Official 2008 timetables?
 

I know there are other wishlist threads on the scheduling within the timetable, but I've a really, really simple question which I didn't see (though I may have missed it...)

When will the new timetables be issued?

There are less than 8 weeks to go on the current ones, and if past experience is anything to go by, we'll be desperately searching for the new ones the week ending Friday 7th Dec, will probably fail, and just be hoping that on Monday the train we took last week is still running. Right now you couldn't even make plans for Christmas travel. This is pathetic.

While Irish Rail have simplified the appearance of the timetables, the information is still too minimal. Even simple changes would help (especially visitors) such as replacing the front-page photograph of some kid pointing out the window with a map of the route. This year I took a train in Austria for the first time — their timetables detail the platforms at every station, and the platforms and times of all connecting trains. If the timetable doesn't change all year, why can't IE do this?

Given they never published the offical 2007 (or the 2005, 2004, 2003 ....) timetable I doubt you will see it in 2008 either

Someone was nice enough to get us the proof

Strangely bigger isn't it?

The one you can buy is stuffed full of errors and the times in it particularly on the Belfast route don't match up with the actual timetable.

Despite what IE claim there is no public consultation on the service needs of rail users its more a case of this is how it is going to be and there is nothing you can do about it

Surely there has to be differences in terms of size of data for a working timetable (I am assuming thats what your using) which includes all non-passenger movements?

And Irish Rail run a lot of freight do they?

There are substaintal differences in times in places, most Dublin Belfast services have signifcant differences of up to 5 minutes.

The internal timetable also tells you the train type on the service as well and for some trains the length, which would be common elsewhere

You also learn of the shocking number of empty trains running around

I ment the following:
Like where the 16:15 Heuston - Ballina goes (I assume it sits in Claremorris then goes down to Westport for one of them services etc)

Hmm, I wasn't even think of that one! I was simply wondering when the “rough guide to the trains we've finally decided to run” timetables (even the little leafletty ones) might be available.

I suspected that was the case when they made the Athy morning departure a few minutes earlier without doing the same in Carlow. I had (generously) thought it was a trick to make sure nobody missed the train, although it's so late these days, people have moved to getting the previous train altogether...

Following up to myself...

While asking about the chronic unreliability of the 6:10 Waterford/Dublin, I asked about the new timetable. I was told that it was being finalised and would probably be published in the first half of December and take effect from January. It seems that it'll depend on whether or not the new trains for the Sligo line are approved or not in November.

Has anyone heard any info on changes in the timetable?

If you are a Waterford line person, keep an eye on 17:35 out of Heuston

extra, or just a change of time?

extra

I think the working timetable also uses a bigger font.

Going from past experience, the mini timetables usually come out around Jan/Feb, and the bigger one (the customer one, not the working one) about April.

Only in Ireland, eh?

Look out for an entry in the 2009 Guinness Book of Records for "longest time spent with crossed fingers". ;)

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I didn't think any of the timetables actually worked?

The internal timetable used by staff, the actual one that the trains operate to is known as the working timetable or WTT for short.

I just tried checking on the online timetable for Pportlaoise-Heuston return on 10 December and there is nothing there yet.

More Trains for Dalkey!
 

I know that everytime Irish Rail renew the timetable that it is released with the introduction of new services on some of the lines. However, I am aware that there are currently a good few rail services that only go to Bray from Drogheda and Maynooth or start from Bray and go to Maynooth or Drogheda. They currently serve Sydney Parade, Blackrock and Dun Laoghaire and a few other stations. I notice that some of these services go really slow and cruise along between Dun Laoghaire and Killiney before picking up speed. The reason why they cruise along is because a lot of them are tightly squeezed between two DART services.

As opossed to slowly passing Dalkey, they could decide to make Dalkey an additional stop and if possible one or two other stations as well. It could also allow the DART ahead to get further ahead to give the Commuter more room to breath. The 15:58 Connolly-Bray service from Longford is a prime example. I even notice people boarding this service at Pearse at 1602 with plenty of seats to spare. It is also six minutes behind the previous DART service. While I am aware that Sydney Parade, Blackrock and Dun Laoghaire are interchange stops for bus services, Dalkey and Killiney are well known tourist attractions.
With Dalkey as a heritage town and Killiney for its walks and beaches.

I think Irish Rail could standardise Dalkey and Killiney as Commuter stops to encourage people outside of the DART line to visit these areas. Also, the Maynooth service which stopped at Dalkey at 15:36 until January of this year no longer calls at Dalkey. It additionally used to call at Shankill, Killiney and Glenageary. I used to avail of that service on a regular basis and I noticed that a lot of people used to get on at Shankill, Killiney, Dalkey and Glenageary. In the next timetable, I would like to see these stations being returned to the list of stops for this service. If there aren't going to be any extra DART services in next years timetable, they could at least use more of the short haul Commuter services to increase the frequency of trains in stations such as Dalkey, Killiney and Shankill.

Should we expect an announcement on the extension of the current timetable fairly soon possibly next week given the 28 days reservation rule?

06:30am from Portlaoise to Heuston will run from 8th December onwards.

Asked at Heuston last night when timetables likely to appear - was told shortly, as they had gone to the printers. Confirmed change date as 9th December.

Sean