Travelling in Ireland and Northern Ireland

[Aictos]

I've got a weekend away in April where I be based in Dublin, now I'm fine getting around Dublin but any idea if TOCNE staff get any kind of discount on the rail fares and where can one buy tickets in advance?

So far it looks like a trip to both Cork and Belfast be needed not on the same day though, any suggestions to tickets guys?

I would like to sample the Enterprise too if possible.

 

[gazthomas]

I don't know about TOCNE but I found services in both the republic and in NI to be good. Chose your Cork to Dublin service carefully if you want loco hauled. I preferred it to Enterprise - horrible stock which is in the process of a refurbishment. I travelled around NI on a Sunday - an all network ticket was about £7 when I was there last April. I flew to Cork and back from (London)Derry. The latter was an expensive taxi from the station though!

 

[CallySleeper]

The Enterprise is the Connolly - Belfast service

Advance tickets for long distance services to Belfast, Cork etc are sold by Iarnrod Eireann, and at 30 euro return well reasonably priced too.

Translink's 'Sunday Day Tracker' is £7 for unlimited travel on rail services in NI on a Sunday: if you have lots of time planned in Belfast and don't fancy spending all of it in the city. These days the NI network is pretty good with improved frequencies even on Sundays. The Derry line is now hourly for example, alternates Derry/Portrush every hour. The north coast is 1h45 away from Belfast!

 

[the sniper]

Are you overlooking FIP or don't you qualify for it yet...?

 

[Aictos]

I have FIP as I qualified 7 years ago, Is it possible to actually cover ALL the NI services on a Sunday?

Bearing in mind my hotel will be close to Dublin Airport so got to be doable in a day where trains are concerned.

Does Republic of Ireland have rovers and/or if I apply for FIP vouchers does it mean I can use them for unlimited and free travel across both Southern and Northern Ireland?

 

[the sniper]

Does Republic of Ireland have rovers and/or if I apply for FIP vouchers does it mean I can use them for unlimited and free travel across both Southern and Northern Ireland?

NIR and CIE Coupons carry no restrictions. So yes, free and unlimited.

According to the ATOC advice document only Safeguarded holders of a Staff Travel Card can get discounted fares, but obviously you could use you FIP card for this.

 

[Aictos]

NIR and CIE Coupons carry no restrictions. So yes, free and unlimited.

According to the ATOC advice document only Safeguarded holders of a Staff Travel Card can get discounted fares, but obviously you could use you FIP card for this.

I was over in Belfast last year and was surprised how cheap the priv fare was although I couldn't understand why the guard could only sell me a single and not a return?

The only thing is I don't want to use a booklet of a dozen coupons as I only need 2 coupons for the 4 days I be out there if the coupons can be used on both NIR and CIE services? Unless I need seperate coupons for each network?

 

[TUC]

Is it possible to actually cover ALL the NI services on a Sunday?

The main challenge in doing all the NI services on a Sunday is that the first Enterprise service doesn't arrive into Belfast until 1208. The NI network itself is doable in a day, but to do it off a 1208 arrival and to get the final Enterprise service back would need careful timetable planning. It would also need to accept not including the Belfast-Newry stopping service (you will already cover the route itself on the Enterprise). Also, if you want to cover all the services in daylight it would need to be a little later in the year when the days are longer,

 

[button_boxer]

The main challenge in doing all the NI services on a Sunday is that the first Enterprise service doesn't arrive into Belfast until 1208.

There's an express bus from Dublin Airport to Belfast that takes less than 2 hours and runs hourly from 4am, 7 days a week. You'd have to pay extra for that obviously (looks to be €10 single if you book online), but it could get you to Belfast several hours earlier than the northbound Enterprise.

 

[Aictos]

Would a Saturday be better then to get all the NI services in? I also need to arrange a trip to Cork as well.

 

[scotsman]

I jokingly waved my staff ID at an IE ticket office and got a priv fare! The X1 (with additional non-stop X2 services at peak times) runs at least hourly 24/7.

The FirstGroup operated AirCoach is hourly, but not 24/7 - if you work for the pink F, you may get a discount on that.

 

[TUC]

Would a Saturday be better then to get all the NI services in? I also need to arrange a trip to Cork as well.

First Enterprise on a Saturday arrives in Belfast at 0945 so, yes, that would give much more time.

 

[Aictos]

It's interesting that NIR offer a rover for unlimited travel on a Sunday, pity it's not offered rest of week - I'm fine for getting around Dublin, it's trying to srt out the travel for Cork and Belfast.

How does one know if it's booked a loco hauled though on Dublin to Cork t Dublin?

 

[bb21]

iLink Travelcard costs £15.50 for a day's unlimited travel valid in all zones.

 

[Aictos]

iLink Travelcard costs £15.50 for a day's unlimited travel valid in all zones.

Nows that useful, thank you

 

[bb21]

Nows that useful, thank you

If you want to make use of it, make sure you order it before you arrive. Postage is free.

 

[bangor-toad]

You can buy the one day iLink cards for use on the same day. The catches are that you need pay for the ticket (£1) and there aren't that many places you can buy the cards.

My monthly one suffered over the Christmas break and I needed to get a new card. It was easy enough to go to the main Tourist Info office in Belfast, opposite the City Hall, and I paid for the card and my monthly season in a matter of minutes.

If you know you're going to want / use an iLink card you may as well order ahead of time online and save yourself the £1.

Enjoy your trip over here, there's lots to see and do.
Mr Toad

 

[Aictos]

You can buy the one day iLink cards for use on the same day. The catches are that you need pay for the ticket (£1) and there aren't that many places you can buy the cards.

My monthly one suffered over the Christmas break and I needed to get a new card. It was easy enough to go to the main Tourist Info office in Belfast, opposite the City Hall, and I paid for the card and my monthly season in a matter of minutes.

If you know you're going to want / use an iLink card you may as well order ahead of time online and save yourself the £1.

Enjoy your trip over here, there's lots to see and do.
Mr Toad

Thank you, I did Belfast City Airport to Belfast on NIR in October and actually liked the trains which did the job better then I expected of them, this time however I'm looking at Carrickfergus, Belfast, Dublin and Cork.

 

[bkhtele]

It is worth going beyond Carrickfergus to Larne/Larne Harbour, the track follows the coast most of the way and is lovely on a good day.


S

Thank you, I did Belfast City Airport to Belfast on NIR in October and actually liked the trains which did the job better then I expected of them, this time however I'm looking at Carrickfergus, Belfast, Dublin and Cork.

 

[Aictos]

It is worth going beyond Carrickfergus to Larne/Larne Harbour, the track follows the coast most of the way and is lovely on a good day.


S

Oh I will be but I will be having lunch there Anyway, with regards to the Enterprise service are FIP coupons for Ireland valid on it as ATOC wasn't sure, their advice was to use FIP coupons for both Ireland and Northern Ireland on it.

Most shocking was ATOC had NEVER heard of the Enterprise service!!!

Also how can I find out if the trains I'm using to Cork will be loco hauled or not as I can see three trains without First Class are these IE 22000 Class operated?

 

[reb0118]

You will need a coupon for both CIE & NIR if you want to do a cross border trip on the Enterprise. Free that is.

Just watch out for Orange Lily though she's still not made it back to Belfast!

[youtube]kWpD6v1hB0U[/youtube]

The Enterprise has changed somewhat since this was filmed.

 

[Aictos]

You will need a coupon for both CIE & NIR if you want to do a cross border trip on the Enterprise. Free that is.

Just watch out for Orange Lily though she's still not made it back to Belfast!

[youtube]kWpD6v1hB0U[/youtube]

The Enterprise has changed somewhat since this was filmed.

Thnk you, ATOC Staff Travel did check but there was nothing to confirm it at their end - appreciate the help.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
That's the coupons applied for, only thing now to work out what trains they're actually valid on...

Are they valid on ALL services or am I right in thinking there's some services operated by CIE for example the DART in which the coupons cannot be used?

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[reb0118]

Valid on DART too.

All CIE rail services and all NIR accept the appropriate coupons. 75% discount with your FIP card too. Unofficially you may be able to use your TOCNE card to get a discount but this can not be relied on.

 

[the sniper]

That's the coupons applied for, only thing now to work out what trains they're actually valid on...

Are they valid on ALL services or am I right in thinking there's some services operated by CIE for example the DART in which the coupons cannot be used?

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I answered that on the previous page.

 

[Aictos]

Valid on DART too.

All CIE rail services and all NIR accept the appropriate coupons. 75% discount with your FIP card too. Unofficially you may be able to use your TOCNE card to get a discount but this can not be relied on.

Ahh good, so far so good then

 

[Flying Snail]

Oh I will be but I will be having lunch there Anyway, with regards to the Enterprise service are FIP coupons for Ireland valid on it as ATOC wasn't sure, their advice was to use FIP coupons for both Ireland and Northern Ireland on it.

Most shocking was ATOC had NEVER heard of the Enterprise service!!!

Also how can I find out if the trains I'm using to Cork will be loco hauled or not as I can see three trains without First Class are these IE 22000 Class operated?

All the services without 1st are 22000 but there are some 22000 units with 1st class accom.

The only duties booked for 201 push pull at present are:

Mon-Sat
From Dublin 07.00, 12.00 (Fri+Sat only), 13.00, 17.00, 18.00, 19.00, 21.00
From Cork 06.00, 07.00, 09.20, 10.20, 15.20 (Fri+Sat only), 16.20, 20.20

Sun
From Dublin 10.00, 12.00, 14.00, 16.00, 17.00, 19.00, 21.00
From Cork 08.20, 10.20, 12.20, 13.20, 15.20, 17.20, 19.20


Also there is currently 1 22000 diagram on Dublin-Belfast as the Enterprise coaches are being refurbished. It operates:

Mon-Sat
Dublin - Belfast: 07:35, 13:20, 19:00
Belfast - Dublin: 10:35, 16:05, 21:35

Sun
Dublin - Belfast: 10:00, 16:00
Belfast - Dublin: 13:05, 19:05

 

[berneyarms]

All the services without 1st are 22000 but there are some 22000 units with 1st class accom.

The only duties booked for 201 push pull at present are:

Mon-Sat
From Dublin 07.00, 12.00 (Fri+Sat only), 13.00, 17.00, 18.00, 19.00, 21.00
From Cork 06.00, 07.00, 09.20, 10.20, 15.20 (Fri+Sat only), 16.20, 20.20

Sun
From Dublin 10.00, 12.00, 14.00, 16.00, 17.00, 19.00, 21.00
From Cork 08.20, 10.20, 12.20, 13.20, 15.20, 17.20, 19.20


Also there is currently 1 22000 diagram on Dublin-Belfast as the Enterprise coaches are being refurbished. It operates:

Mon-Sat
Dublin - Belfast: 07:35, 13:20, 19:00
Belfast - Dublin: 10:35, 16:05, 21:35

Sun
Dublin - Belfast: 10:00, 16:00
Belfast - Dublin: 13:05, 19:05

Correction:

The 21:00 Dublin-Cork (Mon-Fri, and Sundays) and 06:00 Cork-Dublin (Mon-Sat) are now ICR operated again.

So the revised loco hauled services on Dublin-Cork are:

Mon-Sat
From Dublin 07.00, 11.00 (Fri+Sat only), 12.00 (Fri+Sat only), 13.00, 17.00, 18.00, 19.00, 21.00 (Sat only)
From Cork 07.00, 09.20, 10.20, 14.20 (Fri+Sat only), 15.20 (Fri+Sat only), 16.20, 20.20

Sun
From Dublin 10.00, 12.00, 14.00, 16.00, 17.00, 19.00
From Cork 08.20, 10.20, 12.20, 13.20, 15.20, 17.20, 19.20

There may be another change in the offing in the coming weeks.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Irish Rail Rover tickets are here:

http://www.irishrail.ie/fares-and-tickets/tickets-explained#type-tourist

Best option for Dublin is to buy a Visitor LEAP card at Dublin Airport (the only place you can buy it).

It gives 72 hours travel on Dublin Bus (including the Airlink service to/from Dublin Airport), Irish Rail (within the Short Hop Zone) and LUAS for only €19.50.

 

[St Rollox]

Starting in Dublin it's possible to do the entire Irish rail network north and south in about 4 days.
NI rail could be done any weekday starting in Belfast and being in Dublin last thing at night.