11:50 Swift Holyhead-Dublin

[gordonthemoron]

Starting with the new timetable, the connection from Manchester is off the 8:50 ex Piccadilly which gives a connection time of 30 mins if the train is on time. Previous to the current timetable, the connection was off the 7:50 ex Piccadilly which gave a more realistic 1 hour 14 mins connection time.

Needless to say that last week our train was 14 mins late and the check in for the ferry had closed.

Why does ATW think that such a short connection is appropriate? It was noticeable on the train that shedloads of reserved seats from Manchester and Warrington were empty, presumably due to their passengers being wise to this?

 

[Adlington]

30 minutes is given as the latest check-in time for foot passengers on this service.

 

[gazthomas]

14 mins late on such a short trip (relatively) is appalling. They should compensate you

 

[gordonthemoron]

I have submitted a claim

 

[Adlington]

Please let us know if you get anywhere with the claim....

 

[gordonthemoron]

I have received an email from ATW stating that they will give me a 100% refund for the delay. I will confirm once it arrives

 

[Greenback]

So did you take the slow ferry instead?

 

[gordonthemoron]

So did you take the slow ferry instead?

Yes, the 14:10 Ulysses

 

[Greenback]

Perhaps ATW will have a rethink on the conenctions once they see how much they are having to pay out!

 

[gordonthemoron]

Perhaps ATW will have a rethink on the conenctions once they see how much they are having to pay out!

That's what I was thinking, they seem to have completely buggered up the ferry connections in the latest timetable. It was fine before

 

[Greenback]

Things don't seem to be so bad at Fishguard. Perhaps it's the fact that passengers need a bus in Holyhead to get to the ferries? I've arrived in Fishguard 15mins before the ferry departed and been OK.

 

[gordonthemoron]

The ATW North Wales timetable actually says the connection time at Holyhead is 30 mins

 

[Greenback]

Yeah, I've got a full set of printed ATW timetables for reference! I think the problem is that this is enough when things are running to time, but there's no flexibility for much of a late arrival. Unlike at Fishguard maybe, when tickets cna be looked at and then passengers can just hurry up the ramp on to the ship.

I suspect things are going to change when the next timetables come out!

 

[gordonthemoron]

I have now received a check from ATW for the full cost of the tickets, £102. However, they are still advertising this unrealistic connection at Holyhead

 

[Greenback]

They're just throwing money away with such a silly connection. I reckon they are stuck with it, though until the next timetable change.

 

[gordonthemoron]

They're just throwing money away with such a silly connection. I reckon they are stuck with it, though until the next timetable change.

assuming that people claim compensation if they miss the connection

 

[Greenback]

True. There must be a sizeable number who do though, surely?

 

[gordonthemoron]

I would say that there were at least 20 people who missed my sailing. I didn't hear anyone say anything about claiming compensation, in fact most people seemed to be having a go at the Irish Ferry staff. Whereas I was anticipating a completely free trip

 

[Greenback]

So those others didn't hear you mention anything about compensation either?

Yet you claimed

 

[gordonthemoron]

I didn't tell anyone apart from the missus

 

[james60059]

I'm glad to have stumbled across this thread as I'm planning on going to Ireland in September and going via HHD, and the timings I've seen get me there for 11:20 with the Swift departure at 11:50, I was a bit wary as that is 30 minutes beforehand and surely the check-in would be closed even with an on-time arrival of the train?. I think I might have a rethink lol.