A damning indictment of Irish Rail's Intercity service.

[hhf8]

from travelling down to cork on the friday in 1st class. The luggage van/DVT is always open to people. The cleaner usually bases themselves there

[Derek Wheeler]

I read that link.

That dude is such a waster. What does he know about anything. The Cork train is brilliant. Its only fault is the "Ride quality" Irish Rail have nailed it with this service. It is up there with the best in Europe if not the world. How dare this guy even contemplate writing such baloney. Yes, he's just a guy with a problem.

Actually I'm joking, but I doubt some posters on this thread would appreciate that.

What I just read is a typical example of what everyday, honest rail users experience and feel aggrieved about. You see, they don't waste away their lives getting "up to speed" on how railways work or in fact how IE work for that matter. The author of this piece had a problem and all of it is valid. Customers are allowed have problems. They are allowed get angry. They are allowed be "ignorant". Remember that the customer is always right. You start there and work forwards not backwards. But as is becoming very frequent on this board and very quick indeed, the reaction is one of redicule and snide "we know more" remarks. Its one big ad for "get stuffed rail users unless you know about trains". More IRN than anything I ever stood for.

Its pathetic. Reminds me of why I resigned. I wanted to fight the cause of rail users, not bury them under an insulting veil of "we know more than you do."

That guy didn't and won't contact RUI, because he may never have heard of it and if he did, one can only cringe at the reaction he'd have met with.

[Garrett]

Hmmm, am caught between two opinions here. Kinda agree with the guy on some points and kinda think he has some form of rage disorder or serious stress issues. Anyhows, having read the responses from posters on this board I feel that most people have missed the point. What's important is not whether he was right, wrong or mad, but that he felt that the entire system was against him. Most posters on this board are experts in rail travel in Ireland and so know the system like the back of their hand, so when somebody begins to complain about, say, ticket reservations, they can't believe what they're hearing because they find it so straightforward.

Despite the fact that most RUI members often critise Irish Rail, when somebody with foreign experience comes along and blasts the rail network here it appears that RUI members go on the defense somewhat. I suppose it's a natural reaction to comments from a know-it-all and I admit that I sometimes react the same way. I've experienced this attitude in the past myself. Mark G, your comment that "His whole thesis about ticket sales and reservations is utter rubbish" is an example. I sometimes feel that you and others are so used to the Irish Rail system that you're caught in a vicious circle where you believe that the ticketing system is improving when in fact in cannot be improved because, in my opinion, it is fundamentally flawed. I too, as you probably know by now, live in France and use the rail/metro network regularly. When I come home and end up using the train/DART, I can honestly say that the experience is almost always disastrous, and I'm barely exaggerating when I say that. Being honest, I haven't used the train back home for a while now, so maybe things have changed. I'll try it this Christmas to see if I'm being over the top.

Remember, if any one of us was faced with a 19th century railway network (as IE were in the 80's) and then given a wad of cash (Celtic Tiger) what would we do. At the very least we'd upgrade the tracks, signalling, stations, and trains. Childsplay really.
If the rest of the world was moving to online ticketing what would we do. Simple, we'd at least follow suit.
What I'm saying is that despite all the recent improvements, Irish Rail's management haven't exactly being very forward thinking. The only mircales have being perfomed by the rail engineers who updated the system.

Anyhows, please heed Derek Wheeler's remarks. At the end of the day we all have to recognise that we sometimes have "know it all" attitudes, and I'll be the first to admit that I sometimes (always??) have this attitude. The guy who posted to boards should almost be made an honoury member of RUI because his comments embodies the feelings of many rail users in Ireland, be they Irish commuters or tourists, and on a number of issues he hits the nail on the head on all that is wrong with the system.

[KSW]

Originally Posted by Garrett

Despite the fact that most RUI members often critise Irish Rail, when somebody with foreign experience comes along and blasts the rail network here it appears that RUI members go on the defense somewhat.

When I come home and end up using the train/DART, I can honestly say that the experience is almost always disastrous, and I'm barely exaggerating when I say that.

Remember, if any one of us was faced with a 19th century railway network (as IE were in the 80's) and then given a wad of cash (Celtic Tiger) what would we do. At the very least we'd upgrade the tracks, signalling, stations, and trains. Childsplay really.

He hits the nail on the head on all that is wrong with the system.

I like your post, Obviously we are going to defend the Irish Rail Network because we use it and mainly we dont actually know what speed is[ ha ha ]
Compared to the TGV if you use it our rail network is last century trains.
About the 19th Century stuff well what can I say except God Bless Iarnrod Eireann for trying.
The system has its flaws but compared to other trains in the world its OnBoard Information is reasonability good and percise. (Example) Ladies and Gentlemen, Iarnrod Eireann welcomes you onboard. This is the nine hundred (09:00) hours train from Dublin Hueston to Cork serving Limerick Jnct, Charleville, Mallow and Cork. Your attention is drawn to the safey and evacuation notices. Thank you for your attention, Have a pleasant and comforable journey. Can I ask what is the french announcements but translated into English?..........

[Garrett]

Originally Posted by KeithStephen

The system has its flaws but compared to other trains in the world its OnBoard Information is reasonability good and percise. (Example) Ladies and Gentlemen, Iarnrod Eireann welcomes you onboard. This is the nine hundred (09:00) hours train from Dublin Hueston to Cork serving Limerick Jnct, Charleville, Mallow and Cork. Your attention is drawn to the safey and evacuation notices. Thank you for your attention, Have a pleasant and comforable journey.

That does sound good indeed, although I almost always take the Dublin-Galway train. I'll really make an effort to check out the service this Christmas. One of the advantages of living away from home is that the changes really stand out when you come back.

Can I ask what is the french announcements but translated into English?..........

Sure. Here's an example
"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome aboard the Corail Intercité train to Tours. This train will serve Les Aubrais, Orléans, Meung-sur-Loire, Blois, St. Pierre des Corps and Tours its terminus. We inform passengers that their ticket must be validated. Those who have not completed this formality, please make yourself known to the inspector before any checks are made."
Then the usual:
"The train is about to depart, please keep clear of the doors, the train is departing."
And then the "Ladies and Gentlemen..." part above is repeated once the train departs.
None of this is automatic, it is always the ticket inspector who talks over the speakers.

With regards the whole issue of locked gates (at terminus stations), there are none in France. All platforms are open and people are only aware of which train is theirs once the platform number is indicated on the main display board. This is meant to happen 20 minutes before departure. It's quite a site to watch in, say, Montparnasse station when the platform number for a packed (up to 1090 passengers in Duplex TGV's) TGV is displayed only 5 or 10 minutes before departure, although the compulsory reservation on TGV's prevents total chaos. Passengers self-validate their tickets in machines to the sides of the platform entrance. On some rare occasions (e.g. busy holiday periods) your ticket will be checked before boarding.

[CSL]

Yes - exactly .... Paddington in London is the same for departure boards ...

everyone is watching the board until the platform number goes up and signalled ready for boarding.

Nobody goes near a train since they have no idea which train it is...

[Oisin88]

Did this guy manage to miss the huge (1m x 1m) sign beside platform 5 saying "Cork Queue Here"

No excuse for going in the normal platform 5 gate, really.