Limerick-Galway Train has been found!

Raiser

Today marks the return of a Train Service between Limerick and Galway after a 34 year hiccup in the scheduled service.....

Iarnod Eireann have signalled their delight, commitment and efficiency by not updating their crap Site to include any departure/arrival times, frequency of service or include any details of the basic fares.

Given that Limerick to Heuston one way still remains at a shocking €50 and the total travel time to Galway from Limerick by rail can be as incredibly long as 2.5 hours it might be worth considering getting your bike out of the Shed.

- Can anyone offer any reason why you wouldn't just opt to get the Bus? Surely its going to take half the time, not park up in Ennis for half the day and ultimately be a lot cheaper?

Apparently there has also been some complaints that Moyross has not been provided with its own Station to take advantage of this new route - Which in fairness does seem to be ridiculously harsh and unfair and probably the latest in a long series of incidents where Moyross hasn't been provided with its own Train Station to go places (?)

Berty

The fact it heads up through Athenry is a reason for it's delay. If it went from Ardrahan through Gort, Clarenbridge and into Galway through Oranmore then it would be better but they had to build on pre existing tracks.

Reading the RTE website that a local limerick councillor is wondering why MOYROSS never got it's own station.

Why would Moyross need a station?

jbkenn

Berty wrote: »

Why would Moyross need a station?

Because it is entitled to, just as it should have it's own airport, international sized, swimming pool, equestrian centre and football stadium, did you not know?, Moyross is the centre of the universe, all decisions regarding Limerick city must encompass Moyross, Southill and the Island, the rest of the city does'nt matter.
Back on topic, the schedule for the train service is totally impractical, my wife, a regular traveller to Galway will continue to use the bus.

Berty

Bus is €13.50 Single

Train is €28.50 Single

Good luck selling a longer journey for more money. :rolleyes:

Itsdacraic

Citylink bus, 90 mins station to station, new buses and free wi-fi.

Raiser

Berty wrote: »

Bus is €13.50 Single

Train is €28.50 Single

Good luck selling a longer journey for more money. :rolleyes:

Iarnrod Eireanns prices are phenomenal, you could fly to any number of interesting European destinations for what they expect you to pay for their woeful service - Its obvious that they've been killing the viability of rail travel in this Country for decades, but the fact that they are still in business at all is amazing in itself.

highlydebased

Its meant to be 20 euro day return, so in that case it would be cheaper to buy a return and obviously not come back.

New station at Sixmilebridge opens tommorow also- 9 euro return and 7.50 single to Limerick or Ennis. Bus is 6.50 return.

billy the squid

Neon-Circles wrote: »

Its meant to be 20 euro day return, so in that case it would be cheaper to buy a return and obviously not come back.

New station at Sixmilebridge opens tommorow also- 9 euro return and 7.50 single to Limerick or Ennis. Bus is 6.50 return.

id

9 quid to sixmilebridge! nearly better off to get a taxi.

Raiser

Neon-Circles wrote: »

Its meant to be 20 euro day return, so in that case it would be cheaper to buy a return and obviously not come back.

Who's going to move away from their job, family and friends for ever and ever just to defraud Iarnrod Eireann?

€7.50 to go to Sixmilebridge? You could nearly throw a stone out there from Limerick Station?

timesnewroman

Berty wrote: »

Why would Moyross need a station?

A station in Moyross/Longpavement would have appeal/use on match days (or concerts) in Thomond Park I would have imagined. People could travel from all over the country to pretty close to the ground - busses could then be laid on to carry patrons directly to the gound.

A station there could also have a benefit to LIT. LIT has lots of students in Ennis and Sixmilebridge etc. As it stands, any potential students using the service have to go directly into town and then back out to Moylish.

Stab*City

timesnewroman wrote: »

As it stands, any potential students using the service have to go directly into town and then back out to Moylish.

Godhelpus.. when i went to school we actually did this thing called walking to school..

legatti

2010 and only now theres a rail service between 2 of the biggests cities in Ireland... only in Ireland is all i can say:rolleyes:
They should offer free travel for a time, because of the wait!!

timesnewroman

Stab*City wrote: »

Godhelpus.. when i went to school we actually did this thing called walking to school..

Well, now a days, students travel to college by car, clogging up our road network, no harm in offering a viable alternative when the rail line is less that 300meters down the road.

dr.bollocko

Bloody pointless IMO. It takes longer than driving and they don't even have smoking carriages any more. Why bother re-opening it at all?

Stab*City

dr.bollocko wrote: »

Bloody pointless IMO. It takes longer than driving and they don't even have smoking carriages any more. Why bother re-opening it at all?

Probably so they can over charge and under service the rest of the country.. you guys know why we dont have fast trains right and how we never will?

Itsdacraic

Stab*City wrote: »

Godhelpus.. when i went to school we actually did this thing called walking to school..

Yes, but the schools were also in hedges.

Kess73

timesnewroman wrote: »

A station in Moyross/Longpavement would have appeal/use on match days (or concerts) in Thomond Park I would have imagined. People could travel from all over the country to pretty close to the ground - busses could then be laid on to carry patrons directly to the gound.
A station there could also have a benefit to LIT. LIT has lots of students in Ennis and Sixmilebridge etc. As it stands, any potential students using the service have to go directly into town and then back out to Moylish.

What is to stop buses being laid on to carry people from the current station to the ground?

Given that there are only to be three concerts a year in Thomond Park, plus on match days the attendence cannot be more than 26,000, I cannot see why a station should be build there.

If LIT is a reason for a railway station, then surely UL with it's much larger student population should have one?

And what about out by the Crescent Shopping Centre? That is the busiest shopping area bar none for Limerick, city or county.

Limerick is a small place, it does not need a second or third station so close to the main one. Not when a bus, bike or taxi would take you across the town for less than what Iarnrod Eireann would most likely charge.

RonMexico

I cannot think of a single reason as to why I would get a train to Galway instead of a bus.

Kess73

RonMexico wrote: »

I cannot think of a single reason as to why I would get a train to Galway instead of a bus.

I cannot think of a reason why I would not take my car instead of the train. I would probably be able to drive to and from, plus leave the car in a car park for the day for the cost of the rail ticket, plus would have the advantage of driving right back to my front door.


It is madness that it is so much dearer than the bus and slower.

Stab*City

RonMexico wrote: »

I cannot think of a single reason as to why I would get a train to Galway instead of a bus.

I can.. TOILETS!! Most of our buses dont have them!! It was funny to hear the coverage of this on RTE News they made it sound like they were opening a space station or something.. The line has been there for years!! Its not like they even built anything!! I bet the trains are the same ones that used to ride that line 34 years ago!! As for the journey itself i can glady say (now i have a car) i will never use it.. 2-2 1/2 hours to galway!!:eek: You could run faster..

billy the squid

The rolling stoc being used on the limerick galway like are those cattlewagons they use from Limerick to Limerick Junction.

would rather pull my own eyeballs out than sit on one of those for three hours.

Berty

billy the squid wrote: »

The rolling stoc being used on the limerick galway like are those cattlewagons they use from Limerick to Limerick Junction.

would rather pull my own eyeballs out than sit on one of those for three hours.

The trains I saw them testing were those newish diesel trains. The Green Ones and I just saw them again on RTE news.

I understood they discountinued the use of the old ones when that girl fell out the door on the way from Limerick junction a few years back.

JerryHandbag

A great idea to have an alternative to the bus/car option, but those prices are outrageous!!

grenache

How incompetent and not to mention stupid are CIE? This is a loss making route from day one and will have to be heavily subsidised by the taxpayer. As already stated, if they were going to do a direct line to Galway, they should have gone directly through Gort, Clarinbridge, Oranmore and onto Galway. Instead they do it the lazy mans way and take the route miles out the way to farflung Athenry that adds an extra hour to the journey. I do not care if there is existing track there, a new one should have been constructed. The money is there but the government would prefer to waste it on bankers pensions, pointless tribunals and st paddy's week junkets. Only in Ireland!

billy the squid

Berty wrote: »

The trains I saw them testing were those newish diesel trains. The Green Ones and I just saw them again on RTE news.

I understood they discountinued the use of the old ones when that girl fell out the door on the way from Limerick junction a few years back.

the photo in the leader shows the driver on the train ... it is one of those limerick-limerick junction wagons he is driving.

http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/Limerick-to-Galway-rail-service.6187707.jp

timesnewroman

Kess73 wrote: »

What is to stop buses being laid on to carry people from the current station to the ground?

Given that there are only to be three concerts a year in Thomond Park, plus on match days the attendence cannot be more than 26,000, I cannot see why a station should be build there.

There's nothing to stop people getting a bus from Colbert Station on match days, except that they will get choked in traffice on big match days. Anyway, I'm not calling for Grand Central Station to be built near the Longpavement - just a simple stop. A stop there would allow for easy access to/from Thomond Park.

Kess73 wrote: »

If LIT is a reason for a railway station, then surely UL with it's much larger student population should have one?

UL doesn't have an existing rail line running near it. LIT does. Trains are currently running from Ennis anyway.

Kess73 wrote: »

And what about out by the Crescent Shopping Centre? That is the busiest shopping area bar none for Limerick, city or county.

Agreed. A stop there would be an good idea.

Berty

billy the squid wrote: »

the photo in the leader shows the driver on the train ... it is one of those limerick-limerick junction wagons he is driving.

http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/Limerick-to-Galway-rail-service.6187707.jp

Oh I thought you meant the real old red ones. Sur' I was on one of those green things the whole way from Dublin to Limerick once.

Uncomfortable seats mind.

Raiser

JerryHandbag wrote: »

A great idea to have an alternative to the bus/car option, but those prices are outrageous!!

Despite their highway railway robbery, lack of routes, poor service and general shoddyness including claims that the Organisation is "Rife with fraud" CIE (Parent Company) are still allowed to potter around aimlessly - losing €40,000,000+ a year at the Taxpayers expense - effectively meaning they are actually costing the Citizen money even though we actually drive everywhere under our own steam ourselves.

highlydebased

Stab*City wrote: »

I can.. TOILETS!! Most of our buses dont have them!! It was funny to hear the coverage of this on RTE News they made it sound like they were opening a space station or something.. The line has been there for years!! Its not like they even built anything!! I bet the trains are the same ones that used to ride that line 34 years ago!! As for the journey itself i can glady say (now i have a car) i will never use it.. 2-2 1/2 hours to galway!!:eek: You could run faster..

They tore up the entire line and replaced it, aswell as replacement of level crossings, new signalling, and new stations built, so technically they have

The journey time is rediculous though- the first train in the morning has a pause of 25 minutes at Ennis- Because the first 2 carraiges go forward to Galway and the rear 2 go back to Limerick they have to split the train, but its no reason for such a long delay.

goingpostal

I'm sure someone has already pointed it out, but it bears repeating. Irish Rails website is utter, utter RUBBISH. It looks like it was designed in 1996 and hasn't been changed since. It is impossible to find basic information like train times and ticket prices. Bus Eireann's website must have been designed by the same blind chimpanzee. I did managed to find the frankly breathtaking cost of travelling between Dublin and Cork and Dublin and Limerick, though.

Builderfromhell

I agree the web site is abysmal. A real lazy effort.
I needed to get a train to and from Dublin once and ended up ringing the staion to confirm times. They were different from what was on site.

Gave up with Bus Eireann trip to Shannon and booked via Kavanaghs web site which is easy to understand and use.

I prefer to travel by train than drive or use a coach as I can enjoy the view, work or stretch my legs but the 25 minute wait in ennis would irritate me.

lasno

The 25 min delay in Ennis only applies to the 0600 ex Limerick.
Even without that delay the journey time is too long.

Raiser

That's going to be one very lonely Train Driver.

- Hope he brings a Cat or something, just for a bit of company.....

Raiser

Just saw this news story - Which ominously enough will almost certainly mean that the earnest plans for the whole of the Western Corridor are doomed to fail because this initial step has been so poorly and impractically implemented.

ALL aboard, or else. Commuters will have to make use of the new Limerick-to-Galway rail line if the plans to extend the Western Rail Corridor are to go ahead, Transport Minister Noel Dempsey warned yesterday.

The line re-opened yesterday for the first time in 34 years.

Despite promising his "absolute commitment" to the opening of the next phases of the Western Rail Corridor -- from Athenry to Tuam, Co Galway, and to Claremorris, Co Mayo -- Mr Dempsey said that commitment was dependent on getting the money at Cabinet.

And he said the best way supporters of the re-opening of the rail corridor could help was to use the new service between Limerick and Galway. The Tuam and Claremorris extensions are due to open in 2011 and 2014 respectively.

Mr Dempsey said: "I cannot overstate the critical importance of local support for phase one of the Western Rail Corridor in promoting the development of further phases."

goingpostal

Found out today that a 7 day return ticket from Sixmilebridge to Limerick is 33.50euro. Seems a bit steep to me, I can almost fill the car for that much. Only two trains before 9am is a bit weak too.

zuroph

only time this will be used is on a boozy trip to galway for the weekend. Can down the cans on the train, and use the jacks

goingpostal

Yep. I can only see myself using this on very rare occasions, like when my banger catches fire or something. It says a lot that it is still cheaper to use a car than take the train, even when petrol is at a record high. A missed opportunity, unfortunately.

Poxyshamrock

goingpostal wrote: »

Found out today that a 7 day return ticket from Sixmilebridge to Limerick is 33.50euro. Seems a bit steep to me, I can almost fill the car for that much. Only two trains before 9am is a bit weak too.

Use the train back and forth for 7 days and it works out less than 2.50.

How cheap do you want it to be?

concussion

zuroph wrote: »

only time this will be used is on a boozy trip to galway for the weekend. Can down the cans on the train, and use the jacks

Pfft, Jagie is the alcohol of choice for trains

goingpostal

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

Use the train back and forth for 7 days and it works out less than 2.50.

How cheap do you want it to be?

Well 30euros covers all my driving for the week, including my weekend driving, so Irish Rail will have to do a bit better than that. Incidently I was stopped at the level crossing in Cratloe just now, and a brand spanking new train went by, completely empty. A bit spooky, maybe it should be called the Ghost Train.

Raiser

Give the People what they want - they will show their approval.

- Give the People only what suits your own blinkered, stunted agenda - they will shun you and all of your endeavours.

Aidric

I had to laugh when I saw the schedules listed. Over two hours of a trip when you could drive it in half. The Bus is no doubt half the cost if not less also. So I'm left wondering where is the incentive?

rubensni

OAPs will use it: they're crazy about trains (mainly because the freeloaders don't check the prices, just hop on).

source

rubensni wrote: »

OAPs will use it: they're crazy about trains (mainly because the freeloaders don't check the prices, just hop on).

They have free travel passes once they get over a certain age, so they don't have to check the prices.

dr.fuzzenstein

timesnewroman wrote: »

A station in Moyross/Longpavement would have appeal/use on match days (or concerts) in Thomond Park I would have imagined. People could travel from all over the country to pretty close to the ground - busses could then be laid on to carry patrons directly to the gound.

A station there could also have a benefit to LIT. LIT has lots of students in Ennis and Sixmilebridge etc. As it stands, any potential students using the service have to go directly into town and then back out to Moylish.

But would you want to get out and walk into town through Moyross?

zuroph

surely the concert crowds could get the train to sixmilebridge and organise buses from there back IN to thomond park, thus avoiding the traffic. :pac:

timesnewroman

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

But would you want to get out and walk into town through Moyross?

Indeedin I wouldn't. Anyone wanting to go to town would get off in Colbert Station I would have thought. Anyway, what I was getting at was, that for events in Thomond Park, special trains could be laid on that terminate in (Moyross/Longpavement) - without perhaps stopping in town.

Whether it would be economically feasible or eventually profitable is a different question....but bearing in mind that Iarnrod Eireann reckon that the Limerick - Galway service won't make a profit for years maybe they wouldn’t be too put out by that:D. T'would be a fine and handy service all the same though!!

Aidric

There's an article in today's Times about the journey.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2010/0402/1224267546081.html

Raiser

Aidric wrote: »

There's an article in today's Times about the journey.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2010/0402/1224267546081.html

Go on Ben Hannon and Louise X - A love borne of Iarnrod Eireann!!!!

Aidric

I think the article had to reach for a romantic angle realising it could never sell the service on a practical level.

Raiser

Aidric wrote: »

I think the article had to reach for a romantic angle realising it could never sell the service on a practical level.

There's a number of mentions of the cold carriages too - That's a bit worrying?

- Are they transporting frozen foods also?