Help with planning an Irish weekend

[LouJ]

I am planning to do a two day trip to Ireland and would like to cover the Dublin to Cork and Dublin to Belfast loco hauled services plus anything else of interest.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[IR-Mark4/ICR]

I am planning to do a two day trip to Ireland and would like to cover the Dublin to Cork and Dublin to Belfast loco hauled services plus anything else of interest.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

If you are looking for speed then Cork, Galway, Waterford and Belfast are best, a little to see then Rosslare, Tralee (Tralee is Dublin-Cork line to Mallow)

Day 1:
Dublin-Belfast 07.35-09.45
Belfast-Dublin 10.35-12.44
Dublin-Cork 14.00-16.40
Cork-Dublin 17.20-20.00

Could do a local service in Dublin area when you arrive back from Belfast such as the DART line etc. The lastest train you could get to Cork to return that evening is the 17.00-19.30 and depart Cork at 20.20-22.55 Heuston.

Day 2:
Dublin-Waterford 07.25-09.40
Waterford-Dublin 11.00-13.10
Dublin-Galway 13.25-15.40
Galway-Dublin 17.20-19.50

Could leave for Waterford at 10.15 do Waterford/Galway and be back in heuston at 21.45.

ICR operate Galway and Waterford services and selected Cork service when you decide the times I will tell you which is the loco set.

Whatever you do decide to do book the tickets on line 3 days before travel (reservations can be made 60 days in advance)

Here is PDF of the timetables accross the network:
http://www.irishrail.ie/index.jsp?p=119&n=147

 

[LouJ]

Thanks for your detailed advice.

I think I will concentrate on the loco hauled services so would appreciate any help that identifies the loco-hauled services from Dublin to Cork and also on the Dublin to Belfast route. If I then get time I might do one of the other routes you recommend.

 

[Neilo09]

Thanks for your detailed advice.

I think I will concentrate on the loco hauled services so would appreciate any help that identifies the loco-hauled services from Dublin to Cork and also on the Dublin to Belfast route. If I then get time I might do one of the other routes you recommend.

Hi

8am and 9am heuston-cork are 22k railcar
11:30 and 12:30 cork heuston are 22k railcar

If the services state first class, buffet bar, standard class and trolley service then chances are it's a loco hauled mk4 set unless there's a failure and a 22k will substitute

Dublin-Belfast are all loco hauled unless a enterprise set fails like yesterday when a 3k railcar operated

Hope that helps

 

[IR-Mark4/ICR]

8am and 9am heuston-cork are 22k railcar
11:30 and 12:30 cork heuston are 22k railcar

If the services state first class, buffet bar, standard class and trolley service then chances are it's a loco hauled mk4 set unless there's a failure and a 22k will substitute

08.00, 09.00, 13.00, 21.00 Heuston-Cork all ICR (08.00, 09.00 Mon-Thur only)
09.30, 11.30, 12.30, 16.30 Cork-Heuston all ICR (11.30, 12.30 Mon-Thur only)

At the minute the 13.00 and 21.00 and 09.30 and 16.30 will remain ICR untl further notice, will have further info shortly on weather the plan will be to remain ICR operated once new timetable starts on Sun.

After Cork and Belfast no loco hauled passenger service.

 

[GM078]

If I was you and I hadn't been to Ireland (been here all my life!) before I'd recommend trying to fit in the Ballybrophy-Nenagh-Limerick branch - it's quite possible this will close in the medium term.

You could probably fit it in around a trip to Cork, say by getting the morning branch train to Limerick and then heading out to Limerick Junction to meet a later Cork service (or vice versa in the evening).

Timetable:

http://www.irishrail.ie/media/03-DublinLimerick(viaNenagh)1.pdf

Best done on a Saturday though possible on a Sunday evening as well.

Limerick Junction-Waterford would also be worth covering for the same reasons though it probably has a slightly better chance of survival. Unfortunately it has no Sunday service.

http://www.irishrail.ie/media/12-WaterfordLimerick1.pdf

 

[MidnightFlyer]

You may also wish to check out the Western Corridor between Ennis and Galway (despite it being only a few years old) - I believe it, alongside the lines via Clonmel and Nenagh as suggested above, has a very unclear future.

 

[jamesontheroad]

Follow @Translink_NI for service updates on the Enterprise; they usually give a few hours notice if the Enterprise is operated by a DMU.

Please consider a stop in Belfast - there's lots to see, do, eat and drink. The HINI Hostel and a couple of good hotels are reachable on foot from Botanic station. It's relatively easy to avoid the current "fleg" protests.

 

[IR-Mark4/ICR]

You may also wish to check out the Western Corridor between Ennis and Galway (despite it being only a few years old) - I believe it, alongside the lines via Clonmel and Nenagh as suggested above, has a very unclear future.

THe Westren Rail Carridor is the only line with a secure future, not a hope of it closing. I wouldn't bother with it as it would be a waste of you time and money. Very low speed.

Many people call it Wasted Rail Corridor.

 

[GM078]

THe Westren Rail Carridor is the only line with a secure future, not a hope of it closing. I wouldn't bother with it as it would be a waste of you time and money. Very low speed.

Many people call it Wasted Rail Corridor.

Indeed. I suspect the fact that it was only recently relayed and reopened is the only thing saving it given the low numbers. It pains me to say this as an enthusiast but it really has done more harm than good to the cause of reopening Irish routes - this could be a thread in itself (as anyone who reads a certain Irish transport forum well knows!).

 

[island]

You may wish to consider the Irish Rail Trekker ticket, valid for four consecutive days anywhere in the Republic of Ireland for €110.

You would need a separate ticket north of Dundalk.

 

[GM078]

You may wish to consider the Irish Rail Trekker ticket, valid for four consecutive days anywhere in the Republic of Ireland for €110.

You would need a separate ticket north of Dundalk.

Good suggestion. The price of a on-the-day fare to Cork alone is pretty hefty so even if you don't get the full four days out of the trekker it may work out cheaper. It also makes things less complicated if using different routes etc.

You can get cheap tickets online depending on how far ahead you book, but these tie you down to specific times.

To look up booking office fares try www.railusers.ie

Just a thought but if you do go to Belfast it might be worth getting the Bangor train to Cultra and checking out the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum - it's no NRM but worth spending a few hours in.

If you're over in the summer and willing to put in a bit of bus travel it would be worth getting the bus from Belfast out to Downpatrick to visit the Downpatrick & County Down Railway - www.downrail.co.uk