Passenger experiences over christmas

Derek Wheeler · 04-01-2009, 20:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

And the online one is accurate, we have seen over Christmas it was far from accurate

Took a trip to Thurles, usual mess

1. Seat reservation system not on
2. All the curtains have vanished
3. No catering trolley, but buffet open
4. Train host in the wrong uniform, looked really rough could do with a hair cut (anyone who travels Dub-Cork will know which host it is)
5. Cleaners missed a heap of stuff on the floor around the coach

And of course we arrived Thurles 5 minutes early

Was it not predicted by many over 2 years ago, that the new and all swanked up Cork service would eventually succumb to the usual IE slash and burn approach? It most certainly was.

Mark Hennessy · 04-01-2009, 20:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derek Wheeler

Was it not predicted by many over 2 years ago, that the new and all swanked up Cork service would eventually succumb to the usual IE slash and burn approach? It most certainly was.

I'm sure the shiny new trains that arrived in the early 1970s were the bees knees for the first year or two also.

As always with Irish Rail, the big and shiny stuff loses its lustre when the management are not under threat of losing their job for just getting the very very basics right.

Shiny new trains : over €100m.
Shiny new online booking system : a few million €€€
Showing up to find someone sitting in your reserved seat : Priceless

finnyus · 05-01-2009, 11:52

Got the Enterprise to Connolly on the 30th Dec from Dundalk. The only timetables that I could find in Dundalk where the "until further notice" timetables. There was no sign anywhere that said there was a special timetable in operation on the 30th. I checked for a return service, perfect, the 22:29 to Dundalk. Went to Dublin, did my business there, then got back to Connolly for 22:00. The only Dundalk service I could see on the departures board was the 23:20! I was like, no! Not a 80minute wait! Went up to an IrishRail fella and asked (while showing him the service on my timetable), he looked at me blankly. The security guard that he was talking to, said to me, "yeah, a Saturday service is running today".

I rang a buddy of mine to check the irishrail.ie website, and he said the next service was indeed the 23:20, but the train only goes as far as Drogheda, and I will need to change trains. Suffice it to say, the 23:20 service was a service to Dundalk with no changes.

I am not from that part of the country. I am from Cork. I could not get over how slow the train was.

Finbarr.

MOH · 05-01-2009, 17:27

- Carrick-on-Shannon to Dublin Jan 1, delayed 20 minutes at Edgeworthstown waiting for the train from Dublin. Made some of it up later on

- Gf came up on the 3rd, similar delay, said she got in about 15 minutes late.

- DART to work Jan 2nd, initial panic when I checked the timetable the night before for any changes and saw they'd slashed the morning services. Calmed down a bit the next morning when I realised it was just for that day, and was a Saturday service. Of course, then there was a points failure and everything was running 20 minutes late, all the platform displays were switched off, so lots of people arriving didn't seem to realise it was a Saturday service and had no way of knowing about the delay - the guy in the ticket office wasn't telling anyone, I only found out because a helpful passenger was telling everyone as they arrived.

Good start to the year - 3 DART journeys so far, average delay 7 minutes. Might even beat the 31 hours I lost last year.

comcor · 06-01-2009, 12:36

Day return Cork-Dublin yesterday. My God, it's got expensive.

Up on the 7:30am

Delayed for 10 minutes in Limerick Junction because of late arrival of Limerick-Limerick Junction train. Extra stop in Ballybrophy "to accommodate some passengers". Still arrived in Dublin on time. The train itself was fine. Trolley and catering car. No problems with staff. Carriage 70% full leaving Cork, 100% full after Thurles.

Back on the 6pm. Punctuality was fine. Train ride was a lot bumpier than the set used on the way up; I also noticed that some of the upholstery on the set was looking worn.. Full catering service. Biggest problem was a group of 10 or so disruptive passengers who got on in Thurles. They roared at each other and swore very loudly causing one woman to move her family to a different carriage. She left to a hail of abuse. A member of Irish Rail staff stood for the rest of the journey at the end of the carriage keeping an eye on them, but didn't say anything. Carriage was 75% full leaving Dublin. 10 mins early.

comcor · 06-01-2009, 12:51

Whoops.

Just noticed this was under commuter services

Sorry.

Thomas J Stamp · 06-01-2009, 15:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by comcor

Whoops.

Just noticed this was under commuter services

Sorry.

Now you die!!!!

ha ha ha

Thomas Ralph · 06-01-2009, 16:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by comcor

Day return Cork-Dublin yesterday. My God, it's got expensive.

Up on the 7:30am

Just a note that there are cheaper prices available online for all trains (€20/€33 single), and that a day return from Cork-Dublin leaving after 9am Tue/Wed/Thur/Sat is €51.

comcor · 06-01-2009, 17:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomas Ralph

Just a note that there are cheaper prices available online for all trains (€20/€33 single), and that a day return from Cork-Dublin leaving after 9am Tue/Wed/Thur/Sat is €51.

Fortunately, it was a business trip, so I won't be paying :-), but that also meant I had to be in Dublin by 11am at the latest.

I had been quoted €66 return on the website, so I was surprised that it was more than that at the station. I didn't realise that the website was cheaper for all trains now. I'd thought it was for just the cheap off-peak ones.

I actually didn't book online because I wasn't sure which train I'd go back on (I'd hoped for the 5pm, but it could have been as late as the 7pm). What's the situation with a ticket booked for a particular train and then not used on it. Is it transferable?

Colm Moore · 06-01-2009, 16:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by comcor

Delayed for 10 minutes in Limerick Junction because of late arrival of Limerick-Limerick Junction train.

This happened on the 28th also.

chipper · 06-01-2009, 16:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by finnyus

I am not from that part of the country. I am from Cork. I could not get over how slow the train was. Finbarr.

Agreed. It is a painfully slow service. Quite disgraceful that a 50 km journey to Drogheda takes in excess of one hour.

I have given it up and switched to a private bus service. It involved a change in work practices to get the timing right but it is well worth it. 06:46 Drogheda - Pearse takes 70 minutes minimum. 06:50 Slane - O'Connell Street by bus, a journey of almost exactly the same distance, takes 50 minutes.

To get back on topic, the Christmas service on the Drogheda line was poor. In the mornings of December 29-31, a total of about 100 passengers were treated to a full 8 carriage set while evening trains saw a host of shopping bags, prams and zimmer frames packed into 4 carriages. 16:16 Pearse - Drogheda was as packed as any peak commuter service I have seen.

05-01-2009, 11:52	#3
finnyus Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Cork City/Midleton/Mallow Posts: 211	30th Dec Dundalk Got the Enterprise to Connolly on the 30th Dec from Dundalk. The only timetables that I could find in Dundalk where the "until further notice" timetables. There was no sign anywhere that said there was a special timetable in operation on the 30th. I checked for a return service, perfect, the 22:29 to Dundalk. Went to Dublin, did my business there, then got back to Connolly for 22:00. The only Dundalk service I could see on the departures board was the 23:20! I was like, no! Not a 80minute wait! Went up to an IrishRail fella and asked (while showing him the service on my timetable), he looked at me blankly. The security guard that he was talking to, said to me, "yeah, a Saturday service is running today". I rang a buddy of mine to check the irishrail.ie website, and he said the next service was indeed the 23:20, but the train only goes as far as Drogheda, and I will need to change trains. Suffice it to say, the 23:20 service was a service to Dundalk with no changes. I am not from that part of the country. I am from Cork. I could not get over how slow the train was. Finbarr.

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05-01-2009, 17:27	#4
MOH Really Regular Poster Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 372	- Carrick-on-Shannon to Dublin Jan 1, delayed 20 minutes at Edgeworthstown waiting for the train from Dublin. Made some of it up later on - Gf came up on the 3rd, similar delay, said she got in about 15 minutes late. - DART to work Jan 2nd, initial panic when I checked the timetable the night before for any changes and saw they'd slashed the morning services. Calmed down a bit the next morning when I realised it was just for that day, and was a Saturday service. Of course, then there was a points failure and everything was running 20 minutes late, all the platform displays were switched off, so lots of people arriving didn't seem to realise it was a Saturday service and had no way of knowing about the delay - the guy in the ticket office wasn't telling anyone, I only found out because a helpful passenger was telling everyone as they arrived. Good start to the year - 3 DART journeys so far, average delay 7 minutes. Might even beat the 31 hours I lost last year.

06-01-2009, 12:36	#5
comcor Really Regular Poster Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Cork-Dublin, Cork Commuter and occasionally DART and Dublin-Wexford Posts: 855	Day return Cork-Dublin yesterday. My God, it's got expensive. Up on the 7:30am Delayed for 10 minutes in Limerick Junction because of late arrival of Limerick-Limerick Junction train. Extra stop in Ballybrophy "to accommodate some passengers". Still arrived in Dublin on time. The train itself was fine. Trolley and catering car. No problems with staff. Carriage 70% full leaving Cork, 100% full after Thurles. Back on the 6pm. Punctuality was fine. Train ride was a lot bumpier than the set used on the way up; I also noticed that some of the upholstery on the set was looking worn.. Full catering service. Biggest problem was a group of 10 or so disruptive passengers who got on in Thurles. They roared at each other and swore very loudly causing one woman to move her family to a different carriage. She left to a hail of abuse. A member of Irish Rail staff stood for the rest of the journey at the end of the carriage keeping an eye on them, but didn't say anything. Carriage was 75% full leaving Dublin. 10 mins early.

06-01-2009, 12:51	#6
comcor Really Regular Poster Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Cork-Dublin, Cork Commuter and occasionally DART and Dublin-Wexford Posts: 855	Whoops. Just noticed this was under commuter services Sorry.