Consumer law and buses and trains
Buses and trains often don't always arrive or depart on time. If the delays were due to problems outside their control (such as thick snow or traffic chaos), these companies are hardly to blame. So most transport services - not just buses and trains but airlines too - won't give refunds for delays or interruptions that are caused by events outside their control such as:
- Strikes
- Extremely bad weather
- Security alerts
- Vandalism
- Other actions by third parties
But if your delay is the bus or train company's fault, they have obligations to you as a consumer, and you should be entitled to a refund or discount.
These consumer rights are part of your contract with the company, and you have a contract with them each time you buy a bus or train ticket. This contract has terms and conditions (sometimes called "conditions of carriage"), which usually has "exclusion" clauses which limit the company's liabilities.
Many public services such as Bus Éireann, Irish Rail, Dublin Bus and the Dart now give various undertakings to consumers in their "Customer Charters". These sometimes include specific refunds or discounts if your journey is delayed or cancelled and it's their fault. Some customer charters also offer refunds for unused tickets.
Remember that these customer charters are drawn up by the companies themselves.
Irish Rail, Dart
Irish Rail's guarantees are among the most extensive. If it is at fault and your train is cancelled or delayed by more than an hour, it offers discount vouchers or a refund where appropriate. If the delay is over two hours, you get vouchers for the full value of the fare.
Or you can get an immediate refund of your unused Irish Rail ticket at the ticket office where you bought it. You can get a refund on unused Irish Rail tickets within 28 days from any main InterCity station. They charge an administration fee.
Irish Rail also offers refunds if you reserved a set and none of that standard was available on the train.
As the Dart is part of Irish Rail, Dart customers are also covered by Irish Rail's customer charter.
Complaints about Irish Rail services should start at local or station level, or you can send a complaint about InterCity or mainline rail services to:
Customer Services, InterCity
Connolly Station
Dublin 1
(telephone 01 703 2613)
Send complaints about DART and Dublin Suburban rail services to:
Customer Services, Suburban Rail
Pearse Station, Dublin 2
(telephone 01 703 3592)
Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus
Bus Éireann will consider claims for refunds on unused tickets, but "solely at its discretion". They also charge an administration charge. Dublin Bus says "claims for refunds or extensions in the case of reduced or depleted services will not be entertained". It gives refunds on a weekly/monthly bus ticket on production of a medical certificate.
Dublin Bus will exchange faulty tickets at its Customer Services desk in Upper O'Connell Street, Dublin. You can also use a freepost envelope (available in shops that sell bus tickets) to post faulty tickets to them.
Complaints about Bus Éireann should go to the relevant regional manager.
Find out the appropriate Bus Eireann regional manager address
Send complaints about Dublin Bus to:
The Customer Comment Desk
Public Affairs Department
Dublin Bus
59 Upper O'Connell Street, Dublin 1
(email info@dublinbus.ie, telephone 01 872 0000)
Luas
Under transport by-laws, you have to apply in writing for a Luas ticket refund, and include your ticket and any other relevant documentation. You may be charged "a reasonable fee" for dealing with your request.
Complaints about Luas should go to:
Veolia Transport
Luas Depot
Red Cow Roundabout
Clondalkin
Dublin 22
(freephone Luas Customer Care at 1800 300 604)