Train station in Letterkenny?

xzanti

Is there one?

smashey

Afraid not xzanti. The powers that be decided a long time ago that Donegal could do without railways. :mad: The nearest in the Republic is Sligo (approx 110km) and in the North, Derry (approx. 35km).

xzanti

Thanks Smashey ...

Great infrastructure in place there.. :rolleyes: looks like its the bus for me...

jimmycrackcorm

I travelled on the Bus eireann dublin - Letterkenny service last weekendand was very impressed with it. I couldn't believe how quickly it got out of Dublin via the port tunnel. the coach was very comfortable and I managed to catch up on some reading on the laptop. I'm thinking of using it more often instead of the car.

Carrickman

As a Donegal person I have to ask, whats a train?

nanook

Carrickman wrote:

As a Donegal person I have to ask, whats a train?

its a choo choo

xzanti

jimmycrackcorm wrote:

I travelled on the Bus eireann dublin - Letterkenny service last weekendand was very impressed with it. I couldn't believe how quickly it got out of Dublin via the port tunnel. the coach was very comfortable and I managed to catch up on some reading on the laptop. I'm thinking of using it more often instead of the car.

Thanks for that .. Can I ask how much was the fare? also how long was the journey roughly?

smashey

It is around €25 for a return ticket. The journey takes approx three and a half hours.

xzanti

Thanks

retalivity

3 and a half??? Is that all?

I remember sitting on that bus for 5 hrs to LK, and a further 2 then to get home!!!

Wishbone Ash

smashey wrote:

The journey takes approx three and a half hours.

More like 4 hours 15 mins on average in my experience.

adamcp

Yeah the bus journy from Dublin -lk is all dependant on the time of day you leave, you don't wanna be in a bus at rush hour in Castleblaney

smashey

Wishbone Ash wrote:

More like 4 hours 15 mins on average in my experience.

My mistake. That was to Lifford. So allow four hours to get to Letterkenny.

retalivity 3 and a half??? Is that all?

I remember sitting on that bus for 5 hrs to LK, and a further 2 then to get home!!!

Jaysus. How long ago was that?

muffler

I recall sitting in the express bus with an umbrella up to avoid the water that was leaking from the rooflight. That wasn't today or yesterday but it was in a time when it took about 4 hours + from Dublin to Lifford

JosephQ

There was a rail line once it went from Letterkenny to Dunloe. You can see some of the old stuctures like just outside creeslough where the train crossed over the road:)

smashey

Donegal had quite an extensive rail network once. Sadly, pot-holed roads are the way to go now.

jimmycrackcorm

adamcp wrote:

Yeah the bus journy from Dublin -lk is all dependant on the time of day you leave, you don't wanna be in a bus at rush hour in Castleblaney

Seemingly not so true anymore. The Bus I used used the Port tunnel and as out of dublin in no time. I found the journey not that much longer than driving by car with the exception of having to acutally get to Busaras.

Wishbone Ash

muffler wrote:

That wasn't today or yesterday but it was in a time when it took about 4 hours + from Dublin to Lifford

As far as I can remember, it was faster years ago. There was less traffic and less stops.

I don't understand that nonsense in Busáras with the Letterkenny route. Sometimes they have to put on 3 or 4 buses but why don't they insist that people board according to their final destination. Those that are going all the way should be allowed to board first, then those going to Lifford, Omagh, Monaghan etc.

It's ridiculous that some passengers on the first bus are only going to Ashbourne or Slane. Surely there is a market for a 'real' express to Letterkenny at peak times which could avail of the by-passes and get there in 3.5 hours.

muffler

Wishbone Ash wrote:

As far as I can remember, it was faster years ago. There was less traffic and less stops.

I don't understand that nonsense in Busáras with the Letterkenny route. Sometimes they have to put on 3 or 4 buses but why don't they insist that people board according to their final destination. Those that are going all the way should be allowed to board first, then those going to Lifford, Omagh, Monaghan etc.

It's ridiculous that some passengers on the first bus are only going to Ashbourne or Slane. Surely there is a market for a 'real' express to Letterkenny at peak times which could avail of the by-passes and get there in 3.5 hours.

Buses from yesteryear weren't really that fast compared to nowadays. I take your point about less traffic in the past but with faster buses and nearly all the towns being bypassed has led to a much shorter journey time.

I would agree fully with your comments about filtering the passengers based on destinations

Wishbone Ash

muffler wrote:

Buses from yesteryear weren't really that fast compared to nowadays

They are still legally limited to a maximum speed of 80kph regardless of how 'fast' they are.

muffler wrote:

all the towns being bypassed has led to a much shorter journey time.

But the buses have to go into the towns and therefore don't really benefit from the by-passes (apart from the advantage of less traffic in those towns).

nanook

guys, what has this got to do with a train station ini letterkenny

Wishbone Ash

nanook wrote:

guys, what has this got to do with a train station ini letterkenny

What train station?

muffler

nanook wrote:

guys, what has this got to do with a train station ini letterkenny

Quite a lot actually

As there is no train station in Letterkenny we have to discuss the nearest alternative which is a bus. The buses arrive and depart from the the station - once a train station but now a bus station.

But you are right nanook. This has wandered OT a bit so unless someone has something else to say about the train station I'll lock it tomorrow

Gillie

Hopefully the West on Track programme will allow an extension from Sligo to Letterkenny and even Derry. It would be great!

byte

Would agree. A link between Sligo and Derry via maybe Donegal Town, Twin Towns and Letterkenny would be a good idea.

Dunno how much such a procedure would cost though.

Gillie

Is there an existing Track there? That would make all the difference!

byte

Nah, I think the tracks are now long gone.

mikemac

byte wrote:

Would agree. A link between Sligo and Derry via maybe Donegal Town, Twin Towns and Letterkenny would be a good idea.

Dunno how much such a procedure would cost though.

Worst idea I've ever heard
See here for how our rail infrastructure should be done
http://www.platform11.org/campaigns/wrc/

nanook

was there not a thread running a while back in relation to a train line from donegal to sligo.
Did it not run through the barnesmore gap.

byte

Is micmclo's link working for anyone else. I'm getting a Connection Reset error.

There was indeed a thread last year or so on the subject.

muffler

byte wrote:

Is micmclo's link working for anyone else. I'm getting a Connection Reset error.

It was working last night for me but its gone now. Im not surprised as it was a link to a group opposed to opening up the line from somewhere or other to somewhere esle - I only had a quick glance at it.

mikemac

Hi guys

I'm not attacking anyone here though it may have seemed like that:)
Just thought that reopening a railway in Donegal and North Mayo will end up being a white elephant. It's a subject I'm interested in.

BTW, the link does work, just checked

byte

I got the link working by dropping the last forward-slash.

Indeed you're not the only person that thinks a rail link now would be a white elephant. I think there were a few who said the same on the older thread on the subject. I must admit I haven't done much in the line of research on the subject.

muffler

micmclo wrote:

BTW, the link does work, just checked

Amazing!!!!! Did you sort it before or after posting

Paddy20

I have not read all the posts on this subject, but just thought I would let you know my opinion.

My Grandfather was the main blacksmith/DIY repair man at the County Donegal Railways repair depot at Stranorlar, and my father worked there as well until he moved to being the only maintenance man at the County Home 'Now St Josephs Hospital'.

The railway was a narrow gauge steam set up, and I have very fond memorie's of excursions and school day trips from Stranorlar to the seaside, as well as playing 'in the dark of night' on the parked up steam trains, some of which are now based in Derry, where you can take a nostalgic trip on trains that operated out of Stranorlar.

It is in my blood to support any call for a North-West railway linking into an all Ireland network and I appreciate the costs and advantages.

It is needed, and is IMHO feasible provided the Political will existed ?..:( .If they can have a train service in the poorest remote areas of India etc, why not here ?..IS THIS WAKE UP TIME ?..

P. :cool:

Wishbone Ash

Paddy20 wrote:

If they can have a train service in the poorest remote areas of India etc, why not here

In India, there is great economies of scale. Most trains that I have travelled on in India were extremely long (30/40 carriages) and usually full.
Running costs on a per capita basis, would be much lower and it's much safer and more comfortable than travelling by bus on their poor road network. There is a very minimal amount of private car ownership there.
There is also a ready market as it's also the second most populated country in the world.

mikemac

muffler wrote:

Amazing!!!!! Did you sort it before or after posting

It always worked for me. Using a mac so possibly that's the difference, I'm not too sure what the problem was

Paddy20

Wishbone Ash wrote:

In India, there is great economies of scale. Most trains that I have travelled on in India were extremely long (30/40 carriages) and usually full.
Running costs on a per capita basis, would be much lower and it's much safer and more comfortable than travelling by bus on their poor road network. There is a very minimal amount of private car ownership there.
There is also a ready market as it's also the second most populated country in the world.

Yes, I fully understand the India,China,Russia, Malaysia etc,etc, need for a railway, but that will never detract my belief in the future need for a rail network for people and heavy goods transport throughout 'all of Ireland' ?.

P. :cool:

Tazz T

Furthermore, where was the economies of scale 100 years ago when Ireland was full of railway networks?

As one of the fastest growing population centres in Ireland, Letterkenny should at least be linked to Derry.

Having said that it was about time Derry was linkied directly to Dublin again.

Paddy20

Tazz T wrote:

Furthermore, where was the economies of scale 100 years ago when Ireland was full of railway networks?

As one of the fastest growing population centres in Ireland, Letterkenny should at least be linked to Derry.

Having said that it was about time Derry was linkied directly to Dublin again.

Nice one Tazz T.

No one IMHO, can ignore the fact that if the North-West is to prosper, we need an all Ireland 'state of the art railway network' .

P. :cool:

Wishbone Ash

Tazz T wrote:

Furthermore, where was the economies of scale 100 years ago when Ireland was full of railway networks?

True, but there was little other option.There was no motorised transport as such meaning no bus companies. Motors were in their infancy 100 years ago and the only other option was by horse and carriage - not suitable for long journeys.

conleth

Haven't read all the previous posts but http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e4/Map_Rail_Ireland_Viceregal_Commission_1906.jpg
shows the rail network in Ireland in 1906. Real shame most of the track was lifted.

retalivity

thats quite a good map conleth

byte

Jaysus, I never knew the railway system of old was so vast! It covered a LOT of villages and towns!

smashey

The coverage was pretty amazing and I spotted acouple that were missing.

il gatto

nanook wrote:

was there not a thread running a while back in relation to a train line from donegal to sligo.
Did it not run through the barnesmore gap.

It did run through the gap, and at points if you look at the hillside to the right as you're heading towards Letterkenny, you can still see sections of cut stone embankments.

Glazun

Train station is now a light house.. o_O it sells lamps.. ~_~

Fintown has a train.. its being extended at the moment. Quite odd, since Donegal could really do with a rail system.. >_>;

The north wanted to build a railway system through donegal to connect it to the south.. but yeah.. ~_~

Civilian_Target

I've said it once, I'll say it again....
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054934478#post51471195

Bus ain't bad actually, the express services do genuinely take 3 and a half hours (they stop Dublin Airport->Monaghan->Lifford->Letterkenny usually). The non-express services take 4 or 5 though, and Bus Eireann don't run any after lunch last time I looked. So you just get John McGinleys instead

bettlebrox

it'd be fun to catch a train all the up to Malin Head, too bad it's long gone.