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The cost of train fares from Newry were brought up at the assembly this week when MLA Justin McNulty quoted the anomaly of train fares from Newry to Belfast being more expensive than the fare from Dundalk to Belfast even though Newry is a good bit closer to the city. Mr McNulty also commented on the fact that the train actually goes past Portadown!
Newry.ie's deeper investigations have discovered that it is actually £2.56 cheaper (at todays exchange rate) to take a train from Newry south to Dundalk, cross the platform and then take the next train north from Dundalk to Belfast, than it is to go direct from Newry to Belfast!
The Newry and Armagh MLA was speaking to Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd at Stormont on 18 November on an item regarding the 'Portadown-Belfast-Bangor Train Service. Mr McNulty said "I think that the Member for Lagan Valley will agree that the train line in question goes beyond Portadown and travels to such places as Newry, Dundalk, Drogheda and Dublin. Minister, a same-day return fare from Newry to Belfast is 68% more expensive than it is from Dundalk to Belfast. Will the Minister explain why passengers travelling from Newry are expected to pay more for a shorter journey? How does that encourage people to use public transport?
In reply Mr O'Dowd said that Translink were making some adjustments to correct that although that could pose difficulties as cheaper fares from Newry would obviously necessitate cheaper ones from Portadown also.
Mr O'Dowd said "The Dublin Government have been able to subsidise Iarnród Éireann to a higher degree than I have been able to subsidise Translink. They seem to have quite a healthy bank balance and they are able to subsidise public transport to a greater degree than I am. That is the reason for it. Translink is making some adjustments to fares on the Belfast to Dublin route in a bid to correct that anomaly."
Newry.ie checked the costs for travel from both Dundalk and Newry today and tomorrow and there were some interesting finds.
On the 18.50 from Dundalk to Belfast Grand Central this evening, 21 November the online single fare is €8.19 (£6.94) From Newry to Belfast Grand Central on the same train journey this evening the online single fare is £14.50. And yes it is cheaper to take the train from Newry to Dundalk (£5) and then take the train from Dundalk to Belfast (£6.94) than it is to go directly to Belfast! That comes in at £11.94, although you would have 40 minutes tonight to wait for your connection. The return fare also works out £2.34 cheaper.
A day return ticket from Dundalk to Belfast tomorrow 22 November leaving at 10.50 and returning at 19.00 online costs are €16.38 (£13.88) while from Newry to Belfast it is £23
Generally all train times have the same cost differences.
