The Heuston Factor

[Derek Wheeler]

This particular issue stems from a discussion in the members section regarding integrated ticketing. I thought it might be interesting to throw it out to the general public for discussion/opinion etc. Its a well known one.

When travelling by train to or from Heuston station, Dublin, ticket prices are different, depending on whether you want to take a bus or Luas. If you begin your journey in Dublin city centre you cannot buy a through Luas/bus/rail ticket. You must first buy your connecting service ticket and then purchase your rail ticket in Heuston. If you are travelling to Heuston by rail from any other destination, there are 2 different ticket prices.

1. To Heuston station only

and

2. To the "city centre" using Bus or Luas.

There are a number of issues connected to this situation. Doesn't it seem unfair that CIE for many many years have applied 2 charges to rail passengers arriving into Heuston station.(they did it even before IE was set up as a seperate entity. Real criminality.) Its almost like an admission that Heuston is not quite the final destination. Obviously its remote, but thats not the fault of passengers. So why should they be subjected to different fare scales. You can of course purchase the "through ticket" from all stations that operate services to Heuston. But it may not be highlighted to you at the time of purchase and the prices are different. Hence the many passengers who fumble for change to pay for the bus or luas.

While we wait for integrated ticketing, isnt it about time that we put an end to this rediculous scenario. For a start, all fares from destinations serving Heuston should be fixed at one cost that automatically includes the transfer to the city centre and return. No more "Dick Turpin" performances from the genius that emanates from IE/CIE head offices. Heuston station is the stop for Dublin, not "near" Dublin. This "cosy" earner for CIE has now been inherited by luas and compounded by the luas TVM's inability to offer a combined luas and rail ticket. The city centre-Heuston route is an established combined mode transport option used by 1000s daily, yet there appears to be a 2 tiered fare structure that continues to "isolate" Heuston and copperfasten a mentality that goes back to 1847!

"Please note"

No descriptions of combined monthly tickets, obscure codes in IE ticket machines that permit through journies (that the staff don't even know about) or any other hardly known mechanism that facilitates what Im proposing. This thread is for the ordinary user who hasn't a clue and based on the obvious daily rip off that the "Heuston Factor" causes. We'll move to Cork after this.