Half price fares

[Mark Gleeson]

ONLINE FARE SALE AS FULL SERVICES RESTORED ALL FARES, ALL TRAINS, HALF PRICE by Corporate Communications

Iarnród Éireann has announced an online fares sale across the Intercity network, to mark the restoration of full services to and from Cork and Kerry.

Customers can take advantage of half-price fares across the following routes, with one-way fares on sale for:

- Dublin-Cork: €16.50

- Dublin-Kerry: €16.50

- Dublin-Limerick: €13:50

- Dublin-Galway: €12

- Dublin-Westport/Ballina: €12

- Dublin-Waterford: €8

This offer is available for tickets booked from now until midday on Tuesday 3rd June for bookings more than a week in advance.

The fares are available on all trains at all times on the routes listed during the travel period, and are only available at www.irishrail.ie

These are only available, end to end so single to Thurles is still quoting 27 euro. YOU CAN'T use a Dublin Cork single to Thurles since it breaks the bye laws

I can't get any of the these tickets at the prices IE quote, nor are the terms and conditions available

[MOH]

Also, as usual you can't book on Dublin - Sligo. So it's not actually across the whole network.

[Donal Quinn]

These are only available, end to end so single to Thurles is still quoting 27 euro. YOU CAN'T use a Dublin Cork single to Thurles since it breaks the bye laws

so if you get off the train in thurles on a dublin cork single you are breaking the bye laws??

[Mark Gleeson]

Number 6

6. When the fare to an intermediate station exceeds the fare to a more distant station, no person shall, for the purpose of travelling to such intermediate station, take or use or attempt to use a ticket for the more distant station with intent to avoid payment of the additional fare to such intermediate station. The liability to or infliction of any penalty incurred by the contravention of this Bye-Law shall not prejudice any right of the Board to treat such ticket as forfeited and to recover the full fare for the distance actually travelled by the offender.

[Mark Gleeson]

Little bit on investigation indicates that the online system will always quote the non discounted fares

Its only when you try to make a booking will you see a discount of half the fare is applied to the total just before your credit card is hit

Not very clear to the public that and it means you can select the student price which is cheaper not knowing that this discount is applied later

If you select Dublin City Centre you will not get the 50% discount

Seems it works to Thurles but its buried so you don't know until the very last moment if you are getting the discount

[Colm Moore]

http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/general_news.asp?action=view&news_id=383

ONLINE FARE SALE AS FULL SERVICES RESTORED ALL FARES, ALL TRAINS, HALF PRICE by Corporate Communications

Iarnród Éireann has announced an online fares sale across the Intercity network, to mark the restoration of full services to and from Cork and Kerry.

Customers can take advantage of half-price fares across the following routes, with one-way fares on sale for:

- Dublin-Cork: €16.50
- Dublin-Kerry: €16.50
- Dublin-Limerick: €13:50
- Dublin-Galway: €12
- Dublin-Westport/Ballina: €12
- Dublin-Waterford: €8

This offer is available for tickets booked from now until midday on Tuesday 3rd June for bookings more than a week in advance.

The fares are available on all trains at all times on the routes listed during the travel period, and are only available at www.irishrail.ie

The discount will be applied at the end of your booking.

For Thurles - aren't you allowed to break a journey on an intercity route? Just let your ticket expire!

[haddockman]

Originally Posted by Victor

http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/general_news.asp?action=view&news_id=383

For Thurles - aren't you allowed to break a journey on an intercity route? Just let your ticket expire!

There is nothing to stop a passenger leaving the train in Thurles, as all intercity trains call there.

Has there ever been a case of fare evasion based on getting out mid journey?

[Mark Gleeson]

No but you can't break a journey on a online ticket since its tied to a specific train

The fare structure has so many oddities which means passengers can end up paying more for a shorter journey than someone on the same train making a longer journey

No one has been caught to our knowledge, however there are very few people who are sufficiently knowledgeable to know how to beat the system this way

[haddockman]

Fair enough Mark.

In my example the passenger only wants go to Thurles. He finds it is cheaper to go to Cork so he buys a ticket to Cork and catches the train. The train arrives into Thurles and our passenger leaves the train. He never goes to Cork.

I wonder would IE have a case to prosecute this passenger?

[Mark Gleeson]

At the moment that example doesn't work since the fares are always such that that option isn't a goer

The bye laws grant IE the power to recover the full fare for the journey undertaken

[Donal Quinn]

not sure wheere this is bringing us but anyway...

A passenger is allowed to break the journey, right?

so if someone buys a discounted ticket to cork and then gets out in thurles and then continues to cork later that day they are fine.

but if they arrive back in thurles station too late and miss the last train to cork and then explain the situation to the station master he would have to charge them the difference

i know its never going to happen but...

[Mark Gleeson]

You can't break a journey on ticket which has been bought online, since online tickets are strictly valid on the trains stated on the ticket

Break of journey is only allowed on ordinary intercity tickets

[Colm R]

Does this only apply to online tickets. I get cheap intercity rail tickets a work, the ones that are the prepaid single contracts. Don't tell anyone though.

Anyway, I always write in Dublin - Cork as I live near Cork. But my father works in Mallow so if he happens to be there as I get close to Mallow, I get off there. Am I breaking the law.


Mark, you live in Blackrock. I had you down for a Northsider.

[Thomas J Stamp]

Originally Posted by Colm R

Mark, you live in Blackrock. I had you down for a Northsider.

Grrrr.............. take that back!!!

[markpb]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Little bit on investigation indicates that the online system will always quote the non discounted fares. Its only when you try to make a booking will you see a discount of half the fare is applied to the total just before your credit card is hit

Great piece of design. I saw the post here, decided to book tickets online because of the offer but couldn't see any discount so we took the bus instead. By the time I saw this post, it was inside the 7 day deadline so too late to book. Are IR capable of getting anything right?

[Mark Hennessy]

Originally Posted by markpb

Great piece of design. I saw the post here, decided to book tickets online because of the offer but couldn't see any discount so we took the bus instead. By the time I saw this post, it was inside the 7 day deadline so too late to book. Are IR capable of getting anything right?

A valid question Mark!

Indeed its almost like they didn't want too many to avail of the offer.

[undo]

The ticket that IÉ sent out to anyone who booked are interesting as well. My ticket (Galway day return) says €31.50, but the piece of paper that it came wrapped in quotes the actual price paid, €15.75.

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

You can't break a journey on ticket which has been bought online, since online tickets are strictly valid on the trains stated on the ticket

Break of journey is only allowed on ordinary intercity tickets

Aren't you allowed travel any train with an on-line first class ticket (your booked train or any train after that on the same day) ......... arrrghH that doesn't work because the first class ticket wouldn't be discounted.

[haddockman]

I have often used my online first class to travel on trains other than the booked one both on earlier and later trains. Never had a problem from IE staff.

[Thomas Ralph]

I remember reading this somewhere on the IÉ website and have been told it by the clerk in Abbey Street. If I find the site again I'll post it.