Fare deal: Ireland joins Europe-wide efforts to coax people out of cars

In Luxembourg every journey is free and Barcelona is halving already low prices. But Irish commuters say patchy networks deter them more than cost The train departs Dublin punctually and glides west through sunlit, verdant countryside, like a glossy advertisement for Irish Rail. Some passengers snooze, others read or chat or simply gaze at the meadows flashing past.Daisy Arrey, a 19-year-old student heading to Longford, finds the journey relaxing and cheap. Karen Mulligan, 38, returning home to Mullingar after an excursion to the capital, is glad to have avoided motorway tolls and parking hassles. Tom and Marita, a couple in their 60s on their way to Edgeworthstown, appreciate not having to navigate twisting rural roads. Continue reading...