By Chris Ashmore
BUS Éireann has introduced a new timetable with a record number of services on its busy Letterkenny to Dublin route – but passengers now face a published journey time that is typically almost 25 minutes longer than before.
The Donegal News can also reveal that the Route 32X Express service – which was the quickest Bus Éireann service between Letterkenny and Dublin – has been scrapped.
On the plus side, the new timetable sees an increase in the number of return services from ten to 12 every day, which equates to more than 1,400 additional seats a week on the route.
There is also a new midnight departure from Letterkenny which gets into Dublin Airport at 3.36am, in good time for check-in for many of the early morning flights. Previously, the earliest service from Letterkenny arrived at the airport at about 4.50am.
And another positive development – which will be welcomed by many users – is a new departure from Busáras in Dublin at 0.15am which then departs Dublin Airport at 0.38am. This will be of considerable benefit to customers attending evening events in the capital and also those with late flights back into Dublin Airport. This service has a 4.25am arrival time back in Letterkenny.
Head of Expressway, Andrew Yates commented that the Route 32 timetable changes are “designed to significantly improve service punctuality, enhance customer experience, and most importantly increase service frequency by 20 per cent.”
However, the new service announcement from the company did not mention the increase in journey times, nor the axing of the 32X express service which operated once a day in each direction.
Previously, the majority of services from Letterkenny to Dublin were scheduled to take four hours. But in the new timetable, which came into effect last Sunday, the journey time has now increased to four hours and 25 minutes on most services, and as much as four hours and 32 minutes on two services. The three early bird (midnight, 2am and 4am) departures are the quickest, reaching the capital in three hours and 54 minutes.
Trips from Dublin to Letterkenny are now typically four hours and 19 minutes, compared with four hours previously.
Over the past few years, punctuality on the route has become a growing problem, with some services almost never running on time. The primary cause has been traffic related issues, namely getting in and out of Dublin, but also with congestion in Letterkenny, Strabane and Omagh at certain times of the day. In fairness to Bus Éireann, this is something outside of its control.
Asked subsequently by this newspaper if there was an allowance for more traffic on the roads, a Bus Eireann spokesperson put it this way: “The improved timetable offers better punctuality along key segments of Route 32, including arrivals into Dublin Airport. Departure times have been restructured to provide for customers during the busiest periods, ensuring availability when it is needed most.
“Passengers will see significant benefits, as the improved schedule will better reflect ever changing traffic conditions, ensuring more consistent arrival and departure times.”
Express stopped
When it announced the new timetable, the company made no reference to the curtailment of its 32X Express service between Letterkenny and Dublin.
It previously operated just once a day in each direction. It left Letterkenny at 10.30am and was scheduled to reach Busáras at 2pm, a journey time of three and a half hours – partly due to having fewer intermediate stops.
The return service left Dublin at 3.45 pm, with a stated arrival time of 7.15pm in Letterkenny.
Asked to confirm if the 32X service is no longer operating, Bus Éireann replied that this was correct.
A spokesperson stated: “Expressway services operate on a commercial basis, with routes and stops planned to align with customer demand, operational efficiency, and overall commercial viability.
“We understand the community’s interest in enhanced public transport connectivity. As part of our commitment to improving services, we review input from our customers and stakeholders, as it helps us shape services that better meet the needs of the communities we serve on the network. We encourage all customers to contact us with any additional input.”
In reply to a query about where there are any plans to reintroduce the 32X Express service, the written response was the company is “always reviewing services to help better serve our community. Expressway services operate on a commercial basis, with routes and stops planned to align with customer demand, operational efficiency, and overall commercial viability.”
It concluded: “If there is customer demand for a service of this nature, we would advise customers to contact us with their feedback and we will review the commercial viability in the future.”
Meanwhile, customers are advised to check the new timetable for the changes.
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