NI Railways (NIR) - NI Railways Routes - E

NI Railways (NIR) - E

NI Railways Routes

NIR maintains the following lines:

Belfast-Dublin, from Belfast to Dublin. All services operate from Belfast Lanyon Place under the brand Enterprise. It Operated with Iarnród Éireann
Belfast-Portadown - Most services operate from Bangor. The most common terminus is Portadown. At peak times there are services that terminate at Lisburn and Newry. At peak times services operate to and from Belfast.
Belfast-Bangor Most services operate from Portadown. At peak times services operate from Lisburn, Belfast, and Newry
Belfast-Larne Most of this line is coastal, with a terminus at Larne harbour.
Belfast-Derry~Londonderry Longest route by time and length. This line is sometimes referred to the Maiden City Flyer, joining the two main cities of Northern Ireland.
Coleraine-Portrush Mostly used by holidaymakers getting from Belfast. This line has only 4 stations and is the shortest on the network.
Lisburn-Antrim line No passenger service since 2003. Sometimes used as a diversion for the Derry~Londonderry Line and the Newry/Portadown Line. A study is now underway to understand the feasibility of reopening the track with a link to Belfast International Airport.

Signaling is controlled from Coleraine (Coleraine to Portrush), Portadown (the border to Lisburn), and Belfast Lanyon Place (From Lisburn to Belfast and the rest of the network)

NI Railways Services

NIR operates regular passenger trains along the following routes during the weekday inter-peak:

Northern Ireland Railways

Newry and Portadown - Bangor 2 tph

Lurgan, Moira, Lisburn, Hilden, Lambeg, Derriaghy, Dunmurry, Finaghy, Balmoral, Adelaide, Belfast Great Victoria Street (trains reverse), City Hospital, Botanic, Belfast Lanyon Place, Titanic Quarter, Sydenham, Holywood, Marino, Cultra, Seahill, Helen's Bay, Carnalea, Bangor West

4tpd extended from/to Newry, calling at Poyntzpass, Scarva, Portadown, then as above to/from Bangor

Belfast Great Victoria Street - Whitehead (and Larne Harbour) 2 tph

City Hospital, Botanic, Belfast Lanyon Place, Yorkgate, Whiteabbey, Jordanstown, Greenisland, Trooperslane, Clipperstown, Carrickfergus, Downshire

1 tph extended to/from Larne Harbour, calling at Ballycarry, Magheramorne, Glynn, Larne Town

Belfast Great Victoria Street - Derry~Londonderry 1 tph

City Hospital, Botanic, Belfast Lanyon Place, Yorkgate, Whiteabbey (limited), Mossley West, Antrim, Ballymena, Cullybackey, Ballymoney, Coleraine,

Castlerock, Bellarena

Coleraine - Portrush 1 tph

University, Dhu Varren

NI Railways Enterprise

Belfast Lanyon Place - Dublin Connolly 1⁄2 tph

Portadown, Newry, Dundalk, Drogheda

1 tph Train on a Sunday from Belfast also calls at Lisburn and Lurgan

Services operated jointly with Iarnród Éireann

NI Railways Suspended Routes

Following the re-opening of the 15-mile (24 km) Antrim - Bleach Green line in June 2001, which had been closed since 1978, NIR ceased passenger operations between Lisburn and Antrim on 29 June 2003. Combined with the new Dargan Bridge across the River Lagan in Belfast, the Bleach Green route offered faster journeys between Derry, Coleraine, Ballymena, Antrim and Belfast.

The Lisburn-Antrim railway line is still maintained, and occasional crew training operations are performed. While it is also available as a diversionary route, Knockmore, Ballinderry, Glenavy, Crumlin stations remain closed to the public. The passing loops at Ballinderry and Crumlin have been removed.

NI Railways Overview

NI Railways Main Region(s): Northern Ireland

NI Railways Fleet Size: 47

NI Railways Stations Called At: 54

NI Railways Parent Company: NITHCo (Translink)

NI Railways Dates of Operation: 1967-

NI Railways Predecessor: Ulster Transport Authority

NI Railways Track Gauge: 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Irish gauge