Merged: Limerick to Galway Rail line discussion.

goingpostal

Anyone got any idea when this station is opening? I passed it today, and it looks nearly done, the carpark is all tarmacadamed now.

pappyodaniel

It's supposed to be open next week but not certain. Can't wait.

munchkin_utd

open on the 30th

heres the timetable.
11 Trains each way from Sixmilebridge to Limerick.
http://www.irishrail.ie/your_journey/printed_timetable_pdfs/2010/Limerick%20Galway%2010.pdf

Run_to_da_hills

What about Clarecastle and Barefield station?

Do the not deserve a reopening?

Balagan

Would think both Clarecastle and Barefield are too close to Ennis to warrant stops. There seem to be hopeful hints re a stop in Crusheen at some point but no official announcement yet.

Balagan

munchkin_utd wrote: »

open on the 30th

heres the timetable.
11 Trains each way from Sixmilebridge to Limerick.
http://www.irishrail.ie/your_journey/printed_timetable_pdfs/2010/Limerick%20Galway%2010.pdf

Is it possible that the last weekday train departs Galway at 17.25 i.e., too early for most workers and for those college students who very often have lectures till 18.00? Am I misreading the timetable?

Rulmeq

munchkin_utd wrote: »

open on the 30th

heres the timetable.
11 Trains each way from Sixmilebridge to Limerick.
http://www.irishrail.ie/your_journey/printed_timetable_pdfs/2010/Limerick%20Galway%2010.pdf

2 hours to travel between Limerick and Galway!
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Colbert+Station,+Parnell+St,+Limerick,+County+Limerick,+Ireland&daddr=station+road,+galway&hl=en&geocode=FYOEIwMdiGV8_ymlJS8JZVxbSDFAhroZqMcAHQ%3BFVnjLAMdifF1_yktyvuU5ZZbSDHbmEzH88UFXQ&mra=ls&sll=52.97075,-8.83639&sspn=0.710409,1.377411&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=10

If I didn't have a car I'd take the bus.

Keano

I'm going to try out a few times before I comment.

testicle

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

What about Clarecastle and Barefield station?

Do the not deserve a reopening?

And Cratloe!

firesidechat

Clarecastle.
Cratloe.
Barefield.

It is a train service.
Not a fecken subway.

Run_to_da_hills

firesidechat wrote: »

It is a train service.
Not a fecken subway.

Submarine service more like it.

Tadhg17

Galway_Limerick Timetable is here:
http://www.irishrail.ie/your_journey/printed_timetable_pdfs/2010/Limerick%20Galway%2010.pdf

According to this article from the Clare Herald, there will be a marque at Sixmilebridge station next Monday to mark the official opening. Full timetable to start next Tuesday the 30th of March.

http://www.clareherald.com/local-news/transport-travel/521-clare-on-track-for-railway-reopening.html

Looks like they are cutting it very tight to have the station opened on time:D I will be using it when it opens, at weekends coming down from Dublin. Will be handy.

Tadhg17

Just noticed you can enter Sixmilebridge in the Journey Planner on the Irish Rail website from next week but it doesn't give you any prices for journeys yet to Ennis/Dublin/Limerick etc.

There is a thread on Rail Users Ireland below on possible fares from Sixmilebridge:
http://www.railusers.ie/forum/showthread.php?p=54603#post54603

golfball37

Only in Ireland could a train journey with no traffic take half an hour longer than the drive time between 2 points.:mad:

I wouldn't mind when the Gort bypass opens it make this badly needed train service even more redundant.

Run_to_da_hills

golfball37 wrote: »

Only in Ireland could a train journey with no traffic take half an hour longer than the drive time between 2 points.:mad:

I wouldn't mind when the Gort bypass opens it make this badly needed train service even more redundant.

Not just the west but throughout the whole network since the roll out of inter Urban's. The only advantage Rail has over busses is that they are less cramped and you can walk around. I could see more tourist using this line than regular commuters using this route.

Its also ironic that the Rosslare to Waterford line is about to be closed and inevitably fall into decay at around the same time as the WRC is about to open, it is also one of the very few lines in the country where rail is actually quicker than road due to the barrow viaduct.

Tadhg17

The train going to Athenry adds 20mins to the Galway-Limerick rail service and no doubt Irish Rail have added their usual excessive padding to the train journey. I doubt the utmost was done to eliminate speed restrictions on this line when it was being done. The timetable is pretty poor though, first train into Galway is at 8:25am and the last train leaving Galway is at 17:25 if your coming from Craughwell/Gort. Too early each way for most commuters. Plus there is very little integration with the Galway-Dublin timetable so if you want to go from Gort to Dublin more than likely you will be waiting a long time in Athenry for a train connection.

I don't see the point in opening stops in Barefield/Clarecastle as they are so close to Ennis. I am pretty sure I read somewhere though that Clare County Council have made a provision for a future railway stop in Clarecastle if the population increases more and there is demand for it. I think some of the land near the old railway station is zoned for future car park useage.

Clareman

I think they are right to limit the amount of stops, it's not a DART/LUAS/Tube/Subway, it's an intercity line so there shouldn't be too many stops. Also, it's not only designed to cater for the communters (including students here), but also for tourists (which I think it'll be a massive plus for) and the older folks with the free travel. Personally I think this is a great addition for the west and really opens up the west of Ireland for more tourism, I think it would be a good idea to have a spur of the line going to the Airport but that's a different debate.

I'm looking forward to getting the train now

rainbowdash

Last train out from Limerick is at 20.20. pity its not a bit later if people ant to go into Limerick for a match or a few drinks etc. A stop at Long Pavement would be smarter than Crusheen or Clarecastle etc. as its close to Thomond, Gaelic grounds, LIT and shops. Also not that far of a walk to town.

Balagan

Full page Iarnrod Eireann ad in The Clare Champion yesterday states the first train departs Ennis station at 06.40 while the online and hardcopy Iarnrod Eireann timetable states that train departs Ennis at 07.05

Which is it?

ktc1

The online time table shows a train arriving from Limerick at 6:40 and leaving again at 7:05. Maybe that's not made clear in The Champion?

Sorry to hijack, but I got an online quote of €28.50 one way to Galway from Ennis. Are they fuppin' serious ! It's €8.10 on the bus.

Tadhg17

I Rang Ennis train station there and they gave me the following train fares from Sixmilebridge railway station:

Sixmilebridge-Ennis
Single -7.00 Euros
Day Return- 9.50 Euros

Sixmilebridge-Limerick
Single-7.00 Euros
Day Return- 9.50 Euros

Sixmilebridge-Dublin Heuston
5 day Return-47.00 Euros

Forgot to ask about Sixmilebridge-Galway fares. Station will be open Tuesday morning March the 30th for business.

Balagan

Got some prices from Iarnrod Eireann in Dublin and confirmation that the first train on weekday mornings will leave Ennis at 7.05 (waiting on it will be disgruntled Limerick/Sixmilebridge passengers who have been sitting in the train at the station since 6.40, so better keep the head down!)

Adult Single from Ennis to Galway Euro 17.40
Adult Return Euro 28.50

Student Single journey Ennis to Galway Euro 11.50
Student Return Euro 16.30

There will be a weekly ticket also, but I didn't get price
Also, not possible yet to book online and they're not sure when that will be possible.

Of course, the 17.25 departure of the last weekday train from Galway means that a lot of potential passengers are not going to use the train at all!

pappyodaniel

Tadhg17 wrote: »

I Rang Ennis train station there and they gave me the following train fares from Sixmilebridge railway station:

Sixmilebridge-Ennis
Single -7.00 Euros
Day Return- 9.50 Euros

Sixmilebridge-Limerick
Single-7.00 Euros
Day Return- 9.50 Euros

Sixmilebridge-Dublin Heuston
5 day Return-47.00 Euros

Forgot to ask about Sixmilebridge-Galway fares. Station will be open Tuesday morning March the 30th for business.

I would have thought it be cheaper to Limerick than Ennis as it's a shorter route.

Keano

Do we not have a thread on this already?

Clareman

Trains in Clare are very popular, if they were this popular 50 years ago they might have kept the West Clare Railway

rainbowdash

Thats just too expensive IMO. SMB to LK and Ennis should be €5, and €15 to Galway (all return)

Single tickets do not exist apparently but should be €3 to LK / Ennis.

Positively I read on another board that actual times during trials are about 1.40 so eventually once the service beds in they should be timetabling about 1.30.

Tadhg17

pappyodaniel wrote: »

I would have thought it be cheaper to Limerick than Ennis as it's a shorter route.

Normally it takes around 15 mins on the train to get to the bridge from Ennis and 18-19mins from the bridge into Limerick so the Ennis tickets to the bridge should be cheaper really? I guess Sixmilebridge is roughly half way on the route between the two so Irish Rail decided to have the fares the same. I think the single fares are expensive especially the 7 euros to Ennis.

The timetable has the first train leaving Ennis for Galway at 7:05am weekday. Don't think there will be too many on that train from Limerick at that hour especially with a 25 mins stop over in Ennis!
http://www.irishrail.ie/your_journey/printed_timetable_pdfs/2010/Limerick%20Galway%2010.pdf

Also having the last train leaving Galway-Limerick weekday at 17:25 is real poor. Missing out on alot of commuters finishing work at 17:30.

pappyodaniel

The station in SMB is opening tomorrow, afaik, Minister Tony Killeen is in attendance. So if anyone's interested, it starts at 11am.

Tadhg17

Monday is the official opening where all the politicians and local bureaucrats will be in attendance.

Sixmilebridge railway station will open to the public with a full timetable on Tuesday March the 30th. There was a small marque set up in Ennis station and another small one set up in Sixmilebridge railway station I noticed passing on the train this evening. There was a 4 carriage train with Galway on the front of it in Limerick station which I presume will be the train for the official launch tomorrow.

I wonder will the first passenger in Sixmilebridge to purchase a ticket on Tuesday morning get a voucher or something? Sometimes they do that when opening other railway stations. The last train to stop in Sixmilebridge was in 1963 or so.

Tomorrow's official launch program:

MARCH 29TH TIMETABLE:
10.30 Limerick Dep.
10.50 Sixmilebridge Arr.
11.25 Ennis
12.10 Gort
12.30 Ardrahan
12.50 Craughwell
13.15 Athenry
13.50 Galway, Hotel Meyrick
15.45 Galway Dep.
16.00 Athenry Arr.
16.10 Craughwell
16.25 Ardrahan
16.40 Gort
17.10 Ennis
17.30 Sixmilebridge
17.55 Limerick

http://www.clareherald.com/local-news/transport-travel/521-clare-on-track-for-railway-reopening.html

maiden

Really wanted to head to the launch today but the weather is awful!

Tadhg17

Here is a discount code FB1052 giving 20% off all bookings made on irishrail.ie until midnight tonight.

http://www.facebook.com/iarnrodeireann