Irish Rail has been urged to change a “ridiculous” condition attached to its flexible tickets. 

Train users are currently able to buy tickets which are described as ‘Low Fare’, ‘Semi Flexible’ or ‘Flexible’. 

Low fares tickets can be amended 48 hours before departure, Semi Flexible 24 hours beforehand and Flexible ones can be changed until 60 minutes before the train is scheduled to leave. 

On Lunchtime Live, listener Jack, who is based in South Kerry, described how he had recently finished his meeting in Dublin early and rushed to get a 3 o’clock train, instead of a four o’clock one. 

“I was at the gate and I got there just in time,” he recalled. 

“The person wouldn't let me through the barrier with my ticket and they didn't actually explain this to me at the barrier, unfortunately.

“But they said to me, ‘You have to just buy another ticket for this train.’

“And I was like, ‘That's ridiculous, I have the flexible tickets.’

“And they said, No, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to buy another ticket.’” 

Irish Rail train drivers. Picture by: PA Archive/PA Images.

With just seconds before the train left, he managed to change his ticket online. 

“It was actually technically 61 minutes before the next train,” he explained 

“My train was booked, so I actually technically could change my ticket. 

“But it meant I had to go onto the website, go into my email, onto the website and then amend my booking to get onto the earlier train.

“Luckily, I just about made it with about 30 seconds onto the earlier train. 

“But, if the flexi meant it was legitimately flexible, I think it would save a lot of hassle for a lot of people.”

Company policy

Also on the programme, Irish Rail spokesperson Barry Kenny said the company has a legitimate reason for the policy. 

“It's simply about managing the seat reservation system and the capacity on board each train,” he explained. 

“If we had effectively kind of a free-for-all for other services, then managing the numbers on board those services where trains are busy and crowded, that obviously is something that rightly makes customers unhappy.

“So, we have to be able to manage the capacity on each individual service.

“I would say the current terms and conditions on the flexible tickets are in place for well over five years now, December 2020, and it is very explicit and clear.”

Main image: Irish Rail trains. Picture by: Alamy.com.