Intercity fares revision: New fares and fare structure from 4th February 2012

[Charlie Hungerford]

Originally Posted by Colm Moore

There is a strong suspicion that some station pairs use incorrect distances.

Is there any way of making the NTA aware of this? After all, it isn't hard to calculate out the correct distances - the rather large mileposts along the routes should assist them considerably.

[Mark Gleeson]

The NTA are well aware of the strange fares and distance issue.

MVA who did the study used our investigation http://www.railusers.ie/news/news.ph...2008&no=6.html as a source document to the study.

[Destructix]

What about day saver fares for example Tue-Thur €37 before 11am Thurles-Heuston. or the Mon-Sat €18.50 day return to Limerick. Will these now be abolished?

[Colm Moore]

Not necessarily. Irish Rail are still allowed do discounts and promotional fares, so some of them will stay.

However, hopefully some of the worst abuses, e.g. different fares for each direction, will not be allowed stay.

[Destructix]

If they keep day saver return @ €18.50 to Limerick and now that 5 day return is to be abolished soon for day return, won't everybody Mon-Sat just buy the day saver. Hoping they will keep these offers anyway as I like taking the day trip to Dublin once a week and my gf lives in Limerick so i spend a lot of time going down to hers in the evenings for a few hours when i get off work. Will cost me an extra €2.30 on monthly return going to hers every weekend now that the 5 day return is to be abolished but the increase could have been much worst.

[Mark Gleeson]

There is nothing stopping Irish Rail offering super day saver returns, provided the price is less that the NTA day return fare. Thats how all the online fares operate.

The removal of booking and credit card fees has also been recommended

[Destructix]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

The removal of booking and credit card fees has also been recommended

Lets hope they do. Its these charges that put me off using online booking. It works out pretty much the same fare sometimes Thurles to Limerick online that you pay in the booking office, benefits are you get a seat. But when the booking fees are added it makes it more expensive and it isn't worth it.

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by Destructix

the increase could have been much worst.

Oh, on that point, there is two elements in this exercise (a) a rebalancing for fares to remove anomalies, which is roughly revenue neutral and (b) a fare increase of ??%.