[PR] New 06.30hrs Early Morning Rail Service From Killarney to Dublin

Victor

http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/general_news.asp?action=view&news_id=90

General News

New 06.30hrs Early Morning Rail Service From Killarney to Dublin to commence Tuesday, 29th March 200 by Media & P.R.

New 06.30hrs Early Morning Rail Service From Killarney to Dublin to commence Tuesday, 29th March 2005.

Rail Service also gives new early morning Commuter Service from Killarney and Mallow to Cork.

Kerry Customers will now be able to depart Killarney by rail at 06.30hrs and arrive in Dublin in just a little over three hours (arriving at 09.33hrs).
Further improvements are planned for the route.

Commencing on Tuesday, 29th March, Iarnród Éireann is delighted to announce details of their new 06.30hrs early morning rail service from Killarney to Cork.

This service will run non-stop to Mallow where it will also connect with the early morning train service from Cork to Dublin at 07.22hrs, giving an arrival time of 09.33hrs at Heuston Station, Dublin.

A New service will also operate at 09.10hrs from Cork serving all stations en route to Killarney. This service will also give a morning connection from the 07.10hrs Dublin-Cork train at Mallow for Killarney (arriving Killarney at 10.41hrs).

A New 11.15hrs rail from Killarney to Cork will operate serving all stops en route, with a new 18.45hrs Cork to Killarney providing a connection from the 17.00hrs Heuston to Cork train at Mallow, running non-stop to Killarney (arriving Killarney at 20.18hrs).

Iarnród Éireann’s Station Manager in Killarney, Michael Leahy, said “We are delighted to be announcing these new services in and out of Kerry. The new 06.30hrs early morning service from Killarney, comes at a time of ever-growing demand for InterCity rail travel, with over 630,000 journeys taken on the Tralee-Dublin route last year. With the resources we have presently, we are responding to demand from customers for a fast early morning service from Kerry to Dublin, who up to now, had to drive to Mallow for rail connections to Dublin. We are hoping to grow the business from Kerry as a result of introducing these new services. The new 06.30hrs early morning rail service from Killarney, will bring the number of trains operating from Killarney to the capital each way per weekday to six at this time of the year”.

Iarnród Éireann’s Station Manager in Mallow, Patrick O’Sullivan, was equally delighted with the announcement. “The new 06.30hrs early morning rail service from Killarney to Cork, will also introduce a new early morning commuter service from Mallow departing at 07.26hrs. and arriving in Cork at 7.53hrs

These service improvements come after the commissioning of new a new passing loop line at Millstreet Station, which will allow trains pass at Millstreet Station and also allow for improved operational options for the scheduling of trains into and out of Kerry in the future (i.e. Major Events such as Munster Finals or All-Ireland Finals, Increased frequency of feeder services to and from Kerry and Mallow Station, etc.) and also the commissioning of a new computerised automatic signalling system on the Mallow-Tralee line in February 2005. It is part of a programme of improvement on the route to increase the number of trains to a 2-hourly rail service between Tralee and Mallow within three years with connections at Mallow for Dublin or Cork.

Further improvements are planned.

By the end of 2005, it is planned that station platforms at Farranfore, Killarney, Rathmore and Banteer will be upgraded and lengthened.

Later this year, new trains on order will be delivered to boost Intercity services. A €117 million order for 67 Intercity carriages for the Dublin-Cork route will begin to arrive later this summer. Following testing and commissioning, they will be phased into service from the end of this year and into 2006, leading to an hourly service between two biggest cities - Cork and Dublin.

The largest ever order of new trains by Iarnród Éireann was announced the end of January 2005 by Iarnród Éireann and the Minister for Transport Martin Cullen TD. The order was for a fleet of 120 railcar carriages for Intercity services at a cost of €262 million. Funded by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan, the contract has been awarded to Mitsui of Japan, in partnership with Rotem of the Republic of Korea and Tokyu Car Corporation of Japan.

The new fleet will allow Iarnród Éireann to transform the Intercity service, offering higher frequency and greater comfort and quality on all routes for record numbers of Intercity customers. They will begin entering service the end of 2007 and into 2008.

The new order of carriages will also allow Iarnród Éireann withdraw the older craven carriages, which are presently operating on the Tralee-Cork route.

Customers are now able to book First Class and Premier CityGold seats and tickets on-line with standard class seats being made available on-line shortly.

enterprise

And what a great service it is as well. I had reason to use the 0630 Killarney / Cork on the first two days it operated. Loadings were excellent on both days with between 30 & 40 using it.

The extra services to Killarney are operated by modern Commuter DMU's (2800 class), the first time 2nd generation DMU's have operated over the Mallow / Tralee line.

Iób

Are they those same railcars they use between Limerick and Limerick Junction, uncomfortable with lots of noise and vibration?

enterprise

No,

You are either referring to the 2600's or 2700's class of DMU.

There are 2 sets of 2600's, 4 sets of 2700's and the 2 2750's single car units (14 carriages in total) based in Limerick which operate Ennis - Limerick - Limerick Jct, Limerick - Ballybrophy via Nenagh and Limerick Jct - Waterford - Roasslare Europort.

Saying that the 2800 are the same design as 2600, except better seats and toilets etc plus better ride quality.