Price of Trains I mean WTF!!!

Victor

invincibleirish wrote: »

What has the state failed to provide though? do you mean why should the state offer discounted fares to segments of the population unable to afford full fare then surely its a case of encouraging use of PT?

I think that students and pensioners should have decent incomes and that they (or the state) should pay full price if they decide to avail of premium / peak services.

While it made sense to provide free travel for pensioner off-peak (when there would be free seats anyway), its a rip off to the transport companies to demand the same for peak journeys.

Quint

seamus wrote: »

Tbh though if it was me I would use a car for going home every single weekend. Public transport is great for incidental trips, but for regular journeys there's nothing like your own steam.

bk wrote: »

With the excellent new motorway between Cork and Dublin, not only is it far cheaper, but quicker too.

+100, I went down to Killarney with a mate a few weeks ago, driving is so much cheaper, especially if there's 2 or 3 of you. Agree with Seamus though, the train is worth it if you want the comfort, great for having a few beers too. Maybe not the early morning one

bk wrote: »

You are correct, my bad, the site isn't very well designed IMO.

Also, what is with the "Reserve Seat € 6.00" charge?

If you book online, isn't your seat reserved anyway? Or is this just an additional option for people who use those Credit Union tickets and standard tickets to reserve a seat?

BTW what happens if you miss your booked train, can you get a refund or change the ticket for the next train?

I reserved seats and queued about half an hour before the train left. There was a massive queue that was moving really slowly. 5 minutes before the train was due to leave, the queue moved really fast, and everyone got on. Asked the IE guy where out car was and he told us we aren't guaranteed our seats! Cheek of him! Lucky out names were above the seats in a little display, so people can't really take your seats

invincibleirish

Victor wrote: »

I think that students and pensioners should have decent incomes and that they (or the state) should pay full price if they decide to avail of premium / peak services.

While it made sense to provide free travel for pensioner off-peak (when there would be free seats anyway), its a rip off to the transport companies to demand the same for peak journeys.

I don't think, in my personal experience, that a lot of pensioners & students have adequate incomes to be able to afford full price tickets. Not all, but a lot.

I agree that the free travel for pensioners isn't a good system, but i don't think pensioners should have to pay full fare, particularly if they are reliant on the state pension as their sole income.

A flat fare for kids/students & OAPs is surely the way to go, it meets social responsibilities, gives the PT companies income and (hopefully) will put more people using PT, thats what its about isn't it?

Victor

invincibleirish wrote: »

I don't think, in my personal experience, that a lot of pensioners & students have adequate incomes to be able to afford full price tickets. Not all, but a lot.

Read my posts again, I think you have interpreted them the wrong way around. I'm saying these people should be given proper incomes.

KC61

Metrobest wrote: »

I think if people we're aware of the fare differentials between peak and off peak then a lot of demand would shift to the off peak services. Why isn't Irish Rail doing more to promote off peak discounts?

The cheap fare promotion is emblazoned across the front page of the IE website and the online fares advertised on posters in every station, and has been regularly advertised in the national press.

What else do you suggest IE do?

Metrobest

invincibleirish wrote: »

This post simplified: get the students and OAPs, all i ask is why? neither group has much money and what you are basically doing is pricing students off the trains and keeping OAPs at home.

I'd propose instead one combined standard fare for Kids, Students & OAPs.

Students don't have to travel in the peak-peak time. They can leave before 5pm Fridays and return before 5pm Sundays. If they really want to travel on the busiest trains, then they should have to pay for it like the rest of us.

Pensioners are a different story. I accept the argument in favour of free travel (even though in most countries they don't have it) but I think it should have limits. So poor pensioners could apply for vouchers for, say, 4 free trips per year. The kinds of pensioners using the trains for free travel tend to be the well off ones anyway - the types who are going up to Dublin for a day's shopping or sightseeing. And they could afford to pay a (reduced) fare. And they could certainly use the off peak trains (as suggested for students above).

invincibleirish

Victor wrote: »

Read my posts again, I think you have interpreted them the wrong way around. I'm saying these people should be given proper incomes.

I agree with your sentiment Victor. But come on, this is Ireland we're talking about.

We can't even get smart integrated ticketing happening, nevermind such fanciful notions like readdressing the inequalities that exist in our society.

dowlingm

The problem with rebooting Free Travel is that it includes NI now so like the Enterprise service it's going to be even more politically sensitive.

invincibleirish

Metrobest wrote: »

Students don't have to travel in the peak-peak time. They can leave before 5pm Fridays and return before 5pm Sundays. If they really want to travel on the busiest trains, then they should have to pay for it like the rest of us.

You make the dangerous assumption that students have so little time that they can make off peak trains. Plenty of students have work & academic commitments that conflict with your suggestion.

Victor

Metrobest wrote: »

The kinds of pensioners using the trains for free travel tend to be the well off ones anyway

Or the ones that want to be kept warm / entertained.

dowlingm

Maybe we could reintroduce Third Class for students? Open top carriages, wooden benches, that sort of thing

markpb

The OAP pass specifically excluded travel to and from major towns and cities on Friday and Sunday evenings on BE services. As far as I know, no-one complained but Seams Brennan (I think) changed it a few years ago as a sop to them coming up to a general election. These decisions are never based on facts, demand or anything like that - they're made based on vote grabbing.

corktom

Go to Dublin 2 times a month. Used to go by train but after the last price increase have gone back to the car. Half the cost, Green Govt my arse

NedNew

Me too. I gave up the train after the 10% fare increase in January.

Now, even accounting for the tax saver ticket that I had, the car is still cheaper. In addition the car is quicker and more convenient. I'd rather use the train if I could but where's the incentive?

Also, according to one of todays Sunday papers, they are thinking of increasing fares even more in order to cover their ever growing deficit.

Very intelligent.

thebman

lol don't worry they are planning on increasing the cost of using your car by as much as they can possibly get away with too.

Nostradamus

talkingclock wrote: »

if they are able to run a reliable local bus service that sticks to a time table - why can't CIE???.

Unions.