Irish Rail is to seek payment from customers for thousands of journeys which were not paid for in recent weeks because of a glitch in their own system.
More than 9,000 transactions — mainly by debit card — at the transport operator’s ticket vending machines were not properly processed.
A number of payment cards were not picked up by the machines at railway stations, but it mostly affected travellers using AIB Maestro debit cards to pay for their trips.
Irish Rail said customers were not charged regarding the transactions, which were made between March 28th and May 31st.
The company said the fault in their system — due to a recent software upgrade — has now been fixed and it will deducting payments from customers’ accounts.
Customers who made one trip where a payment was not processed during the affected period will have the fare deducted from their account on Monday, June 10th.
Any failed transactions at vending machines made between May 24th and 31st will also be processed on the same day, as will transactions for customers owing €50 or less.
Irish Rail said customers who made a number of journeys where the money was not deducted from their accounts before May 24th — and which amounts to more than €50 — would be charged on a “phased basis”.
“This will be in line with the intervals between the original transactions, or one week intervals, whichever is shortest,” said a company spokesman.
“This will commence on Monday, beginning with the earliest charge.”
The rail operator has set up a customer helpline on 1850 885 865.
PA