[16/08/11 12:30 Dublin to Westport] Standing on Train

[Alan]

Just wondering if anyone knows if there is a limit to the amount of people without seats that can occupy the train?

[Mark Gleeson]

There is neither an Irish nor a European limit. The trains are designed to operate safely beyond crush loaded limits.

The safety authorities will not entertain complaints concerning overcrowding unless some form of incident was reported

We highly recommend booking online in advance to ensure a seat and a lower fare. The 12:30 was a sell out Tuesday and looks like it will sell out for Wednesday as well, still 10 euro though.

Overcrowding in an annual summer issue on the Westport route despite there being an extra train a day compared to past. Extra capacity is provided on the lunchtime train from Westport as a result.

[Inniskeen]

The "extra train" referred to is at 0515 from Westport and 1530 to Westport - unlikely to significantly affect the loading on either the 1315 from Westport or 1230 to Westport, both of which have dramatically reduced accommodation compared to a few years ago. That the problem is not more acute reflects the general decline in business rather than the opposite.

[jacko]

Dublin - Westport and Mallow - Killarney/Tralee both get very crowded during the summer

If the demand is there then the company should respond (if only for the summer months)

[Mark Gleeson]

There are 180 extra seats on the lunchtime Westport Dublin service during the summer

I checked this morning and there should be about 400 more standard class seats vs 3 years ago each day in Summer

The 12:30 problem seems to be more down to been only 3 coaches at times in order to facilitate the extra seats out of Westport

There is an extra Summer only train from Limerick to Dublin to take pressure off the morning Tralee Dublin service

The only advice is to book online to ensure you have a seat, the lowest fare, or in worst case a full refund if you end up standing the whole way. Obviously booking data provides information to target resources

[Inniskeen]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

There are 180 extra seats on the lunchtime Westport Dublin service during the summer

I checked this morning and there should be about 400 more standard class seats vs 3 years ago each day in Summer

The 12:30 problem seems to be more down to been only 3 coaches at times in order to facilitate the extra seats out of Westport

There is an extra Summer only train from Limerick to Dublin to take pressure off the morning Tralee Dublin service

The only advice is to book online to ensure you have a seat, the lowest fare, or in worst case a full refund if you end up standing the whole way. Obviously booking data provides information to target resources

Prior to the arrival of ICRs on the Westport line in April 2008 the afternoon trains in each direction were Mk3s, each with a minimum seating accommodation of 300 - i.e at least 100 more than a 3-car ICR.

[Mark Gleeson]

Current Summer schedule is

07:30 6 car
12:30 6 car
15:30 3 car (6 on a Friday)
18:30 6 car + first

The 13:15 Westport Dublin is 6 cars so there are more seats, no complaints concerning this service this year. The problem is the 12:30 is not always a 6 car

Westport Mk3 set was 348 + 32 + 1

Current
6 coach 2*3 cars is 384 + 0 + 4
6 coach with first 342 + 36 + 3
6 coach high capacity 408 + 0 + 2

So there are more seats and more trains. The problems are down to reservations not working and the occasional short formed train. Its probably not helped by the 12:30 ex Dublin and 13:15 ex Westport being offered 10 euro fares on all seats online. Better yield management would move demand to the 15:30 service

[Jamie2k9]

You can't book first class on the 18,30/07.15 anymore.

[Mark Gleeson]

Query in on the first class

Its probably down to the fact Westport never had first class in recent times so its not in the fare matrix