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Can you get onto a “sold out” train buying a ticket at the station in Ireland?
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RailUK Forums
Con
Member
Short answer: Yes.
However, you won't be guaranteed a seat.
berneyarms
Established Member
In most cases yes, but when there are major events taking place (concerts or major GAA matches) then they can be completely sold out.
An experience I had on the 23/07/2023 that I can share was a trip I had planned to get down to Waterford from Dublin for a hotel booking.
I was traveling on FIP Coupons (free staff travel) and totally forgot Kilkenny were in the all Ireland final that day.
Heuston was a mad house of people trying to get back on the last service of the day to Waterford via Kilkenny which was completely booked out.
Ispoke to gateline, explained my situation and he said I could get on but I wouldn't get a seat until after Kilkenny to which I was eternally grateful to him because if I missed that, I would probably not have got down to Waterford that night.
Like any other network, taking into consideration events that are currently on takes a bit of homework!
As the gateline lad said, the train emptied in Kilkenny and an almost empty train headed off to Waterford.
Iarnród Éireann is good value and popular to use for people getting to and from major events so it is worth just checking if there is anything on.
I was traveling on FIP Coupons (free staff travel) and totally forgot Kilkenny were in the all Ireland final that day.
Heuston was a mad house of people trying to get back on the last service of the day to Waterford via Kilkenny which was completely booked out.
Ispoke to gateline, explained my situation and he said I could get on but I wouldn't get a seat until after Kilkenny to which I was eternally grateful to him because if I missed that, I would probably not have got down to Waterford that night.
Like any other network, taking into consideration events that are currently on takes a bit of homework!
As the gateline lad said, the train emptied in Kilkenny and an almost empty train headed off to Waterford.
Iarnród Éireann is good value and popular to use for people getting to and from major events so it is worth just checking if there is anything on.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Does Ireland not have flexible fares any more?
berneyarms
Established Member
Yes they do.
But there are certain dates, such as the All Ireland football or hurling championship final days in July where the trains from the participating counties to Dublin in the morning and back home in the evening are subject to mandatory seat reservations and showing up without an online reservation won’t be accepted.
Similarly there can occasionally be other times where mandatory seat reservations are implemented such as if there’s huge demand for travel, such as concerts etc.
Such occasions are relatively few and far between, but they do happen from time to time and are well publicised on the Irish Rail website in advance.