THERE HAS been strong criticism of the decision by Iarnród Éireann to reduce public opening times of the main ticket office at Killarney railway station at the height of the tourist season.
The introduction of automated vending machines at the station is the reason for the change, the railway company said.
The mayor of Killarney Michael Gleeson said the Killarney station was “more than a ticket office”.
Some 14 hours were being cut from opening times, no summer staff were being employed and Killarney now shared a station master with Tralee.
“The cuts should be reversed immediately,” Mr Gleeson said. The cuts meant the public office closed two afternoons and one early morning.
“It is unacceptable in a major tourist destination, where rail travel is a major component of the industry, to have reduced office opening hours each day from Monday to Thursday inclusive. It is vital that tourists should have all day access to the station office. That tourists will arrive at a railway station with a locked up office will give a very poor impression of Killarney and Kerry and of Killarney’s concern for the well-being of the traveller/tourist,” Mr Gleeson said.
It is also important for local people that the office would be accessible all day each day as it has been. At least 40 per cent of people do not have the necessary technology to book online, he said.
Tickets such as family fares could not be purchased through vending machines, Mr Gleeson added. “Reducing the opening hours will undoubtedly cost both Iarnród Éireann and Killarney tourism,” he said.
Iarnród Éireann said it had recently invested in technology to upgrade the ticket vending machines at Killarney “to enable those with online reservations to collect their tickets from the machines also.
“The booking office at Killarney is manned during busy periods but may be unattended at quieter times. There are, however, always staff members at the station at Killarney, who are happy to assist customers in using the ticket vending and ticket collection machines if it is required,” Iarnród Éireann said.