Irish-rail Cork-Dublin/Dublin-Cork rip-off this weekend

tommy21

I went on to book something for my parents this weekend for Cork-Dublin return and was shocked at the price increase for some of the trains. I was lucky to get them €20 euro fares each way (10.30 up Friday and 9pm down Sunday)* but some of the other fares for when people are coming back from Dublin on Sunday were sheer robbery to what they normally are. This is I believe a milking of the fact that there are so many GAA matches on in Croke Park, several concerts and I believe an athletics championship on in Dublin as well.

A few choice fares if you are made enough to book online (god knows price in person):

The only really bad one tomorrow morning is the 0930 to Dublin (one way): €86 (not sure what normal price is, obviously business people pay a premium but come on!)

On Sunday Dublin to Cork at 18.00 and 19.00 is also €86 (usually about €36 I think)

Really mean-spirited and designed to catch those coming back from Cork match especially I think. Anyone else notice any difference in fares from usual coming from/going to other parts of the country?

And before the usual person comes in, yes I know nobody is making you book it but a lot of people depend on the train as a mode of transport so that argument doesn't hold up.

* If you want 20% off any fare, use the special promotional code from O2 from over in bargain alerts: O21070 (worked for me an hour ago, after 12 may or may not work see http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055982408) Nice little deal, booking should have cost €80 in total, I saved €16!

91011

The problem with trains, planes & automobiles is they have a set number of seats. And when they're gone, they're gone.

So if you leave it to the last minute to book a seat on one of the busiest routes at a peak period (match day) you will pay top price. Not just in Ireland, but in every country in the world.

btw. - check the peak price for a similar journey in UK - IE is a bargain!



London to Birmingham can cost up to £120 one way!!

tommy21

91011 wrote: »

The problem with trains, planes & automobiles is they have a set number of seats. And when they're gone, they're gone.

So if you leave it to the last minute to book a seat on one of the busiest routes at a peak period (match day) you will pay top price. Not just in Ireland, but in every country in the world.

btw. - check the peak price for a similar journey in UK - IE is a bargain!



London to Birmingham can cost up to £120 one way!!

I've always found though that generally the price stays the same even if the train is fairly full on a normal weekend. I've never seen it work like a plane and increase in price as it fills up. For instance the times I booked for my parents were quite cheap in comparison and almost all those seats were gone.

Yeah, I've heard French trains in particular as well very expensive.

the groutch

supply and demand, they'll charge what they think people will pay

Slasher

Irish Rail is a loss-making business owned by the taxpayer. So, we will pay either by the price of tickets or through our taxes. Either way, we will pay.

run_Forrest_run

bear in mind that Cork are playing Kilkenny in Croke Park this Sunday so demand will be high for trains etc despite 'special' trains being laid on.

yerayeah

Was gonna book a 10 euro train to Dublin earlier in the week, but decided to put off going to the bother of booking it for a few days:rolleyes:, and when I eventually got around to booking it yesterday all the trains were €36. Only myself to blame for that though!


And at least I got the return journey for a tenner so not too bad...

tommy21

tommy21 wrote: »

I went on to book something for my parents this weekend for Cork-Dublin return and was shocked at the price increase for some of the trains. I was lucky to get them €20 euro fares each way (10.30 up Friday and 9pm down Sunday)* but some of the other fares for when people are coming back from Dublin on Sunday were sheer robbery to what they normally are. This is I believe a milking of the fact that there are so many GAA matches on in Croke Park, several concerts and I believe an athletics championship on in Dublin as well.

A few choice fares if you are made enough to book online (god knows price in person):

The only really bad one tomorrow morning is the 0930 to Dublin (one way): €86 (not sure what normal price is, obviously business people pay a premium but come on!)

On Sunday Dublin to Cork at 18.00 and 19.00 is also €86 (usually about €36 I think)

Really mean-spirited and designed to catch those coming back from Cork match especially I think. Anyone else notice any difference in fares from usual coming from/going to other parts of the country?

And before the usual person comes in, yes I know nobody is making you book it but a lot of people depend on the train as a mode of transport so that argument doesn't hold up.

* If you want 20% off any fare, use the special promotional code from O2 from over in bargain alerts: O21070 (worked for me an hour ago, after 12 may or may not work see http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055982408) Nice little deal, booking should have cost €80 in total, I saved €16!

I'd assume you're choosing first class tickets to get that fare. The maximum one way fare should be €36.

tommy21

Karsini wrote: »

I'd assume you're choosing first class tickets to get that fare. The maximum one way fare should be €36.

Nope, standard fare on the day! As it turned out I won tickets to Cork and Kilkenny that weekend and decided last minute to book tickets on train - same train down I had booked for my parents had gone up to 86! Some joke. Drove in the end. Supply and demand perhaps as one poster said, highway robbery in my opinion though. Still people must be willing to pay it.

A walk-on fare (buying a ticket at the station) is €71 return. So I doubt that they'd charge €172 return for booking standard class online. I checked on irishrail.ie just there and the first class fare is indeed €86.

tommy21

Karsini wrote: »

A walk-on fare (buying a ticket at the station) is €71 return. So I doubt that they'd charge €172 return for booking standard class online. I checked on irishrail.ie just there and the first class fare is indeed €86.

Ok well on the day in question, I used the website to book (or rather assess booking) a standard fare, not premium. So it may be back to normal now, but it was blatant profiteering at the time.

Edit: Not sure why it equals premium fare that you've checked, perhaps this is highest they can go? It was definitely standard (or S as it is depicted on line) that I picked, seats were dotted all over train to when you went to manually choose. Anyway I know nobody forcing me to travel this way, just highlighting another blatant rip-off.