Annual Short Hop Rail and Bus - Smart card?

[ColmmacO]

I'm finally taking the plunge and getting the annual train ticket.
Its worth my while getting the bus add on as well as I'll easily make the extra outlay back.

My question is, will this ticket (if issued by irish rail) be of the smart card variety?

[Mark Gleeson]

If issued by Dublin Bus a bus+rail will be smartcard on the bus, mag stripe on train and you need the separate id card

If issued by Irish Rail, it will be mag stripe on both bus and train but you don't need a separate id card as your photo is printed on the ticket

Smartcard functionality will be provided on rail only annual tickets early in 2010 and anyone holding a rail only non smartcard ticket will be upgraded to smartcard upon request at no charge.

Despite the fact Irish Rail and Dublin Bus could implement it multi mode smartcards are held up by the RPA

[ThomasJ]

Yep i have also gone with the annual bus and rail in the hope that the smart card will be introduced by the end of next year.

[markpb]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Despite the fact Irish Rail and Dublin Bus could implement it multi mode smartcards are held up by the RPA

This is worth repeating. DoT specifically denied IR and DB permission to integrate their smartcard tickets and told them the RPA was working on it.

[ThomasJ]

Originally Posted by markpb

This is worth repeating. DoT specifically denied IR and DB permission to integrate their smartcard tickets and told them the RPA was working on it.

if ever there was a story that the media should be notified of ...

What a joke !

[ColmmacO]

Thanks for the replies.
Which machines would any of you recommend keeping the mag strip ticket away from? i.e: Will using it on a bus cause trouble with train turnstiles etc..

[Thomas Ralph]

Yes. A lot of the bus mag stripe validators are dirty and messy. If you can at all, get the ticket from Dublin Bus, and use it as a smartcard on the bus.

[Mark Gleeson]

Dublin Bus issued one is the only way to go without question

[ColmmacO]

Thanks lads. Appreciate the heads up.

[ColmmacO]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Dublin Bus issued one is the only way to go without question

All done! So no ticket related problems for me in 2010

[ThomasJ]

Originally Posted by ColmmacO

All done! So no ticket related problems for me in 2010

dont hold your breath ! I have had three replacement tickets this year. Having said that , the problems were all rail related.

Having said that , i have been using the dublin bus smartcard this year and will be using it next year as well !

[carlowgirl]

The ticket is handy to have for the year. However, the non-smart cards are so much hassle had mine changed 3 times. Few times in the morning when trying to get through the barriers i have been abused by Irish rail staff. One who told me to use my f***ING head and put the ticket through. Complained to Irish rail who dont seem to care about the fact that it is their fault that the new machines were not fit for use.