Western Rail Corridor (Galway-Limerick section)

westtip

relaxed wrote: »

If you type in Ennis-Athlone the cheapest fare involves one change at Athenry, the most expensive fare involves about 4 changes going around by Portarlington and Limerick junction. Daft!

you are paying for the extra time on the train when you have your home heating oil turned off.......Apparently it is not uncommon for pensioners to go up and down to dublin on the train for the day with the flask of coffee and sarnies to avail of the free heating, fair play to them, but we live in strange times.

relaxed

westtip wrote: »

you are paying for the extra time on the train when you have your home heating oil turned off.......Apparently it is not uncommon for pensioners to go up and down to dublin on the train for the day with the flask of coffee and sarnies to avail of the free heating, fair play to them, but we live in strange times.

Would it not be cheaper to run the train for free at this stage. The savings on ticket inspector staff, security for the vending machines, maintenance of the machines etc. surely costs more than the fares being collected?

eastwest

relaxed wrote: »

Would it not be cheaper to run the train for free at this stage. The savings on ticket inspector staff, security for the vending machines, maintenance of the machines etc. surely costs more than the fares being collected?

Or to redeploy the rolling stick elsewhere and replace the train with a minibus?
A twenty-seater bus would provide a better service and would save the taxpayer a considerable amount of money annually. What's not to like?

Markcheese

eastwest wrote: »

Or to redeploy the rolling stick elsewhere and replace the train with a minibus?
A twenty-seater bus would provide a better service and would save the taxpayer a considerable amount of money annually. What's not to like?

If they had anywhere better to redeploy the stock and staff ... ??

corktina

there we have the problem with the Public Sector. If the staff are redundant in the real world, they get laid off, In Irish Rail and the like, they have jobs for life even if they have nothing much to do

westtip

corktina wrote: »

there we have the problem with the Public Sector. If the staff are redundant in the real world, they get laid off, In Irish Rail and the like, they have jobs for life even if they have nothing much to do

Agreed but we are probably straying a bit off topic here! There are plenty of bash the public sector threads....I do agree with you Corky, but coming back on line as it were, just to remind folk that want to - there is only just over a week left to make re-submissions on draft county development plan re the Velo rail idea versus the greenway idea to protect the route. Anyone with an interest knows the arguments by now so I won't teach granny to suck eggs, the email address has been posted up before and some thoughts are on the SMG Facebook page, but it is important that Mayo coco are made to sit up and think; of course we all know the outcome will be continued resistance in the council but that is to be expected.....

Victor

westtip wrote: »

you are paying for the extra time on the train when you have your home heating oil turned off.......Apparently it is not uncommon for pensioners to go up and down to dublin on the train for the day with the flask of coffee and sarnies to avail of the free heating, fair play to them, but we live in strange times.

While there may be individuals that do this, it is probably unfair to characterise all pensioners like this

Moderator

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relaxed wrote: »

If you type in Ennis-Athlone the cheapest fare involves one change at Athenry, the most expensive fare involves about 4 changes going around by Portarlington and Limerick junction. Daft!

That is understandable, as one is entitled to get off en route on intercity trips. However, who wants a 4-5 hour trip to get to the destination 30 minutes earlier?

monument

10-20 posts moved to Western Railway Corridor (Galway-Limerick section). And yet another old WRC thread locked.

There can only be two! Two threads to rule them all!

Someday it will be only one thread when ever the greenway or railway arguments win out...

yaledo

Looking forward to trying this service for the first time since they altered the schedule. Thanks for the info about the special offer - €13.98 return sounds decent. Looking forward to giving it a try. I drive several days a week between Galway and Limerick. I'll have to leave home 1h20 earlier, and I won't get home until 1h20 minutes later than when I go by car - but at least I can sleep/read/chill out on the train instead of driving.

I went ahead & booked for tomorrow - spent a whole 20 minutes on irishrail.ie trying to find & read a timetable & book... never saw any mention of the fact that the line is closed between Ennis and Limerick due to flooding, with a bus transfer in operation.

I don't hate bus transfers - I just want to give myself a good chance of a positive experience my first time back on this train. So I phoned customer service, they promised me a full refund without too much delay.

Thanks to all who have contributed information about this line/service. Don't think I would have heard of the €13.98 return otherwise.

Jamie2k9

I went ahead & booked for tomorrow - spent a whole 20 minutes on irishrail.ie trying to find & read a timetable & book... never saw any mention of the fact that the line is closed between Ennis and Limerick due to flooding, with a bus transfer in operation.

It does under the big heading News and Service Updates

corktina

Looking at Google earth, it is striking that there has been a fair amount of new road building in the vicinity of Athenry, and how apparently simple it would have been to incorporate a direct avoiding line. How difficult would it be to do yhis now I wonder and at what cost?

LXFlyer

corktina wrote: »

Looking at Google earth, it is striking that there has been a fair amount of new road building in the vicinity of Athenry, and how apparently simple it would have been to incorporate a direct avoiding line. How difficult would it be to do yhis now I wonder and at what cost?

Given the large numbers using the train from Athenry would that be such a good idea?


Good news is that the railway line has reopened as of this morning.

relaxed

lxflyer wrote: »

Given the large numbers using the train from Athenry would that be such a good idea?

When I travelled the line recently a good few got on bound for Ennis in Athenry, I guess they were changing trains after coming from Athlone etc.

The bus options from Athlone and Ballinasloe to Ennis / Limerick are probably not great anyway so stopping in Athenry may serve a purpose.

LXFlyer

relaxed wrote: »

When I travelled the line recently a good few got on bound for Ennis in Athenry, I guess they were changing trains after coming from Athlone etc.

The bus options from Athlone and Ballinasloe to Ennis / Limerick are probably not great anyway so stopping in Athenry may serve a purpose.

I was thinking more in terms of people travelling between Athenry and Galway and v.v.


These trains offer additional capacity on that section that is well used.

Losty Dublin

When I was in Galway on Friday, I noticed that the 13:45 Galway-Limerick train had maybe 100 people on board it's two car consist. Seemingly this train is well patronised all week round.

corktina

lxflyer wrote: »

Given the large numbers using the train from Athenry would that be such a good idea?


Good news is that the railway line has reopened as of this morning.

It would be a good idea if a new station were built to replace the old one.

corktina

relaxed wrote: »

When I travelled the line recently a good few got on bound for Ennis in Athenry, I guess they were changing trains after coming from Athlone etc.

The bus options from Athlone and Ballinasloe to Ennis / Limerick are probably not great anyway so stopping in Athenry may serve a purpose.

They could be accomodated at Oranmore if a new station wasn't included.

corktina

Losty Dublin wrote: »

When I was in Galway on Friday, I noticed that the 13:45 Galway-Limerick train had maybe 100 people on board it's two car consist. Seemingly this train is well patronised all week round.

It does seem the figures are improving.

relaxed

corktina wrote: »

They could be accomodated at Oranmore if a new station wasn't included.

Sure when the train is running through to Tuam in a couple of years there will be no need for a new station or reversal;)

corktina

relaxed wrote: »

Sure when the train is running through to Tuam in a couple of years there will be no need for a new station or reversal;)

regrettably the journey to Galway from Limerick would then be slower and more inconvenient than even it is now. Net result ? Galway to Tuam and Limerick separate services...making it even less viable.:rolleyes:

end of the road

corktina wrote: »

regrettably the journey to Galway from Limerick would then be slower and more inconvenient than even it is now. Net result ? Galway to Tuam and Limerick separate services...making it even less viable.:rolleyes:

it will depend on what way they would re-do the layout if a new station was built, i doubt it will happen anyway

corktina

I don't believe Tuam will happen, however I think Lim to Gal is here to stay , it's just a shame they did it in such a half-assed way in the first place. A loop line in conjunction with the road works would have cost very little at the time but probably a prohibitive amount now

Grandeeod

Losty Dublin wrote: »

When I was in Galway on Friday, I noticed that the 13:45 Galway-Limerick train had maybe 100 people on board

Other observers have estimated nearly half that.

corktina

it's roughly a bus load or two maximum.... hard to justify a three car intercity unit and the maintenance cost of miles of railway.

I was surprised how many new over-bridges had been put in (presumably eliminating crossings)

relaxed

Grandeeod wrote: »

Other observers have estimated nearly half that.

One estimate made out its about 8 per train!

end of the road

traffic levels probably fluctuate

serfboard

Losty Dublin wrote: »

When I was in Galway on Friday, I noticed that the 13:45 Galway-Limerick train had maybe 100 people on board it's two car consist. Seemingly this train is well patronised all week round.

Of that 100, I wonder how many were still on the train after Athenry?

Not enough to fill a bus, I'd wager.

corktina

relaxed wrote: »

One estimate made out its about 8 per train!

that was over the "new" section of line with the pre-existing passngers not included. The latest I heard was it was touching an average of 10 after the fare reduction (or is it special offer?)

Losty Dublin

serfboard wrote: »

Of that 100, I wonder how many were still on the train after Athenry?

Not enough to fill a bus, I'd wager.

Probably not, no, but it did surprise me somewhat given the tales of woe we have been hearing. The 13:45 train breaks a 2 hour gap between two Dublin bound services so it probaly frees up seats on it as well.

corktina

A Bus from Athenry to (say) Gort, calling at Craughwell and Ardrahan en route would be almost an impossibility (even a non-stop journey would be a lot slower)...a rare example where the train has an unassailable advantage.

relaxed

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Probably not, no, but it did surprise me somewhat given the tales of woe we have been hearing. The 13:45 train breaks a 2 hour gap between two Dublin bound services so it probaly frees up seats on it as well.

I'd say peak time loadings are reasonable and during the summer I believe the line also sees an increase in passengers.

The average of 8 pax. per train being bandied about does include the very early morning services which are as much for positioning stock in Ennis and elsewhere as anything else.

For example the first train now leaves Limerick at 05.55, previously to the reopening it used to run "not in service" to Ennis anyway to be in position for the early service from Ennis.

Now the 6.20 from Galway gets to Ennis at 7.40 for the early service, they could possibly run these "not in service" as there is probably nobody on them, but they need to position stock in Ennis anyway as there is no overnight stabling there.

corktina

relaxed wrote: »

I'd say peak time loadings are reasonable and during the summer I believe the line also sees an increase in passengers.

The average of 8 pax. per train being bandied about does include the very early morning services which are as much for positioning stock in Ennis and elsewhere as anything else.

For example the first train now leaves Limerick at 05.55, previously to the reopening it used to run "not in service" to Ennis anyway to be in position for the early service from Ennis.

Now the 6.20 from Galway gets to Ennis at 7.40 for the early service, they could possibly run these "not in service" as there is probably nobody on them, but they need to position stock in Ennis anyway as there is no overnight stabling there.

A train from Limerick to Ennis to run the return service does not figure in the 8 passengers per train average as that is the usage figure for the Ennis to Athenry section only.

relaxed

corktina wrote: »

A train from Limerick to Ennis to run the return service does not figure in the 8 passengers per train average as that is the usage figure for the Ennis to Athenry section only.

Yes I know that but the train from Limerick does not run to Ennis empty in the morning any more.

The train first from Ennis to Limerick runs through, very early, from Galway and is in service, but probably empty.

These early trains are as much about positioning stock as anything else.

I guess the late trains are in a similar situation, and would probably not need to run across the Atherny - Ennis at all if they wanted to stable them in Ennis overnight.

corktina

You don't think that someone from, say, Gort might work in Limerick or Galway with an 8 o'clock start?

relaxed

corktina wrote: »

You don't think that someone from, say, Gort might work in Limerick or Galway with an 8 o'clock start?

Yes of course that's possible which is why they might as well run the trains in service, as its probably not going to save anything by stabling them in Ennis, paying security and moving crew around.

I doubt these early trains are well patronised, which would explain why the trains at peak times appear to be reasonably loaded, based on peoples observations.

corktina

there's also the point that if you didn't have an early train, people would be saying "what use is the railway, I can't even use it to get to work"

RenegadeDisco

lxflyer wrote: »

Has anyone any information on how loadings are doing out of Oranmore?

It's been opened a year and has averaged just 60 passengers a day!!! A 1/2 empty Dublin Bus every day.


"Moving people on to public transport is a difficult task. Oranmore station in Co Galway is a case in point.

Opened last July, some 60 people a day use it to commute into Galway city." - Irish Independent

serfboard

RenegadeDisco wrote: »

It's been opened a year and has averaged just 60 passengers a day!!! A 1/2 empty Dublin Bus every day.

"Moving people on to public transport is a difficult task. Oranmore station in Co Galway is a case in point.

Opened last July, some 60 people a day use it to commute into Galway city." - Irish Independent

The single biggest concentration of employment in Galway is in Ballybrit/Parkmore/Mervue which the train goes nowhere near and where people have free parking right outside their workplace.

The only other big centre of employment is UCHG/NUIG. For the hospital the train does not arrive early enough for most shift starts. Anyway, there is staff parking there already and the hospital is building a new multi-storey car park. Combine that with ease of access to the dual carriageway system from the back gate and the hospital is quite car-friendly.

For NUIG, the case for using a car is weaker. The train arrives in plenty of time for work starting, and for returning, there are 5 trains between 4 and 7PM. However, not only is there car parking for staff on the main grounds, but the college has its own park n' ride in Dangan with frequent buses to the campus.

Given all this, they're probably doing well to have 60 people using the train, despite the fact that the car park at Oranmore station is free.

Here's the link to the Indo article you quoted.

foggy_lad

I wonder how many of those 60 passengers per day are OAP day trippers going into Galway so they can get a train to Dublin because the 9:30am, 11:05am and 13:05 trains from Galway don't stop at Oranmore.

cgcsb

If there were integrated ticketing so that people could change onto buses at Eyre sq and enhanced bus priority throughout the city, commuter rail would be a much more attractive option in Galway.

dowlingm

People in Athenry and Ennis should be able to buy tickets like these for Galway and Limerick respectively.
http://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=331#Cork

But I suppose that the Galway service in particular also includes Dublin intercity might cause an issue?

Carawaystick

cgcsb wrote: »

If there were integrated ticketing so that people could change onto buses at Eyre sq and enhanced bus priority throughout the city, commuter rail would be a much more attractive option in Galway.

If there was integrated ticketing, then people could get a bus from Oranmore village, instead of the journey to the station, wait for a train, get another bus

end of the road

Carawaystick wrote: »

If there was integrated ticketing, then people could get a bus from Oranmore village, instead of the journey to the station, wait for a train, get another bus

yes, and If there was integrated ticketing, then people could if they want to, do the journey to the station, wait for a train, get another bus, the station is open now so anything to make it attractive to somebody is the only option, its not closing anytime soon if at all

Poxyshamrock

Looks like thinks are improving on the WRC!

sonnyblack

somebody must using this line. See link below from Journal.

http://www.thejournal.ie/ireland-rail-journeys-2014-1863874-Jan2015/

THE NUMBER OF journeys on Ireland’s trains increased by almost one million last year.
New figures from Iarnród Éireann show a total of 37.6 million journeys were made on Intercity, DART and Commuter trains during 2014. This compares with 36.7 million journeys in 2013.
DART and Commuter journeys saw the biggest rise, going from 28.7 million to 29.3 million.
It is the first time since the economic crash that the number of people travelling on trains has increased.
Some of the routes which saw the biggest growth included:

The Limerick-Galway route saw the biggest increase in passengers of any route, rising from 29,000 journeys to 50,000 – an increase of almost 75%.

Looks like the availability of online ticketing and dropping fare tickets has made some difference in it's usage.

goingnowhere

Its mostly a large movement of students on Friday + Sunday

The heavily discounted fares might drive demand but doesn't mean a net increase in revenue

eastwest

sonnyblack wrote: »

somebody must using this line. See link below from Journal.

http://www.thejournal.ie/ireland-rail-journeys-2014-1863874-Jan2015/

THE NUMBER OF journeys on Ireland’s trains increased by almost one million last year.
New figures from Iarnród Éireann show a total of 37.6 million journeys were made on Intercity, DART and Commuter trains during 2014. This compares with 36.7 million journeys in 2013.
DART and Commuter journeys saw the biggest rise, going from 28.7 million to 29.3 million.
It is the first time since the economic crash that the number of people travelling on trains has increased.
Some of the routes which saw the biggest growth included:

The Limerick-Galway route saw the biggest increase in passengers of any route, rising from 29,000 journeys to 50,000 – an increase of almost 75%.

Looks like the availability of online ticketing and dropping fare tickets has made some difference in it's usage.

If you strip out commuter trips on either end, the picture may not be so bright.

Boulevardier

I don't know the timetable on this route, but is there any train running Cork-Galway, or at least Limerick Junction-Galway?

I am sure that such a service would be of interest to a lot of people, including tourists and other travellers who do not like 5-hour bus journeys.

VWD8

That figure of 50000 is for Ennis-Athenry only. Another paper said that when Galway/Athenry and Ennis/Limerick are included the figure is 200,000.

Boulevardier

I just did some journey-planning and it seems that there are 2 chances to go from Cork to Galway via 1 change at Limerick Junction. That is very good, but a straight through train, in Summer at any rate, is probably worth considering.