Intercity fares revision: New fares and fare structure from 4th February 2012

[Mark Gleeson]

There is nothing stopping Irish Rail offering super day saver returns, provided the price is less that the NTA day return fare. Thats how all the online fares operate.

The removal of booking and credit card fees has also been recommended

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by Destructix

the increase could have been much worst.

Oh, on that point, there is two elements in this exercise (a) a rebalancing for fares to remove anomalies, which is roughly revenue neutral and (b) a fare increase of ??%.

[Destructix]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

The removal of booking and credit card fees has also been recommended

Lets hope they do. Its these charges that put me off using online booking. It works out pretty much the same fare sometimes Thurles to Limerick online that you pay in the booking office, benefits are you get a seat. But when the booking fees are added it makes it more expensive and it isn't worth it.

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by Destructix

benefits are you get a seat

I realise this can be important for families and groups, but whatever about a short trip, I can't tell you the last time I had to stand on an intercity trip - probably at least 15 years.

Maybe I don't travel enough.

[Destructix]

Sometimes the Dublin-Limerick Junction(Dublin-Cork) trains can have no seats available at the station when it arrives at Thurles or the seats that are available are facing the opposite direction the train is travelling. Best carriage to get a seat i find is behind the locomotive.

[Mark Gleeson]

There are increases on student and 16-25 tickets as well, around 5% no specifics yet

[KSW]

After reading from the NTA pdf file, "All single fares will be cheaper than day return fares and all day return fares will be cheaper than open return tickets"(RTE WEBSITE) was looking forward to reduced fares from Gorey/Connolly until I read the document. ->

"In terms of geographical alignment, fares on Express routes (e.g. Dublin –Cork- Tralee) will be highest based on the quality of service offered, as measured by journey speed. Fares on Economy 1 routes (e.g. Galway-Dublin) will be next highest, followed by Economy 2 (e.g. Rosslare-Dublin)."

"Fares will also be graded based on the speed of the train. Fares on Express routes will be highest, followed by Economy 1 routes and then Economy 2"


H Gorey/ Connolly €17.30 €19.00 DAY RETURN 9.83%

H (up to 128KM) Connolly/ Gorey €17.30 €18.50 SINGLE CONNOLLY/GOREY 6.94%

H Connolly/ Gorey €23.70 €26.50 OPEN 30DAY RETURN 11.81%

Distance to me doesn't mean a thing !!!!!

[Mark Gleeson]

The day return is now available 7 days a week

So currently a return on a Friday/Sunday Dublin Gorey is 23.70

From 4th Feb that will be 19:00, 19% less than current

[wobbles]

Mark the Day return fare has been available 7 days a week for the last 3 or 4 years on the Rosslare route. IE removed the peak Friday and Sunday fare to try and increase business on the line.

[Colm Moore]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0203/rail.html

InterCity rail fares set to increase
Updated: 18:20, Friday, 3 February 2012

64% of Iarnród Éireann's InterCity fares will increase from tomorrow following changes to the fare structure

Almost two thirds of Iarnród Éireann's InterCity fares will increase from tomorrow, following changes to the fare structure.

The new structure replaces the current wide variety of tickets on sale with just three options - a single, a day return, and an open return for use within 30 days of departure.

The new fare pricing structure will be distance-based, so the longer the journey, the more expensive the ticket.

All single fares will be cheaper than day return fares and all day return fares will be cheaper than open return fares.

Fares will also be graded based on the speed of the train.

Fares on Express routes will be highest, followed by Economy 1 routes and Economy 2.

The single fare on the Dublin Heuston to Cork route has been reduced from €66 to €60, while a day return fare from Heuston to Waterford has increased from €27 to €29.50.

The new fares are the maximum that customers can be charged at train stations, but it does not prevent Iarnród Éireann from offering promotional discounted fares as well.

The National Transport Authority approved the new fare structure using distance-based pricing.

It said fare pricing based solely on revenue maximisation was deemed inappropriate for a publicly subsidised service.

In total, 143 fares have been increased, by amounts ranging from 0.63% to 13.33%.

There will be reductions in 66 fares, ranging from 0.79% to 29.41%.

Just 15 fares remain the same.

[Colm Moore]

Detailed information here: http://www.irishrail.ie/index.jsp?p=118&n=197

This may have been revised also: http://www.irishrail.ie/index.jsp?p=118&n=142

[Kilocharlie]

Some anomalies:

Looking at fares from Heuston Kildare

Cork-Limerick Grid - Fare E - 15.50 single, 22.50 rtn
Waterford, Galway, Westport grids - Fare E, 13.00 single, 13.20 return
Commuter Fare : 18.50 return

3 different return fares depending on the route/service.

So which fare does one pay?????

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by Kilocharlie

Some anomalies:

Looking at fares from Heuston Kildare

Cork-Limerick Grid - Fare E - 15.50 single, 22.50 rtn
Waterford, Galway, Westport grids - Fare E, 13.00 single, 13.20 return
Commuter Fare : 18.50 return

3 different return fares depending on the route/service.

So which fare does one pay?????

Exactly.

[Colm Moore]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...311250849.html

Most intercity rail fares rise after review
JOANNE HUNT

ALMOST TWO-THIRDS of Iarnród Éireann’s intercity fares will increase today, following changes to its fare structure.

The new structure will be simpler, replacing complex five-day return and weekend options with just three tickets types – a single, a day return, or an open return valid within 30 days of departure.

The changes will see 65 per cent of rail fares go up, 30 per cent go down and 5 per cent remain the same.

The structure will, however, end the anomaly where some single fares could cost more than a return ticket to the same destination.

The new fares are the maximum customers can be charged at train stations, while Iarnród Éireann can still offer lower cost promotional online discounts.

Fares will now also be set according to the speed of the train and the class of carriage.

The changes were approved by the National Transport Authority last month following a fare revision application made by Iarnród Éireann.

Defending the increase, Barry Kenny of Iarnród Éireann said that for fares over €25, it was the first fare revision in more than three years.

“In the last four years we’ve seen our subvention reduce by €59 million, which is about 30 per cent. We’ve reduced our costs by about €79 million, but for us to maintain our level of service, we do have to raise additional revenues.”

Under the new structure, a single fare from Dublin to Cork will decrease from €66 to € 60.

For those returning on the same day, the fare will remain at €71; for those travelling at the weekend, the five-day return ticket costing €71 has been abolished and is replaced with an open return ticket costing €77. A monthly return ticket will drop from €78.50 to €77.

Overall, the increases range up to 13 per cent on some longer distance routes, while decreases are up to 29 per cent, with the most significant price drops on Galway and Rosslare routes.

[IckyThump]

why are all the fares given to/from dublin??

im travelling waterford to limerick so the website telling me fares to/from dublin is of no use. people going cork/limerick have the same problem.

is there any way of giving all the prices online instead of just serving dublin

[karlr42]

Originally Posted by IckyThump

why are all the fares given to/from dublin??

im travelling waterford to limerick so the website telling me fares to/from dublin is of no use. people going cork/limerick have the same problem.

is there any way of giving all the prices online instead of just serving dublin

Use the journey planner for the stations you're visiting?

[Mark Gleeson]

Additional tables are in development for WRC and other routes.

Last week was a major turning point in Irish public transport, Irish Rail handed over the fares tables and made them public

For Tralee/Limerick to Cork try this http://www.railusers.ie/passenger_in..._calc_2012.php

Given that Irish Rail has now handed us the full fares matrix, that there are no 'strange' exceptions we should be able to develop point to point fares engine in a few weeks

[IckyThump]

Originally Posted by karlr42

Use the journey planner for the stations you're visiting?

i assume you mean the "Find Train Times and Buy Tickets" secton. that wont give fairs for routes that you cant book online for

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Additional tables are in development for WRC and other routes.

Last week was a major turning point in Irish public transport, Irish Rail handed over the fares tables and made them public

For Tralee/Limerick to Cork try this http://www.railusers.ie/passenger_in..._calc_2012.php

Given that Irish Rail has now handed us the full fares matrix, that there are no 'strange' exceptions we should be able to develop point to point fares engine in a few weeks

oh i didnt know that. thats great news. it really is nice to see that Irish Rail are improving alot in a short space of time. long over due but short space non the less

[Kilocharlie]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Given that Irish Rail has now handed us the full fares matrix, that there are no 'strange' exceptions we should be able to develop point to point fares engine in a few weeks

I now see 4 different fares for Kildare. The 3 I mentioned above and now a 4th in the RUI fare calculator!

IE has Kildare-Heuston as zone E Express AND Zone E Economy but RUI has Kildare as Zone D Express.

Strange stuff still exists!

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by Kilocharlie

Strange stuff still exists!

Indeed, wait until you see some of the magical distance measurements.