The verdict in three sentences
For a Dublin coach operator running intercity and airport routes, the cheapest quote on signing day is rarely the cheapest over three years: per ticket fees of 2% to 5%, SMS, hosting and accessibility work left out of scope cost more than the software itself. A custom ticketing platform typically costs €80,000 to €200,000 in Ireland and pays back once online sales pass a few million euros a year. Before signing, insist on a 36 month total cost, code ownership and an accessibility commitment under the European Accessibility Act in writing.
Eight quote traps, line by line
Each trap below matches a line commonly seen in coach ticketing quotes. Costs are 2026 estimates for an operator selling 400,000 tickets a year at an average fare of €18, with 60% sold online.
| Trap | Typical quote line | Estimated hidden cost | Clause to require |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per ticket fee | Free licence, 3% per online ticket | €129,600 a year on €4.32 million online | Annual cap or flat fee above a threshold |
| Hosting outside scope | Hosting billed on usage | €500 to €2,500 a month | Capped monthly fee for 36 months |
| Unpriced SMS | SMS confirmations at client cost | €0.04 to €0.08 per SMS, up to €38,400 a year at two per ticket | Unit price and volume in the quote |
| Leap card left vague | Leap integration available | Weeks of NTA alignment billed as change requests | Scope, owner and acceptance test defined |
| Card fees not shown | Payments included | 1.2% to 2.5% processor fees on top | Fee schedule attached per payment method |
| Per terminal licence | €60 per driver handheld per month | €43,200 a year for 60 devices | Unlimited devices or tiered price |
| Code ownership | Platform remains vendor property | Full lock in, rebuild on exit | IP assignment or source code escrow |
| Accessibility missing | No mention | Retrofit of €15,000 to €40,000 | WCAG 2.1 AA and EAA compliance in acceptance |
The per ticket fee hurts most because it scales with your success: the more you sell online, the more you pay, with no extra work from the vendor.
Comparing two quotes over three years
Two typical quotes for the same operator, with €4.32 million of online sales a year.
| Line over 36 months | Quote A: commission vendor | Quote B: custom platform |
|---|---|---|
| Setup or development | €15,000 | €140,000 |
| 3% per ticket fee | €388,800 | €0 |
| Hosting (€1,200 a month) | Included | €43,200 |
| Maintenance (€3,000 a month) | Included | €108,000 |
| Handheld licences | €129,600 | €0 |
| Total before SMS and card fees | €533,400 | €291,200 |
SMS and card fees apply to both options, so they do not decide between them, but they must be in the quote. Quote A stays sensible for a small operator: on €400,000 of online sales, 3% is only €12,000 a year.
Requirements to lock into the specification
Irish coach ticketing has constraints generic platforms often miss. Write them down with acceptance criteria: shared seat inventory between web, app, driver handhelds and the airport desk; mobile tickets scanned offline on board when coverage drops; accessible booking for wheelchair users with advance assistance requests, in line with EU Regulation 181/2011 on bus and coach passenger rights; websites and apps meeting the European Accessibility Act, in force since June 2025 for transport e-ticketing; clear handling of Leap card acceptance if your licensed routes require it; and GDPR compliant passenger data with a retention period. Require a two week pilot on one route before full rollout.
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Illustrative example: Aoife, operations director of a Dublin coach company running airport and intercity services, receives a 3% commission quote and a custom quote at €120,000. Her online sales reach €3 million a year, so the fee would cost €90,000 a year, or €270,000 over three years. The custom platform, with €3,000 a month in maintenance and €1,200 in hosting, totals €271,200 over the same period: a tie on cost. What tips her decision is ownership: the custom build lets her add dynamic pricing on airport routes, which she estimates at 4% extra revenue, about €120,000 a year.
FAQ
How much does coach ticketing software cost in Dublin in 2026?
Commission based platforms often charge 2% to 5% per ticket with low setup fees, while custom builds range from €80,000 to €200,000. Kolonell builds complex web applications for 4,000,000 to 8,000,000 FCFA (about €6,100 to €12,200), an option to benchmark for the back office.
Is a per ticket fee always a bad deal?
No, it suits smaller operators: at €400,000 of online sales, 3% is €12,000 a year. Ask for an annual cap so the fee does not balloon as you grow.
What does the European Accessibility Act change for ticketing?
Since June 2025, e-ticketing websites and apps for passenger transport must meet accessibility requirements. Retrofitting a non compliant platform can cost €15,000 to €40,000, so make WCAG 2.1 AA part of acceptance.
Can drivers validate tickets without mobile coverage?
They should: require offline validation on handhelds with automatic sync. Without it, a 20 minute coverage gap on a motorway route can stall boarding for a full coach.
Who should own the source code?
You, or at least a source code escrow with release on vendor failure. Without it, switching vendors means a full rebuild, often over €100,000.
Let's scope your project. Send us your routes, ticket volumes and sales channels, and we will price a ticketing platform from 4,000,000 to 8,000,000 FCFA (about €6,100 to €12,200), delivered in 3 to 6 months. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
