Your Money

Cheaper online rail fares? Not necessarily

SMALL PRINT: IRISH RAIL this week announced plans to bring in a new pricing structure reminiscent of budget airlines, based …

Brian O'Connell's face
Brian O'Connell
Wed May 11 2011 - 01:00

SMALL PRINT:IRISH RAIL this week announced plans to bring in a new pricing structure reminiscent of budget airlines, based on cheaper fares for passengers who book in advance on the Dublin-Cork route. This follows trial runs on the Dublin-Galway route, whereby some passengers could avail of fares as low as €1 in recent weeks.

Under the new system, there will be €10 one-way fares available on all Dublin-Cork trains, but once these sell out, then the pricing structure returns to more expensive fares.

At 9pm on Monday, there were no special fares available online for a same-day Dublin-Cork return journey on Tuesday. All fares quoted were €36 each way, plus additional booking charges, of €2 or €3, depending on your payment method.

However, at Kent Station in Cork on Tuesday morning, a five-day return ticket for the same route could be bought for €71, with no additional booking charges, making it cheaper and more cost-effective to buy tickets at the train station.

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In recent years, Irish Rail has launched a focused marketing drive promoting online fares and booking procedures as the most cost-effective way to book fares. although the new pricing structure has drawn criticism from some customers online.

Irish Rail spokesman Barry Kenny said the new system was set up to provide discounts for customers who book early on an increased number of trains. He didn’t rule out the possibility that fares may be sold for as little as €1, but no decision has been taken on offering fares this low as of yet.

Responding to the fact that it may be cheaper to buy tickets at train stations now instead of online, Kenny said: “An online booking system does have the added benefit of a seat reservation and single fares are always cheaper online . . . though clearly [discounted seats] are not likely to be available on busy trains the day before departure.”

He said that those customers who availed of €10 fares were delighted with the service, while others had queried the pricing structure change. “Booking habits will most likely change in response to this,” he said.