It's been a few years, so I'm refamiliarizing myself with the Irish Ferries website. My one question is, does sail-rail tickets generally become available in the same 8-12 week window that UK rail ticket become available? I can book a ferry crossing 13 months out, but can only do a rail-sail booking 6 weeks out to December 31. Nothing available yet January 1 or after.
I'm aware of past issues with port repair work and TfW, not concerned with those.
Yes, it's the same 8 to 12 week window, as it is train availability which drives the whole booking process.
You don't book on the Irish Ferries website (or Stena if you use their ships). You book with any rail company and book to Dublin Ferryport if you want Irish Ferries.
The lead rail company for Rail-Sail is Transport for Wales (TfW). I've just tried the TfW website for two sample dates of 22 January and 11 February (the latter being the 12 week limit) and all is working for me.
The ship can't sell out for foot passengers, although only selected sailings take foot/rail passengers.
In fact interestingly I've just tried for a booking from Corkickle to Dublin (as I know National Rail and most rail ticketing systems have totally the wrong train times in for Corkickle beyond next month) and TfW actually gave me the correct train time from Corkickle of an unearthly 0528 rail replacement bus as far as Millom).
If it's a weekend there may be an issue with late release of rail timetables, and hence bookings.
The port work is complete by the way.
Thank you, I figured that was the case. My plan would be for a Dublin to UK passage (or Dublin ferry port to Euston), so I would need to book with Irish Ferries. I checked out UK ToCs for a Dublin to UK ticket, and I could get one but not as a PDF/mobile ticket. I'd have to be able to get it from a fast ticket machine.
In that case, at least for now, you need to book with Trainline.
The thing is you need physical tickets (due to the ship not being able to handle electronic tickets)- which have to be collected from a UK ticket machine- or mailed to you.
That works if you are a UK resident, but not for anyone else.
At one stage there was a facility to collect at port, or buy at an Irish Rail station. The former seems to no longer be the case, and IR have discontinued selling sail-rail tickets.
On Stena you can still collect at Dublin port, but need to book by phone on 03443 35 00 27 or 00 44 3443 35 00 27 from the United States (or any country except the UK and the Irish Republic).
In that case, at least for now, you need to book with Trainline.
No, it's not necessay to purchase from Trainline. Sail-rail tickets can be purchased directly through Irish Ferries website, with reference number by email confirmation. On day of travel at Dublin Ferryport collect ferry ticket and an open train ticket for journey from Holyhead to London, at check in. For delivery options I/F provides the option to, "Collect Rail Ticket at Dublin Port Check-in..."
