Record number of people use rail transport in Limerick

Shn99

Limerick’s rail line see increase in passenger journeys

"The Limerick Galway route saw a significant increase with passenger journeys jumping from 100,000 in 2016 to 134,000 in 2017."

"A total of 910,000 passenger journeys were recorded on the Dublin/Limerick rail line in 2017, the highest figures ever recorded on the route. This represents a 7% increase on 2016."

OfTheMarsWongs

Shn99 wrote: »

Limerick’s rail line see increase in passenger journeys

"The Limerick Galway route saw a significant increase with passenger journeys jumping from 100,000 in 2016 to 134,000 in 2017."

"A total of 910,000 passenger journeys were recorded on the Dublin/Limerick rail line in 2017, the highest figures ever recorded on the route. This represents a 7% increase on 2016."

I wonder if the Galway line being shut due to flooding had any impact on year on year figures. Was it shut for roughly the same length of time both years?

It’s shut again at the moment due to flooding at Ballycar. There’s bus transfers from Limerick to Ennis.

Mc Love

A friend of mine was saying it has gotten really cheap to travel by rail.

panda100

Would be interesting to see a breakdown of those figures? I wonder is it tourists travelling to Limerick or people commuting for work etc?
I used the train a lot last year as online tickets were incredibly cheap. I'd often head to Dublin on a Saturday afternoon for a night out and be back in Limerick Sunday afternoon all for under €30. Will be great when the Bike station is finally open.

Ultimate Seduction

panda100 wrote: »

Would be interesting to see a breakdown of those figures? I wonder is it tourists travelling to Limerick or people commuting for work etc?
I used the train a lot last year as online tickets were incredibly cheap. I'd often head to Dublin on a Saturday afternoon for a night out and be back in Limerick Sunday afternoon all for under €30. Will be great when the Bike station is finally open.

Limerick city to Dublin return, on a Saturday for less than 30 quid?

flyingsnail

Ultimate Seduction wrote: »

Limerick city to Dublin return, on a Saturday for less than 30 quid?

Yup, if you book online fares can be really cheap, right now I can book tickets from Limerick to Dublin for next Saturday for 11.99 Each way. (23.98 return)

Limerick to Waterford from 6.49 each way
Limerick to Galway from 7.49 each way

Ultimate Seduction

flyingsnail wrote: »

Yup, if you book online fares can be really cheap, right now I can book tickets from Limerick to Dublin for next Saturday for 11.99 Each way. (23.98 return)

Limerick to Waterford from 6.49 each way
Limerick to Galway from 7.49 each way

Jesus!! I paid 67 quid for that a couple of months ago.

Poxyshamrock

OfTheMarsWongs wrote: »

Shn99 wrote: »

Limerick’s rail line see increase in passenger journeys

"The Limerick Galway route saw a significant increase with passenger journeys jumping from 100,000 in 2016 to 134,000 in 2017."

"A total of 910,000 passenger journeys were recorded on the Dublin/Limerick rail line in 2017, the highest figures ever recorded on the route. This represents a 7% increase on 2016."

I wonder if the Galway line being shut due to flooding had any impact on year on year figures. Was it shut for roughly the same length of time both years?

It’s shut again at the moment due to flooding at Ballycar. There’s bus transfers from Limerick to Ennis.

It wasn’t closed in 2017 afaik but Irish Rail have made reference to that possibly being
the reason for the increase of 30,000 on 2016.

damowill

Ultimate Seduction wrote: »

Jesus!! I paid 67 quid for that a couple of months ago.

67 quid. Oh dear.. I went up on a Saturday in December for 11.99 one way. Did you buy online or get tickets at the station?

Ultimate Seduction

damowill wrote: »

67 quid. Oh dear.. I went up on a Saturday in December for 11.99 one way. Did you buy online or get tickets at the station?

At the station, was around June or July if I remember correctly. I got the bus home for 19euro.

zulutango

That's great news. If the train is cheap enough, people will use it.

Whenever I'm going to Galway I much prefer to go by train. It arrives into the centre of the city, there's no stress with traffic or parking (Galway is a nightmare for both) and I can have a few pints if I want before heading back to Limerick. By contrast I drove the new motorway once a few months back, and didn't find it massively advantageous in terms of time saved over the original route. As soon I got to the outskirts of Galway I was stuck in traffic for half and hour.

damowill

Ultimate Seduction wrote: »

At the station, was around June or July if I remember correctly. I got the bus home for 19euro.

ya if you just turn up at the station, id imagine the prices are excessively high. but if you plan your trip then you can get very cheap deals. €24 return is great. now not every fair is this cheap but if you book well in advance you should at least get it for €30.

i reckon with Dublin Coach and other private operators, Irish Rail had to do something. But they have been cheap on-line tickets for about 2 years now if not more from what i know.

Poxyshamrock

zulutango wrote: »

That's great news. If the train is cheap enough, people will use it.

Whenever I'm going to Galway I much prefer to go by train. It arrives into the centre of the city, there's no stress with traffic or parking (Galway is a nightmare for both) and I can have a few pints if I want before heading back to Limerick. By contrast I drove the new motorway once a few months back, and didn't find it massively advantageous in terms of time saved over the original route. As soon I got to the outskirts of Galway I was stuck in traffic for half and hour.

They need to sort out the speed on that line. Takes approximately 2hrs because the trains go about 60km/h, don’t see why the speed can’t be increased through investment.

osarusan

I just went onto the Irish Rail site and as an example, put in 2 adults and 2 kids on a day return to Galway from Limerick this Sunday.

The prices came up as €21 each way, so 42 return. Initially I thought that was per person (or per adult at least) but actually it is for all 4!

Crazy prices (crazy subsidy I suppose).

phog

zulutango wrote: »

That's great news. If the train is cheap enough, people will use it.

Whenever I'm going to Galway I much prefer to go by train. It arrives into the centre of the city, there's no stress with traffic or parking (Galway is a nightmare for both) and I can have a few pints if I want before heading back to Limerick. By contrast I drove the new motorway once a few months back, and didn't find it massively advantageous in terms of time saved over the original route. As soon I got to the outskirts of Galway I was stuck in traffic for half and hour.

If you and one other person were travelling to/from Galway then car is the cheapest and best option. Driving into Galway at peak times can be a bit mad but you'd be very unlucky nowadays to be in the car longer than the train journey.

phog

osarusan wrote: »

I just went onto the Irish Rail site and as an example, put in 2 adults and 2 kids on a day return to Galway from Limerick this Sunday.

The prices came up as €21 each way, so 42 return. Initially I thought that was per person (or per adult at least) but actually it is for all 4!

Crazy prices (crazy subsidy I suppose).

A member of my family has an appointment in the Galway Clinic on Monday week - to get to the 09:30 appointment I'd have to get a 05:55 train from Limerick at a cost of €15 a head.

The car is so much more flexible and at least as cheap if not cheaper.

zulutango

phog wrote: »

If you and one other person were travelling to/from Galway then car is the cheapest and best option. Driving into Galway at peak times can be a bit mad but you'd be very unlucky nowadays to be in the car longer than the train journey.

Not if you would like the option of having a few drinks or doing a bit of reading or work to and from Galway. The car has its advantages but sometimes the train is the best option, if not the quickest. Other times the car will be the best option. It's good that there's a choice there.