Irish rail introducing own brand keep cups as passengers cannot use their own onboard
A spokesperson for Irish Rail has confirmed that it does not allow customers to use their own keep cups to purchase hot beverages on intercity trains.
Jane Creegan told RTÉ radio’s Today with Séan O’Rourke show that it was an issue of health and safety for both customers and staff. Keep cups come in different sizes with different closing mechanisms and they might not fit under the spout on the catering trolley, she explained.
“If someone was burned that would be a serious problem.”
However, she pointed out that at present Irish Rail is trailing a dedicated own brand keep cup on the Enterprise Dublin-Belfast train which would be for sale to customers.
It has a traditional closing mechanism and is the same size as the rail company’s disposable cups, she said.
There was also the issue of how catering staff could account for their takings at the end of the journey, but it is hoped that this can be dealt with by counting coffee pouches or tea bags.
“We’re responsible for serving these beverages, it is something we have to be careful of, it’s not that we cannot trust passengers to know that their keep cup is safe.
“It is something that we are looking into.”
