On Thursday, 19 February, Bus Éireann quietly cancelled six inter-urban services across the east and south-east, including the peak-time 13:00 Wexford–Dublin Airport and return legs on routes 2, 103, NX, 360 and NV2. (buseireann.ie)
While the operator blamed “operational reasons”, trade-union sources point to an acute driver shortage that has worsened since private competitors began recruiting for higher-paid city-tour contracts. The abrupt cancellations left dozens of passengers scrambling for alternatives, with some missing onward international flights from Dublin Airport.
For passengers whose journeys ultimately connect to international travel, having up-to-date visa documentation is just as crucial as a reliable bus schedule. VisaHQ’s Irish portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) allows travellers to check entry requirements, apply for visas online and receive real-time support, helping to minimise further disruption when surface transport plans go awry.
![Bus Éireann cancels multiple Dublin-bound services citing operational issues]()
Under Ireland’s revised Passenger Rights regulations, travellers are entitled to rerouting or reimbursement plus “reasonable compensation” when cancellations are announced less than two hours before departure. However, enforcement remains patchy, and claim processing times can stretch to 60 days.
For employers the incident underscores the importance of multimodal flexibility in duty-of-care programmes. Firms with staff commuting to the capital from regional bases should map alternative commercial coach or rail options and consider short-notice car-hire allowances.
The Department of Transport is expected to publish proposals next month to liberalise long-distance coach licensing in a bid to boost resilience – a consultation mobility stakeholders may wish to engage with.
While the operator blamed “operational reasons”, trade-union sources point to an acute driver shortage that has worsened since private competitors began recruiting for higher-paid city-tour contracts. The abrupt cancellations left dozens of passengers scrambling for alternatives, with some missing onward international flights from Dublin Airport.
For passengers whose journeys ultimately connect to international travel, having up-to-date visa documentation is just as crucial as a reliable bus schedule. VisaHQ’s Irish portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) allows travellers to check entry requirements, apply for visas online and receive real-time support, helping to minimise further disruption when surface transport plans go awry.
Under Ireland’s revised Passenger Rights regulations, travellers are entitled to rerouting or reimbursement plus “reasonable compensation” when cancellations are announced less than two hours before departure. However, enforcement remains patchy, and claim processing times can stretch to 60 days.
For employers the incident underscores the importance of multimodal flexibility in duty-of-care programmes. Firms with staff commuting to the capital from regional bases should map alternative commercial coach or rail options and consider short-notice car-hire allowances.
The Department of Transport is expected to publish proposals next month to liberalise long-distance coach licensing in a bid to boost resilience – a consultation mobility stakeholders may wish to engage with.
