JJ Kavanagh & Sons Reviews 

215
•
TrustScore 2 out of 5

2.0

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Considering 48 reviews, most reviewers were unhappy with their experience overall. Travelers frequently complained about severe delays, completely unpunctual timetables, and buses passing local stations without picking up waiting crowds standing out in the cold weather. Many passengers also expressed deep frustration regarding rude driver behavior, a total lack of communication, and highly unreliable service when trying to reach important events. Some reviewers were happy with the professional drivers, clean buses, and friendly assistance provided during their regular daily journeys. A few consumers also noted positive interactions when customer support representatives efficiently resolved booking issues and safely returned lost personal belongings via post.

What people talk about most

Service

Customers had ambiguous experiences with service, as many reviewers reported severe delays, missed buses, and... See more

Staff

Reviewers highlight ambiguous aspects of staff, as experiences vary dramatically between individuals. While... See more

Location

People report ambiguous experiences with location, frequently highlighting severe difficulties regarding... See more

Customer service

Clients share ambiguous opinions on customer service, with many praising helpful staff for their outstanding... See more

Delivery service

Reviewers express deep frustration regarding the delivery service, frequently highlighting severe delays and... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I've been using the 717 (Dublin/Clonmel) JJ Kavanagh service on a regular basis over the last number of weeks and have been highly disappointed with the service and punctuality of departures.... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I had a bad experience with a bus driver on one of their buses. I asked the bus driver would he open the luggage door so I could put my luggage in the compartment. He completely ignored me and didn’t... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Useless ! Trying to collect my daughter off the bus in Paulstown. The live bus tracker says she is just arriving in Paulstown - I ring her and she’s on the quay in Waterford ! Live bus... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Every single time I take the 139 bus it is extremely delayed. An awful experience every single time. If the bus timings were live this would help greatly as to not have many people standing out in the... See more


Company details

  1. Bus Company

Written by the company

Founded in 1919 by James and Mollie Kavanagh, JJ Kavanagh & Sons began as a small, family-run business with a single bus serving local routes in the rural town of Urlingford, Co. Kilkenny. From these modest beginnings, we have grown into one of Ireland’s foremost coach operators, renowned for our unwavering commitment to safety, reliability, and innovation. Over the past century, we have transformed the coach travel industry, adapting to the changing needs of our passengers while never compromising on the quality of service. Today, we operate over 300 services daily, transporting more than 3.5 million passengers annually across Ireland, connecting cities, towns, and rural areas with ease. An extra-ordinary journey At JJ Kavanagh, we understand that travel is more than just getting from one point to another—it’s about the experience. That’s why we’re dedicated to providing a travel experience prioritising passenger comfort, safety, and sustainability. Our fleet is one of the most modern in Ireland, equipped with the latest technology and safety features to ensure you arrive at your destination smoothly and securely. Backed by a team of over 200 dedicated professionals, we’re proud to be a company that travellers trust to deliver safe, reliable, and comfortable journeys.


Contact info

2.0

Poor

TrustScore 2 out of 5

215 reviews

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2.0

All reviews

(215)

48 reviews in the last 12 months

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Not safe -The worst bus company in the world

The worst bus company I have ever used, and their customers services is nonexistent. I am still awaiting an answer since December!
I contacted them regarding my journey from Dublin Airport on the 15th of December 2021. It was Christmas time and we had 2 big suitcases in the luggage compartment full of gifts and keep in mind that was covid time, mask obligatory.
During the journey, after leaving Dublin, 3 drunk men were allowed to board the bus; they stank of alcohol and were talking loudly disturbing everyone around. Their phones kept ringing all the time and when asked to put them on silent one of the men got aggressive and came over to our seat stating he can do whatever he likes. A couple of minutes later he took his cigarettes and started smoking, the lady sitting at the back asked him to stop and started coughing and warned him she would go to the driver. He stopped but shortly after he lit up another cigarette. At that point my boyfriend went over to the bus driver asking for help. In my view these people should have been asked to leave the bus immediately. Instead, the bus driver only told them that smoking is not allowed and continued the journey. The men continued to be loud and walking around with no masks and bothering people.
Once we arrived at a stop in Kilkenny the men got up to leave. Luckily my boyfriend kept an eye on the luggage department just in case these men would try to go near it as they didn’t have any luggage to start with. To no surprise, one of the men grabbed one of our bags from the luggage compartment and started to walk away with it. We shouted to the driver to stop him and we ran out of the bus to chase the 3 men. We managed to grab the suitcase out of the thief’s hand. In the process of running out of the bus my glasses fell off my face onto the bus floor and another passenger walked over them. The bus driver said was that we were lucky and ignored a comment about an expensive pair of glasses being broken in the process. So extremely unhelpful!
This sort of situation should have never taken place. Firstly, the bus driver should have never allowed these men to board the bus. Smoking on the bus, especially in the time of a Covid pandemic should have resulted in kicking the men out of the bus immediately. The bus driver should have remembered that the men had no luggage when boarding the bus and protected our possessions. None of that happened, resulting in the journey being the most unpleasant bus experience we have ever encountered. Also the journey was over than 5 hours due to an accident which made the experience really chaotic.
I requested a refund and apparently Anna forwarded my email to the Ticket Department and never came back to me with an answer. I’ve been chasing them since but to no avail!

June 22, 2022
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Absolutely irresponsible and I think…

Absolutely irresponsible and I think their drivers need to learn the importance of their customers and their time. Was suppose to take 3o'clock bus from Hueston station towards Kilkenny. Was waiting in bus stop since 2.30. Firstly the bus came late around 3.30 and then the driver didn't bother to stop at all even though me and my fellow customers were standing just Infront of the door of the bus. Don't even know why they have online ticket system cos mostly all of us waiting at the stop had online tickets. Which meant the driver knew he had passengers waiting. This is not the only time , have happened to me n my friends before as well. Worst is their management, I am sure I am not the only complaining yet the management doesn't take any step or actions hence such issues keep on happening. Missed my appointment cos of this but look what does it do the owner or the driver they are making 🤑 that's what it all matters to them. Bunch of irresponsible people trying to run a company.

June 22, 2022
Unprompted review
Rated 2 out of 5 stars

My experiences

My experiences with this company unfortunately have not been good
The last few 3 or so times I've used this service it either just doesn't show up or shows up half hour late
I understand that when using the local services traffic can be an issue but the company should just be more honest with the time tabling and allow for this kinda stuff,I wouldn't be reallying on this company if you had to get to an important event such as a meeting or an appointment unless you want to take there service 2 hrs before the one you need that should get you there in time

June 17, 2022
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Dreadful unreliable service

Dreadful unreliable service. Selling tickets for buses with no room on them and then leaving people stranded on the side of the street in Dublin on a Saturday night. This carry-on used to happen when I was a student in the 1990s and it's 2022 and nothing had changed.

June 11, 2022
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I was caught up in traffic in carrick…

I was caught up in traffic in carrick literally driving in front of the bus,I pulled in parked the car and ran to the bus took a while 30 seconds at most,the drive confronted me that I was late he was waiting for and nearly drove off I should be there 10 minutes before (which is true but not always possible) that the car behind nearly crashed into him,I told he'd to wait 1 minute at the most what was he's name,I was so shocked I couldn't concentrate on finding the ticket on my phone so probably ended up there 5 minutes going to and fro while other passengers waited,the abruptness of the driver called Roman was absolutely horrible,all because at the most a minute.

May 13, 2022
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Bus left us in Dublin airport

Waiting in Dublin Airport with 6 people to go to Kildare. 15:30 on cold Saturday evening. 3 jj kavanagh buses one has no sign to say where its going. Asked up and down, driver ignored me, left and then rang jj kavanagh told me nothing he could do bus left on time.
Don't depend on them

February 26, 2022
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Thank You :)

Hi,

I would like to thank two of JJK staff Sheila and Anna (customer service team), I had an issue with my booking they listened to my concern and resolved the issue with my booking,

January 9, 2022
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Late and Abandoned

Booked 2 tickets from Carlow IT to the airport for 5:45. Was there 15 mins ahead of time and the bus just drove past. Didn’t even slow down. I am absolutely livid- and there’s no contact number at this time to lodge complaints. I now have friends who will miss flights.

November 4, 2021
Unprompted review
Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Waterford City Services

It's very disappointing that JJ Kavanagh suspended its Waterford City Services due to covid 19. While the health and safety of staff and customers are paramount surely measures could have been put in place similar to Bus Eireann who maintained a full City Service during the Pandemic. Is it time to bring the 607/617/627 services under the remit of the TFI PSO Route system, modernise the fleet and put modern electronic destination boards and route numbers on all the buses. It's very clear there has been little investment on these routes for a long number of years. Sounds like a case of running down a service so you can then claim the service should be abandoned. TFI need to review the licensing of these routes. The public deserve a better service and the sooner the better.

July 9, 2020
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Kavanagh's bus service has been…

Kavanagh's bus service has been absolutely vital and fantastic service for me over the last few years between airport runs from Tipperary to Dublin Airport during bad weather conditions and Nenagh and Limerick Hospitals for visiting family when home from the USA. For many years it was my way home on weekends from Dublin and I still recognize several drivers today. The buses are always clean and quiet and drivers are always careful. I love that they don't crawl along but yet you feel safe. I used to use the Shannon service for a long time whether direct or from Limerick city. They're super handy for anything in and out of Roscrea. Great Service, friendly drivers, clean buses, always on time! Brilliant company!

May 26, 2020
Unprompted review
JJ Kavanagh & Sons logo

Reply from JJ Kavanagh & Sons

Hi Denise, we appreciate the kind words! It’s always humbling to hear how we’re able to make our customers’ lives a little better. We're also happy that you found the drivers and the service very good. We put a lot of work into improving the service timings, and so I’m glad to hear it’s serving its purpose and helping you out.

We look forward to welcoming you back when it is safe to do so!

~ Laura Kavanagh

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Denied refund for a canceled service

I am very disappointed that JJ Kavanagh and Sons will not refund two tickets I purchased online, totaling a cost of €49. The bus service for these tickets has been cancelled due to Covid-19 (Which I agree with for the safety of staff and the public). However, this was a once off journey and I have no need to simply "change the ticket dates" as I do not need to travel on any other date. I've used JJ Kavanaghs services for a very long time, all through my years as a student, and this is the first time I have been severely let down. Cancelling the service was the responsible thing to do, but not giving people back their money is wrong.

March 20, 2020
Unprompted review
JJ Kavanagh & Sons logo

Reply from JJ Kavanagh & Sons

Hi KR, First off, thanks for sharing your feedback. I’m really sorry that had a bad experience while travelling with us and we didn’t meet your expectations. Clearly, we fell short, and I apologize. All customers who booked their tickets online and were due to travel during COVID-19 we have waived our ‘changed your ticket’ fees to give customers flexibility and choice. We know you may not know when you’ll be travelling again, so you have as many times as you like to change it once you use the NEW reference number each time. If you’d like to talk more, please feel free to reach out to me personally at laura@jjkavanagh.ie.

Thanks again for the feedback, and take care!
~Laura Kavanagh

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

18.15pm Mon 2/3/2020

18.15pm Mon 2/3/2020

Sitting here on the bus, listening to the interaction between the driver, Colin, (heard another lady passenger mention his name), & the passengers. Looking after their problem tickets, waiting on them as they arrive by the skin of their teeth for the bus, and his general kind demeanor to all passengers. I complimented him and he said " Sure it's nice to be nice"
Hold onto this very pleasant driver 👌😊

March 2, 2020
Unprompted review
JJ Kavanagh & Sons logo

Reply from JJ Kavanagh & Sons

Hey Sandra, thanks for the positive review! We love hearing from our customers – especially when our service is able to make a positive difference to them. The drivers have put a lot of work into that improving the services so I’ll be sure to pass your kind words off to them! Thanks again, and we hope to see you again soon!
~ Laura Kavanagh

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Currently my number one recommended bus…

Currently my number one recommended bus service in Ireland. The airport service is particularly useful. Above average customer service

February 20, 2020
Unprompted review
JJ Kavanagh & Sons logo

Reply from JJ Kavanagh & Sons

Hi Keith, thanks for the positive review! We love hearing from our customers – especially when our service is able to make a positive difference to them. We hope to see you travelling with JJ again soon!
~ Laura Kavanagh

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Never on time

Never ever ever on time either too early or very late

January 30, 2020
Unprompted review
JJ Kavanagh & Sons logo

Reply from JJ Kavanagh & Sons

Hi Sally, I appreciate your honest feedback here. The last thing we want to do is let our customers down, and moving forward, we’re going to do everything in our power to hold ourselves to that standard. It is an ongoing project with timings of each service via the GPS in the coaches and ticketing machines. We're also creating a new real-time info portal where customers will be able to track the coach and know when the bus will arrive at the bus stop.

Again, we’re sorry we dropped the ball this time, but we hope you’ll consider giving us another chance. Feel free to reach out to me personally at laura@jjkavanagh.ie and I’ll see to it that you get what you need this time. Have a great day!
~ Laura Kavanagh

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Unpleasant, costly experience. Unhelpful customer service.

Bought 60 euro worth of tickets for me and my brothers to travel home before Christmas. JJ's have changed their ticketing policy and we were not able to use the return section of the tickets. JJ's very happy to take my money and unwilling to help solve the problem. Lost 30 euro worth of tickets!
Unhelpful customer service.

January 22, 2020
Unprompted review
JJ Kavanagh & Sons logo

Reply from JJ Kavanagh & Sons

Hello Tyrone, first off, thanks for sharing your feedback. I am really sorry that we didn’t meet your expectations. When buying online tickets for the discounted price, you have to select dates that you wish to travel on. All tickets purchased through the JJ Kavanagh & Sons online booking facility are non-refundable. However, we do have a new feature that will allow JJ Kavanagh & Sons customers to change the time and date of their web ticket, 2 hours prior to their journey. This ensures customers don't lose out on their tickets (if they need to change or cannot travel on the dates selected).

I hope you’ll allow us to make it up to you. If you’d like to talk more, please feel free to reach out to me personally at laura@jjkavanagh.ie. Thanks again for the feedback, and take care!
~ Laura Kavanagh

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Very bad timekeeping

Very bad timekeeping.I'm late to work every day because of their bad timekeeping.I can understand when it's traffic,but can't blame on traffic every morning at 5am not much traffic. The bus is 15- 20 minutes late every morning.Most of the drivers are sound and the bus pretty clean

January 13, 2020
Unprompted review
JJ Kavanagh & Sons logo

Reply from JJ Kavanagh & Sons

Hello Marius, first off, thanks for sharing your feedback. I am really sorry that we didn’t meet your expectations. Clearly, we fell short, and I apologize. The last thing we want to do is let our customers down, and moving forward, we’re going to do everything in our power to hold ourselves to that standard. We're currently working on a new project where we are accessing all timings of each service via the GPS system of the coaches and ticketing machines. This project will allow us to update the timetables accordingly. We're also creating a new real-time info portal where you can see when the bus will arrive at your bus stop.

Again, we’re sorry we dropped the ball this time, but we hope you’ll consider giving us another chance. Feel free to reach out to me personally at info@jjkavanagh.ie and I’ll see to it that you get what you need this time. Have a nice day!
~ Laura Kavanagh

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Horrible service

While returning from kildare to Dublin at 15:20,bus was full, driver told another bus within 30 mins to arrive which never happens. Got stranded with my kids for 4 hours till next bus came. We were a lot of ppl waiting, have to fight to get a place for my family, I never thought this kind of chaos still happening in this age. What is the meaning of booking tickets online while on the ground dozens of ppl can't ride the bus they booked and paid. Feeling sorry for ppl stranded there at kildare on Dec 26th.

December 27, 2019
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Booked a bus to go to a match and they…

Booked a bus to go to a match and they emailed me the day before saying it wasnt running I didnt check my emails until the morning and was stuck looking for a bus. I had the same problem with a other bus company but they rang they had the decency to ring me and tell me on early on in the week. This is extremely poor mangment and customer service. Will not be using this service again.

July 27, 2019
Unprompted review

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