Sail Rail from Dublin

[medwards]

Hi All,

I am looking to book a sailrail ticket from Dublin to Chester via Stena line on the 31st August.

Does anyone know the best way to book this?
Stena line's website says I must call a number to book. However, if I scroll to the bottom of the same page they have a trainline whitelabel which allows me to go all the way to the payment page (I have not attempted to actually pay on it).
If I book via Stena's phone number does anyone know if I have to collect the rail tickets in the UK or if they can be collected at Dublin Port. And how does the actual ticketing work? Am I issued with a seperate ferry and train ticket and do I have the normal rights to use the next train if the ferry is delayed.

 

[gordonthemoron]

I recently bought tickets from UK to Holland for next year, and they just sent me a pdf to print off

 

[lfc84]

Hi All,

I am looking to book a sailrail ticket from Dublin to Chester via Stena line on the 31st August.

Does anyone know the best way to book this?

This is an excellent resource

LONDON to DUBLIN by train+ferry for £53.40

Fed up with flying? Book train & ferry travel from London to Dublin. Train times, fares & how to buy tickets from London or any station in Britain to Dublin. London to Dublin tickets from £53.40.

www.seat61.com

 

[MrJeeves]

Stena line's website says I must call a number to book. However, if I scroll to the bottom of the same page they have a trainline whitelabel which allows me to go all the way to the payment page (I have not attempted to actually pay on it).

If I book via Stena's phone number does anyone know if I have to collect the rail tickets in the UK or if they can be collected at Dublin Port. And how does the actual ticketing work? Am I issued with a seperate ferry and train ticket and do I have the normal rights to use the next train if the ferry is delayed.

My understanding is that only passengers travelling from the UK should book via the Trainline website (or any other preferred rail ticketing retailer, including the forum's!).

Passengers travelling from Ireland have to call to book as the ticket must be issued differently. If you book from Trainline, you'll have no way to collect the ticket until after you've taken the ferry, and that means you won't manage to get on the ferry in the first place!

I think what happens is that Stena line issue a large-format paper ticket for you to either print or collect which is valid on the ferry and UK trains to your destination. This has the added benefit of not tying you to any particular trains to get you between the port and your destination in the UK.

The Stena Line website also states this:

If your journey is starting from Belfast, Dublin or Rosslare Ports and you need to pick up your rail ticket before departure, then please call us on 03443 35 00 27 to make your booking by phone. Unfortunately it is not possible to pick up a ticket at these ports if you book it on The Trainline (below) or any other third party website or vendor.

For customers calling from the Republic of Ireland please call 01 907 5388 and, for our International customers, call 00 44 3443 35 00 27.

Sail & Rail to Britain | Stena Line

www.stenaline.co.uk

 

[Bungle965]

I think what happens is that Stena line issue a large-format paper ticket for you to either print or collect which is valid on the ferry and UK trains to your destination. This has the added benefit of not tying you to any particular trains to get you between the port and your destination in the UK.

It is apparently possible for Iarnród Éireann to issue these tickets at their ticket offices, however I have never seen any evidence of this.

 

[dubscottie]

You can get them from Connolly station although I believe people were having issues at one point and I am 99% sure they are only for Irish Ferries sailings.
I am off until Tue but can check for you then.
If you book on Stenna, I think they give you a voucher when checking in which can be exchanged for a train ticket in Holyhead etc.

 

[Flying Snail]

You can get them from Connolly station although I believe people were having issues at one point and I am 99% sure they are only for Irish Ferries sailings.
I am off until Tue but can check for you then.
If you book on Stenna, I think they give you a voucher when checking in which can be exchanged for a train ticket in Holyhead etc.

Stena and Irish Ferries issue a handwritten ticket at their check-in desks in Dublin Port for the combined journey, no need to visit the ticket office in Holyhead.

For IF you can book online and collect this at the desk before boarding or just buy at the desk, for Stena you can book by phone and collect or also just buy before boarding.

Neither have the ability to book UK rail seats, a benefit over UK issued sail-rail tickets is that the Irish issued tickets do not have any booked train restrictions.

Only buy sail-rail journeys starting in Ireland from UK rail websites if you are able to collect from a British rail station before you travel, sail-rail tickets cannot be issued as e-tickets so must be collected from ticket machines, there are none in Ireland.

UK Rail issued tickets have two tiers, Advance and Standby, Advance being booked train only, Standby (stupid name, it is not a "standby" ticket in any real sense) not having this restriction and being approx £5 more.

 

[Trainbike46]

Hi All,

I am looking to book a sailrail ticket from Dublin to Chester via Stena line on the 31st August.

Does anyone know the best way to book this?
Stena line's website says I must call a number to book. However, if I scroll to the bottom of the same page they have a trainline whitelabel which allows me to go all the way to the payment page (I have not attempted to actually pay on it).
If I book via Stena's phone number does anyone know if I have to collect the rail tickets in the UK or if they can be collected at Dublin Port. And how does the actual ticketing work? Am I issued with a seperate ferry and train ticket and do I have the normal rights to use the next train if the ferry is delayed.

If you start from Dublin, you will have to collect your ticket from the ferry terminal as you depart - it would usually be hand-written by the staff there. In my experience Stena will also give you a boarding pass for the ferry, but the only actual ticket will be your train ticket, which is valid on the ferry as well. I believe you can buy this on the day, or via the phone in advance, but not via the internet.

If you start in the UK, you can book via many online train ticket websites, including the forum's ticketing website or trainline. you can collect your ticket from any UK train station with a ticket machine that supports collection or a ticket office.

I recently bought tickets from UK to Holland for next year, and they just sent me a pdf to print off

Harwich-Hook of Holland ferry sailrail tickets follow a different system than UK-Ireland sailrail tickets

This is an excellent resource

LONDON to DUBLIN by train+ferry for £53.40

Fed up with flying? Book train & ferry travel from London to Dublin. Train times, fares & how to buy tickets from London or any station in Britain to Dublin. London to Dublin tickets from £53.40.

www.seat61.com

Seat61 is the best!

 

[medwards]

Hi All,
Thanks for your excellent help.
I phoned Stena line this afternoon and booked my tickets.

They charged me a significantly lower price than what was shown on line. (49Euro so about £40). It was so much cheaper than what I expected phoned up again to make sure they hadn't just booked me onto the ferry.

My booking confrimation says Dublin - Holyhead ferry and Holyhead - UK Rail Zone B so im guessing this is correct.

Thank you everyone!

 

[dubscottie]

Glad you got sorted. Going to clarify on Tue regardless should somebody ask again in the future about getting them in Connolly.

 

[paul1609]

It is apparently possible for Iarnród Éireann to issue these tickets at their ticket offices, however I have never seen any evidence of this.

About 3 years ago I successfully bought a Galway to Rye sailrail ticket at Galway. They did ask me if I could pick the ticket up next day (when I was traveling) because they needed to make the reservations by phone but they were adamant they could do it and the handwritten ticket was ready for me.

 

[Bungle965]

About 3 years ago I successfully bought a Galway to Rye sailrail ticket at Galway. They did ask me if I could pick the ticket up next day (when I was traveling) because they needed to make the reservations by phone but they were adamant they could do it and the handwritten ticket was ready for me.

Very good! So it should be possible.