Booking a bike on an intercity train, have a passenger ticket already

Carawaystick

Irish rail say I've to book my bike online for intercity services.

irishrail wrote:

Bicycle spaces must be booked, in advance, online at www.irishrail.ie There will be no charge for these bookings.

But there is no obvious link from the homepage.
If I go to book tickets then I can only buy a passenger ticket and then reserve a bike spot.

I'm starting at Lusk station, so I can't buy my passenger ticket online, and I don't need to book a bike spot on the commuter train leg.

LXFlyer

Carawaystick wrote: »

Irish rail say I've to book my bike online for intercity services.


But there is no obvious link from the homepage.
If I go to book tickets then I can only buy a passenger ticket and then reserve a bike spot.

I'm starting at Lusk station, so I can't buy my passenger ticket online, and I don't need to book a bike spot on the commuter train leg.

Just buy the Intercity leg online, and book the bike at the same time, and buy the ticket for the commuter leg at Lusk station - it'll probably be cheaper than buying a through ticket given that the online tickets are cheaper than walk up fares if you book in advance.

Carawaystick

It's much dearer that way, it's 23.35 for the commuter ticket...29 for the intercity online
vs 40 for a walk up fare...

LXFlyer

Carawaystick wrote: »

It's much dearer that way, it's 23.35 for the commuter ticket...29 for the intercity online
vs 40 for a walk up fare...

Whats the journey?
Is it a day return or open return?

Carawaystick

Day return to Belfast, from Lusk.

Might not be coming back from Belfast but nearer Dublin, so the walk up ticket is more flexible.

LXFlyer

That's €32.50 walk up fare and bicycle is free on the Enterprise.

You don't have to book bikes online on the enterprise as it has a luggage area.

The online booking requirement is on the Heuston side and is due to the reduced bike space on the ICRs.

Carawaystick

Am I right looking at the fare grid on
http://www.irishrail.ie/fares-and-tickets/dublin-belfast

I presume as I'm south of Gormanstown I 'd need a class M ticket?

LXFlyer

Carawaystick wrote: »

Am I right looking at the fare grid on
http://www.irishrail.ie/fares-and-tickets/dublin-belfast

I presume as I'm south of Gormanstown I 'd need a class M ticket?

There's reduced fares from Northern line stations as you get further out but they're not on that page.

Trust me - it's €32.50 day return from Rush & Lusk to Belfast.

Carawaystick

I'll trust you over Irish rail any day.
Thanks.

LXFlyer

Carawaystick wrote: »

I'll trust you over Irish rail any day.
Thanks.

To be fair - the website lists most of the fares in the grids - it just doesn't have the short hop zone stations listed.

Carawaystick

I don't understand why the Fares& Tickets page can't just list the fares when it shows the timetables, and note there are no internet fares available.