Current SailRail Situation

[danm14]

Does anyone know what the current situation is with Stena Line SailRail tickets? I tried travelling earlier in the year, and ended up having to buy two tickets (one SailRail ticket from Virgin Trains, and another normal ticket from Irish Rail). As a result, as well as being less convenient and more expensive, I had to pay the bus fare from Dublin Port to Dublin City and vice versa (which is allegedly free for through ticket holders). I'd like to know what the actual situation is for my next journey.

Irish Rail in Connolly Station were happy to sell me a ticket from Longford to Chester, but only if I went with Irish Ferries (apparently "Stena Line's system is no longer compatible with ours").

Irish Rail in Longford Station were happy to sell me a Longford-Chester ticket with Stena Line, but apparently "only one person in the station knows how to do them" and they couldn't guarantee when he'd be there.

Irish Rail's customer services told me to call Connolly or Longford, or phone the ferry company themselves.

Stena Line told me that the only way to get a through ticket was to buy it online with a UK train company - neither they nor Irish Rail could issue one.

The UK train companies websites and phone sales could only sell me a Dublin-Chester ticket, and not a Longford-Chester ticket - Longford was listed but returned an error on selecting it.

Irish Ferries on the other hand(who I didn't want to travel with as the 08:05 is too early for a connection from Longford, and the 14:30 is a fast ferry) could sell me a Longford-Chester ticket online or by phone.

[Mark Gleeson]

Arriva Trains Wales owns RailSail and you should be able to get a ticket from any UK origin to any Irish Rail station. These tickets are integrated with the ferry companies so you are confirmed for travel on the ferry.

It doesn't always work due to schedules but the fares and timetables should be there.

The issue arrises when Irish Rail does a timetable change and it doesn't get updated on the UK side, i.e the UK blanks the timetable


Irish Rail can issue either Irish Ferries or Stena line tickets, these are done on old style hand issued CIV/ATB style tickets

[danm14]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Irish Rail can issue either Irish Ferries or Stena line tickets, these are done on old style hand issued CIV/ATB style tickets

Are you sure this is still the case? I was told today in Dundalk that I could only buy tickets for Irish Ferries North Wall to Holyhead ("definitely not Stena") and I must do so two days before sailing.

Is there a change that Irish Rail haven't announced, or is there some other reason why they're refusing to sell stena tickets?