Rail Transport in Ireland - Republic of Ireland Commuter Routes - F

Rail Transport in Ireland - F

Republic of Ireland Commuter Routes

Dublin Suburban Rail

• Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART) - Greystones to Howth/Malahide.
• Northern Commuter - Dublin Pearse to Dundalk
• South Eastern Commuter - Dublin Connolly to Gorey.
• South Western Commuter - Dublin Heuston/Grand Canal Dock to Hazelhatch and Celbridge/Portlaoise/Newbridge.
• Western Commuter - Dublin Pearse/Docklands to Maynooth/M3 Parkway/Longford.

Mallow to Cork

Cóbh to Cork

Midleton to Cork

Galway to Athenry

Limerick to Ennis

Ireland Stations Served On This Line Are:

• Limerick Colbert
• Sixmilebridge
• Ennis

• Limerick to Nenagh and Ballybrophy

Ireland Stations Served On This Line Are:

• Limerick Colbert
• Castleconnell
• Birdhill
• Nenagh
• Cloughjordan
• Roscrea
• Ballybrophy

The line branches from the Waterford line just outside Limerick at Killonan Junction. All trains on this line connect with Dublin trains at Ballybrophy.

Current services on the line consist of two return passenger trains a day from Limerick. Following a campaign by The Nenagh Rail Partnership founded by local politicians and community representatives and assisted by the Internet news group Irish Railway News, a market research survey was funded by local Government.

The market research was carried out in the summer of 2005 and showed there existed a market for improved services on the line. As a result of this study IÉ has committed to allocating additional rolling stock to the line as part of its ongoing fleet replacement programme. This line is subject to many speed restrictions due to the need to replace several old sections of track.

In October 2007, following a meeting between Iarnród Éireann management and The Nenagh Rail Partnership, it was confirmed that the new commuter service would be introduced between Nenagh and Limerick on Monday 1 September 2008. This was launched as planned on Monday 1 September 2008.

A news report in January 2012 suggested that Iarnród Éireann might seek permission from the National Transport Authority to close the line, but in February 2012 an enhanced timetable for the line was published, indicating that a decision to close has been deferred pending the outcome of the service upgrade.

• Waterford to Rosslare (closed)

Stations served on this line were:

• Waterford Plunkett
• Campile, Ballycullane
• Wellingtonbridge
• Bridgetown
• Rosslare Strand
• Rosslare Europort

There was a single service each way on the Waterford-Rosslare stretch, operated by 2700 Class railcars taking just over 1 hour. The original purpose of the service, providing a railway link to the cities of Waterford, Limerick (and Cork via Limerick Junction) was compromised in the end by poor connections to other services from Waterford.

The service closed for passenger services on 18 September 2010. Replacement transport consists of a revised schedule and routings on the existing Bus Éireann route 370. Buses on the route are branded "370 Connect", to Waterford Bus Station which is a 5-minute walk from Waterford Railway Station.

The line is still open for stock transfers. 22000 Class and 29000 Class DMUs operated on the line on 5 November 2011.

Rail Transport in Ireland Operation

Ireland Major Operators: Iarnród Éireann & NIR
Ireland Ridership: 50 million (Republic of Ireland, 2019)
15 million (Northern Ireland, 2017)
Ireland System Length:
Ireland Total: 2,733 km (1,698 mi)
Ireland Electrified: 53 km (33 mi)
Ireland Freight Only: 362 km (225 mi)
Ireland Track Gauge:
Ireland Main: 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Ireland Electrification:
1500 V DC   DART in Dublin
Ireland No. Stations: 147