Does anyone from Northern Ireland agree with me when i say........

[pjunk7]

Northern Ireland Railways is the worst train network in the whole of western Europe?

[luckystrike]

Yes, I agree totally. I have travelled around the whole of Europe, and part of North America, by train, and NIR is by far the worst. The trains and stations are filthy, and the ticket staff are a disgrace! Anyone I spoke to on the Inter-rail network agreed also...

[stoo_pid]

Can't think of a worse one (that includes Arriva Northern & Connex Southeast). I've only been to NI a couple of times but used the trains both times to travel quite long distances & on both occasions it would actually have been quicker (and cheaper I think) to have gone by bus. Can't comment on the staff cos I don't recall seeing any.

[On_the_trot]

I take an NIR train everyday to work and although I find the staff fine even pleasant the service is often unreliable. These are the excuses for a tardy service or for the train stopping dead on the tracks while on board: 1) Sorry the train is low on fuel (trying telling a bunch of passengers on an airplane that!-I'm sorry to announce ladies and gentlemen we plan to plummet to our death as we have not refuelled the plane...oops!; please fasten your seatbelts for the bumpy). 2)There is no driver ladies and gents please get off the train (this was after I had gone several stops so who was driving it up until then??!!!!!) 3)The train just stops dead on the tracks without any explanation; waits for ages then carries on. 4) We're sorry to announce ladies and gents but the engine has over-heated- that one was really popular for several weeks. Why at times I have been unable to take the train: 1)Train just doesn't turn up. 2)Train just doesn't turn up and explanation given over tanoy that churns out an excuse @ 4 fuzzed-up decibels that no-one hears. 3)Train is so late that everyone has left and gone round to a friend's house to have their troubled brow soothed. Why the service is unpleasant at times: 1)I had water from the ceiling/windows drip on me. 2)The doors get stuck and it takes the Ulster rugby team to get them open. 3)The trains are freezing. 4)They smell like last year's bagels....i.e fusty and blue moldy. 5)Bottles and litter lying about. 6)Totally weird seating. 7)They're so noisy and as the train is chugging, wheezing, pulling out of the train station those on the platform have to choke on mounds of black smoke. That's all for now. God bless On_the_trot

[On_the_trot]

Okay I understand that because of the troubles there has been years of underinvestment but when you see all the houses going up- some might I had are mansions- and the fact that the roads- don't get me started sir/ma'am on the state of the roads on the Ards pennisula!- are overrun with young professionals in Mercedes and BMWs please don't dare to tell the general public that this country is poverty-strickened and unable to provide good public transport. We in Northern Ireland have never had it so good. byebye

[thewillow]

Iarnrod Eireann (Irish Rail) could give NIR a close run for its money. Having to regularly stand all the way on trains from Dublin to Cork. Breakdowns with no explanations. Toilets out of order. No heating in winter. No air conditioning in summer. Surly staff. Overpriced. Crappy expensive food.

[Lal]

Yes I completely agree! There are many things that really annoy me about the trains: 1) They sell you a ticket knowing that the train is already delayed, instead of informing you so that you could take the bus. 2) The early morning trains are freezing (by the time you get to Derry you are blue and numb - REALLY). 3) They never seem to make up time if they are delayed. Last week the train was 2 minutes late arriving in central so what did the driver do? Waited for no apparent reason in Great Vic Street for 15 minutes... 4) There no longer exists a weekend return or next day return, so you are constantly being ripped off for a crap service. 5) The Dublin train is way too expensive - just because it is better that the other contraptions they have on the rails doesn't mean we should pay an arm and a let for it. The Dublin train compared to any trains anywhere else is actually sub standard... One more thing you say western Europe - eastern european trains are much much better also... and trains in India also would put ours to shame and it is a third world country! Lal Belfast