Taxsaver Commuter tickets
 

Does anyone have any views on whether the Taxsaver scheme will emerge unscathed from the forthcoming Budget? My employer's deadline for applying for a Taxsaver Commuter ticket for the period Jan to Dec 2011 is the end of this week. Unfortunately my employer only accepts applications from staff once a year at this time.

If you are concerned about it being withdrawn, you could apply for a monthly.

But in theory, you are supposed to be able to go for an annual and hand it back at any stage and then they are supposed to refund you as if you had been on monthly tickets.

I would not be enormously surprised if they were to drop the tax benefit to 20% only. This seems to be a trend over the last few years with various reliefs. But this would be a major issue for the Greens, so maybe it will get left alone.

The 2011 scheme being offered in Govt Departments is again on a Salary Sacrifice basis. If any changes are made in the Budget, it is unlikely they will apply before 2012. Otherwise agreements signed now would be invalid.

Any while we're on the subject, ever notice the big discrepancy for the Dublin bus add-on between Short-hop and Point-to-point?

A Short Hop Rail annual ticket can have all DB added for 160 Euro.

A point to point user has to buy DB separately at 980 Euro.

Example: Hazelhatch +DB = 1190 Euro
Sallins + DB = 1230 + 980 = 2210 Euro
That's over 1000 Eur difference for only 7 miles extra.

I have an annual train ticket and it's stopped working on the barriers at Connolly - first of all it was only one or two it was rejected by but this week it's at all of them so I now have to go through the manned gate.

Am I able to get my ticket replaced free of charge?

Taxsaver office Connolly will replace any Irish Rail issued annual ticket which is defective for free

Exit Connolly turn right and then right onto to Sheriff Street, up the first stairs on the right to a black door

All Irish Rail only annuals will be smartcard starting in January and any ticket replaced from then which is rail only will be smartcard as well

Cheers, I'll pop in there tomorrow so.

Try this one

Annual Irish Rail: €3,400
Dublin Bus Add On: €300
Bus Eireann Add On: €400
Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann Add on: €1,100

Somewhere in a parallel universe €300 + €400 = €1,100

I suspect that may be justified based on the patterns of travel expected from people who get all 3 services.

Example 1. Passenger has an Irish Rail-only ticket. This suggests that the start and end of their commute is (relatively) close to either station.

Example 2. Passenger has an Irish Rail+Dublin Bus ticket. This suggests that one end of their commute is (relatively) close to a station and the other isn't. Either their bus usage or their train usage will be quite dominant and the other will be quite light. Experience shows these people tend to stick predominant to one mode and use the other one very little

Example 3. Passenger has an Irish Rail+Bus Eireann ticket. This suggests that one end of their commute is (relatively) close to a station and the other isn't. Either their bus usage or their train usage will be quite dominant and the other will be quite light. Alternatively, its a location that is poorly served by one or the other, e.g. Monasterevin has a peak-time only train service, suitable for many commuters, but you get stuck if you want to stay late in Dublin.

Example 4. Passenger has an Irish Rail+Bus Eireann+Dublin Bus(+Luas). Passenger will be making a very large number of journeys and their travel pattern is abnormal, using all services constantly

Not necessarily. If I could get bus eireann added on to my annual rail ticket for a modest sum, it would be with it for the flexibility of being able to get bus our train depending on running times.

What would be really useful to me would be a short hop zone plus point to point ticket.

James

I was looking for a DB add on to a BE pass but no. need to buy a DB pass seperatly.

On a side note will it be 41% + 7% reduction on tickets for 2011?

PAYE + PRSI yes, not sure about this new social charge

Either way with the tax bands going down it means more people on 41% and therefore a higher level of saving

The taxsaver scheme has been left untouched and there is considerable support to maintain the scheme.

I'll see if I can research whether the Universal Social Charge is going to apply to it (my guess is there will be no exemption, i.e. saving will drop to 45% max).

Resolution 13 passed on budget day would seem to suggest that there is no USC relief on taxsaver tickets. But we will have to wait for the Finance Bill before we'll know for sure.

Best Smartcard to get
 

Its that time of the year again.
I get the annual bus and rail ticket.
Last year the least worst option to get was the dublin bus issued variety which was smart card on bus, mag stripe on train. However, the incompatability of dublin bus RFID tag with irish rail smart card readers caused problems as we all know.

This year I would like to avoid rail problems. Can the wise sages of RUI advise as to the best option?
Would I be correct that Irish rail will be issuing 2* seperate smart cards (1 for rail, 1 for bus) or have they sorted themselves out and issued 1 single card which will work on both means of transport?

Many thanks in advance for your advice.

Will tell you Wednesday! :)

All Bus/Rail Dublin tickets are now issued by Irish Rail so its two cards for you

I've been using one for 2 months, no problems at all

Glad to hear it. I'm sure the lads in the ticket office in lansdowne rd will be delighted too :)

I think you'll need passport photos

I had to when sending in my application

Irish Rail accept digital photos as well. Talk to your HR department, if they have your photo on file from the company id they could use that instead.