-long parking which they want to discourage.

I heard on Newstalk that IE will get about 1/3 of the revenue from this, which they say will all be invested in improving parking facilities. I think this is only fair, and rail users who do not use parking should not be subsidising it - even in the property market we have now, land is not exactly cheap, staff to deter the abuse of parking facilities are not cheap. IE have plenty of other things to be spending money on which will benefit all passengers, parking benefits only some.

markpb

ninja900 wrote: »

Free parking is habitually abused (a) by people who live within easy walking distance of the station and are able bodied (b) by people not taking the train at all.

Letting people use their validated train tickets to exit the car park would stop non-commuters using the parking spaces.

techdiver

ninja900 wrote: »

Free parking is habitually abused (a) by people who live within easy walking distance of the station and are able bodied (b) by people not taking the train at all.

They could implement a situation whereby your travel ticket would validate your parking upon exiting the car park. My only annoyance is that we are trying to get cars off the road during peak commuter times, which I desperately want to see and measures like this are not going to help at all.

Less cars on the road would be a good thing as buses etc would be afforded an opportunity to run on time, thus improving the service and making it more attractive to leave the car at home or use a park and ride facility.

I just think:

1). More needs to be done to encourage the use of public transport.
2). People who drive their cars are punished for bringing them into the city centre, i.e. Congestion Charges etc.

Solarball10

I find the luas quite cheap. I take the green line the whole way 5 days a week and it costs 15.50.Not too bad! That's only if you buy the ticket in a a shop though.

markpb

Public transport is always quite cheap for commuters, it's people who only use it occasionally who pay the full fare. I have a montly bus + luas ticket on taxsaver so it costs me about €1.80 a day for all the buses and trams I can eat.

godtabh

markpb wrote: »

Public transport is always quite cheap for commuters, it's people who only use it occasionally who pay the full fare. I have a montly bus + luas ticket on taxsaver so it costs me about €1.80 a day for all the buses and trams I can eat.

I've the same for bus and rail. Its a great ticket. If you use public trasnport on a regualr basis its the only way to go

fh041205

kearnsr wrote: »

But doesnt it just come to econimcs for that?

What percentage of people travel from between Dublin and Leixlip compared to Maynooth to Kilcock?

Whats the fair from Conolly to Kilcock?

Kilcock is outside the dublin fare grid and therefore you cannoy avail of cheap dublin fares when travelling there.

Hotblack Desiato

techdiver wrote: »

They could implement a situation whereby your travel ticket would validate your parking upon exiting the car park.

But that still means IE are spending money on parking facilities which only a minority of passengers use, money which could be used to help improve the train service for all passengers. It also means that the 5 mins walk away brigade have nothing stopping them from taking up all the car park spaces out of laziness.

techdiver

ninja900 wrote: »

But that still means IE are spending money on parking facilities which only a minority of passengers use, money which could be used to help improve the train service for all passengers. It also means that the 5 mins walk away brigade have nothing stopping them from taking up all the car park spaces out of laziness.

I do understand what you are saying, I do not use a car to get to and from work at all either. But my point is, that I want to see less cars being used to clog city centre traffic every morning thus making busses run late and slow. If we are to get people out of their cars and on to public transport we need to give them an incentive to do so.

The ideal end game would be no cars in the city centres at all!