Irish Rail issues weekend travel warning as train cancellations confirmed
Passengers of Irish Rail are being urged to check their travel arrangements in advance
Irish Rail passengers are being advised to check their journeys ahead of the weekend, with a number of train cancellations, timetable changes and replacement bus services confirmed across several routes.
Iarnród Éireann has announced that planned engineering works will affect services on Saturday, October 17, and Sunday, October 18, with passengers travelling through Limerick, Galway, Dublin and Sligo among those impacted.
The disruption will see several services cancelled entirely, while others will operate with bus transfers or amended departure times.
Passengers are being urged to check their travel arrangements in advance and allow additional time for their journeys.
Limerick and Dublin services affected
Engineering works between Limerick and Limerick Junction will result in significant changes to services on Saturday and Sunday.
On Saturday, the 5.25am service from Limerick to Dublin Heuston will be cancelled, while the 6.10am Limerick to Limerick Junction service will be replaced by a bus departing at 6am.
The 6.40am Limerick to Heuston service will also be affected, with passengers required to take a bus departing Limerick at 6.25am to Limerick Junction, where they can connect with the 7.09am train to Dublin.
Further bus transfers will operate throughout the morning, affecting the 7.45am and 8.55am Limerick to Heuston departures.
The 9.03am Limerick to Limerick Junction service has also been cancelled.
On Sunday, replacement buses will operate for several Limerick services, including the 8.25am, 10.25am and 12.25pm departures to Dublin Heuston, with passengers connecting to trains at Limerick Junction.
Galway and Ennis passengers face changes
Passengers travelling between Limerick, Ennis and Galway will also experience disruption throughout the weekend.
On Saturday, the 5.55am Limerick to Galway service will operate with replacement buses between Limerick and Ennis, where passengers can board the 6.49am train to Galway.
The 9.20am Limerick to Galway service will also involve a bus transfer, with the connecting train departing Ennis at 10am.
Several Limerick to Ennis services will be replaced by buses, with separate transfers serving Sixmilebridge.
Similar arrangements will apply on Sunday, including the 9am and 12.28pm Limerick to Galway services.
The 5.52pm Galway to Limerick service on Sunday will operate by train as far as Ennis, with replacement buses completing the journey to Limerick.
Sligo services cancelled
Meanwhile, engineering works between Dromod and Sligo will result in further disruption on Saturday evening.
The 4.05pm Dublin Connolly to Sligo service has been cancelled, along with the 5.05pm Sligo to Connolly service.
The 5.05pm and 7.32pm Connolly to Sligo services will operate by train as far as Dromod, with replacement buses serving Carrick-on-Shannon, Boyle, Ballymote, Collooney and Sligo.
The 7.05pm Sligo to Connolly service will also involve a bus transfer, departing Sligo at 6.35pm and connecting with a train from Dromod at 8.07pm.
Further disruption planned
The weekend engineering works form part of Irish Rail's ongoing programme of improvements to the national railway network.
Further disruption is already scheduled for the October bank holiday weekend, from October 24 to 26, including works affecting Limerick services, DART routes and other parts of the network.
Passengers are advised to check the latest timetables and service updates before travelling, as replacement bus arrangements and amended departure times may affect journey durations.
Full details of planned engineering works and service changes are available on the Irish Rail website at www.irishrail.ie.