Citylink - campaign for direct services

I recently went back to using the Citylink bus service from Dublin to Galway for visiting the folks at home (my reasons are outlined below). I would love if they did some direct routes from Dublin to Galway and would like help in convincing them its worthwhile.

1. Price - return train journey to Galway is the guts of €50, and the price is raised at the weekend with no extras for this increased fare (greedy shower). Citylink equivilant is €19.

2. Convenience - the bus departs from Burgh Quay (outside Bermingham's cameras), somewhat easier to get to on a Friday evening than Heuston. They also offer more frequent services than the train, departing every hour most days and increased services during busy times such as Friday and Sunday evenings.

3. Attitude towards customers - Irish Rail will sell tickets till the cows come home and when people pile on to the train wondering where their €50 seat is, they'll be told "tough luck, first come first served". If a Citylink bus is full, they call in a 2nd bus when they can, no "wait till the next one". They always aim to leave on time and apologies if they're not.

4. Shortcuts - on a few occasions, I've been on a Citylink service that's taken a bandy country roads to avoid bad traffic. Only yesterday after spending over an hour in traffic in Ballinasloe, the later bus had caught up with us and agreed to do the towns on the way to Dublin allowing us to take the M6 from Moate to minimise our pain as best they could.

It was yesterday's experience that got me to thinking - why don't they offer a limited number of direct services from Dublin to Galway down the M6? Most passengers are going Dublin to Galway so why not? Bus Eireann certainly don't offer this, nor do Nestors. Citylink's late night services from Galway to Dubln Airport (& city) have proven massively popular so they're certainly willing to take on new things. I've emailed them this morning to ask them to consider such a service. If anyone else feels the same, pop a quick email to them here: customerservices@citylink.ie

And no, I don't work for Citylink.