10 Euro fare requires 90 minutes advance booking!

seamus kilcock · 05-04-2012, 09:58

My friend from Australia went to booking office at Heuston this Thursday morning 40 minutes before departure time and asked for a 10 Euro one way ticket to Kilkenny.
He was told in order to get the 10 Euro ticket he would have to give 90 minutes notice. The price of the ticket was now 24 Euro!
I've carefully examined the IE website and am unable to find any mention of a 90 minutes cut off.
My friend is not a happy 'Teddy'!
Am I missing something?

Seamus

Thomas Ralph · 05-04-2012, 10:13

It is correct that the €10 fare (and all web fares) can only be purchased up to 90 minutes before departure. As an internet-only product, the €10 fare cannot be purchased at Heuston booking office at any stage. You will note from http://www.irishrail.ie/index.jsp?p=118&n=197&a=265 that the standard booking office fare for Heuston to Kilkenny is €24.00 (fare band K).

I had thought that €10 fares required to be purchased the day before travel at the latest, but that may have changed or have never been right.

Jamie2k9 · 05-04-2012, 12:05

Quote:

I had thought that €10 fares required to be purchased the day before travel at the latest, but that may have changed or have never been right.

You can book €10 fare for Waterford up to 90mins before departure provided they are not sold out. Other routes would most lightly have all the €10 fares sold out days before the departure.

comcor · 05-04-2012, 12:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie2k9

You can book €10 fare for Waterford up to 90mins before departure provided they are not sold out. Other routes would most lightly have all the €10 fares sold out days before the departure.

On the Dublin-Cork route, there is only one train in the next week with a €10 fare available - Saturday's 8am Dublin-Cork. There is not a single Cork-Dublin train at €10, not even the 5am on the bank holiday Monday morning.

You have to wait til Saturday to even find a €26 fare.

seamus kilcock · 05-04-2012, 12:53

The IE site states Reservations close 90 minutes prior to departure but it does NOT refer specifically to ONLINE reservations closing 90 minutes before train departs.
There should be an additional column stating what the Booking Office fares are.
I should have been able to let my Oz friend know the 10 Euro fare refers to online bookings only made 90 minutes before train departed, and the alternative booking office fare would be 24 Euro.
If this was clear from the website he would have got the bus for 9 Euro.
The more I think about it the more I realise the IE website is to be used with extreme caution when it comes to the fares shown.
In summary the special website booking fare should be shown alongside the booking office fare.
Bit of a con job really!

Thomas Ralph · 05-04-2012, 12:57

Can't say I agree with you. On the front page it says "Fares online from just €10", and clicking Fares and Tickets then Intercity Fares gives you http://www.irishrail.ie/index.jsp?p=118&n=197

"Select your route below to view the range of tickets and fares available at your station:"

And so on. I would say it's reasonable general knowledge that booking travel in advance online tends to be cheaper than turning up on the day.

Mark Gleeson · 05-04-2012, 13:23

The IE website will NOT show the fare for a train if it is no longer bookable

So if you look at Dublin Cork at 14:29 it will not show fares for departures up to 15:00, it will show the 16:00 fare and onwards. At 14:31 the fare for the 16:00 will no longer be shown and so on.

It does say 'Online fares from' on the website so it is not a case of false advertising the price on the screen is available from the website

Irish Rail is pretty generous to allow booking 90 minutes before departure, UK do next day at best.

seamus kilcock · 05-04-2012, 13:23

Hi Thomas.
When one logs on to irishrail.ie it opens up with the Home page and across the top of this page - which catches the eye straight away - is the first Tab after the Home page and it is Fares & Tickets. This is the info any traveller wants.
(One has to be very sharp to spot the "Fares online from just €10" that is lost against the background).
If there was a column showing Booking Office fares side by side with the 'Online fares from' column it would be problem solved.

Seamus

Jamie2k9 · 05-04-2012, 22:37

Bookings can be made 28 day in advance and to be in with a chance of a €10 fare on Cork line you need to book it 28 days before.

05-04-2012, 09:58	#1
seamus kilcock Regular Poster Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 103	10 Euro fare requires 90 minutes advance booking! My friend from Australia went to booking office at Heuston this Thursday morning 40 minutes before departure time and asked for a 10 Euro one way ticket to Kilkenny. He was told in order to get the 10 Euro ticket he would have to give 90 minutes notice. The price of the ticket was now 24 Euro! I've carefully examined the IE website and am unable to find any mention of a 90 minutes cut off. My friend is not a happy 'Teddy'! Am I missing something? Seamus

05-04-2012, 10:13	#2
Thomas Ralph IT Officer Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Greenwich, London Posts: 1,860	It is correct that the €10 fare (and all web fares) can only be purchased up to 90 minutes before departure. As an internet-only product, the €10 fare cannot be purchased at Heuston booking office at any stage. You will note from http://www.irishrail.ie/index.jsp?p=118&n=197&a=265 that the standard booking office fare for Heuston to Kilkenny is €24.00 (fare band K). I had thought that €10 fares required to be purchased the day before travel at the latest, but that may have changed or have never been right. Last edited by Thomas Ralph : 05-04-2012 at 10:17.

05-04-2012, 13:23	#7
Mark Gleeson Technical Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coach C, Seat 33 Posts: 12,669	The IE website will NOT show the fare for a train if it is no longer bookable So if you look at Dublin Cork at 14:29 it will not show fares for departures up to 15:00, it will show the 16:00 fare and onwards. At 14:31 the fare for the 16:00 will no longer be shown and so on. It does say 'Online fares from' on the website so it is not a case of false advertising the price on the screen is available from the website Irish Rail is pretty generous to allow booking 90 minutes before departure, UK do next day at best. __________________ Unhappy with new timetable - let us know

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05-04-2012, 12:53	#5
seamus kilcock Regular Poster Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 103	The IE site states Reservations close 90 minutes prior to departure but it does NOT refer specifically to ONLINE reservations closing 90 minutes before train departs. There should be an additional column stating what the Booking Office fares are. I should have been able to let my Oz friend know the 10 Euro fare refers to online bookings only made 90 minutes before train departed, and the alternative booking office fare would be 24 Euro. If this was clear from the website he would have got the bus for 9 Euro. The more I think about it the more I realise the IE website is to be used with extreme caution when it comes to the fares shown. In summary the special website booking fare should be shown alongside the booking office fare. Bit of a con job really!

05-04-2012, 12:57	#6
Thomas Ralph IT Officer Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Greenwich, London Posts: 1,860	Can't say I agree with you. On the front page it says "Fares online from just €10", and clicking Fares and Tickets then Intercity Fares gives you http://www.irishrail.ie/index.jsp?p=118&n=197 "Select your route below to view the range of tickets and fares available at your station:" And so on. I would say it's reasonable general knowledge that booking travel in advance online tends to be cheaper than turning up on the day.

05-04-2012, 22:37	#9
Jamie2k9 Really Really Regluar Poster Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 2,146	Bookings can be made 28 day in advance and to be in with a chance of a €10 fare on Cork line you need to book it 28 days before.