Dublin cork train

Ryder

Thinking about bring my bike back to cork for a holiday at Christmas. On the irish rail site it says that it must be carried in the luggage car. Anyone any experience of this? Are there rails to hold it on place or is it going to get thrown around? Thanks

eeeee

I have used it a couple of times but during the day. There are only 2 or 3 bike racks on the whole train, if it is one of the newer green ones (which I think most on that line are). That train is also nearly all seats reserved and booked up so if you are taking a bike I would advise getting there plenty early to get one of the few bike racks. They can be sticky about having the bike in a passageway.
There are a couple of different breeds of train on that line though, I think the older ones are freer in terms of space to put the bike. Still not a whole lot though, and I think you may have nothing to lock onto on those ones. You might even have to use one of the few the wheelchair spaces, although I would get there early again as they fill up with buggies and luggage pretty quick (unless there is actually a wheelchair on board).
There is no luggage car anymore I think, the last line to use a train with one (bar the Enterprise (Belfast train) which still has one) was the Sligo - Dublin line, and that has been changed over to the new trains. I might be wrong on that but bar the Enterprise I haven't come across a luggage car for a few years now.

You have to get a ticket for the bike too, think it's €8 each way.

nak

I took my bike on the Dublin-Cork line midweek in September and there were 2 carriages with bike racks, 2 or 3 spaces in each. Booked seat online, but had to book bike in station due to a glitch on the website.

Hunterbiker

Taken my bike on train to and from Cork. Book a space for the bike. As said the newer trains take bikes in soecial bays in carriage, however some are also the wheelchair accessible bay too. I found the off peak service (smaller train) a pain as I had the bike on early but had to endure people just slinging their bags against the frame / wheels without any apparant concern for whatthey were doing.
The older trains have the guards van but you have to leave the bike in their on its own.
If you dont fancy paying for your bike take tge wheels off it and suddenly its luggage...

Yarisbob

I took my bike from Galway to Portarlington recently. I had it booked on. I was lead on before any other passengers and the fella made sure both me and bike were on before letting the rest of the other passengers on !

On teh way back the driver leaned out of the cab and told me that there were free spots fot the bike in the last carraige..

I forgot to mention one of the lads in our club is an IE inspector;)

Book it early and you should have no problem.

smacl

I've had the bike on the train to Waterford a couple of times recently, both times with a bike space booked in advance. First time there were no bike spaces on the train, but I managed to get it crammed into the disabled area. Second time it was fine and I got a secure rack space.

Both times the staff were very helpful, though the service is pretty haphazard, and with the packed trains at Christmas, if you don't manage to book a bike space well in advance, you could end up not being able to bring the bike. Looking on irish rail site, bookable bike spaces are available on the Cork line.

diomed

Perhaps someone driving to Cork for Christmas would bring it in their car.

bwalsh1983

Its been a few years since I took a bike on the Cork Dublin service so the racks are not something I can comment on but I booked a bike once, an extra tenner, and was told to put it in the 'designated carriage' near the locomotive. It was basically a large open container carriage, bike was on the floor when I went to take it out and had ben sliding around in there with some wheeled cages that were thrown in after I had put in the bike.