Limerick Suburban Rail ( ga, Iarnród Fo-uirbeach Luimnigh) are a group of
Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann () or Irish Rail, is the operator of the national railway network of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ). It operates all internal InterCity, Commuter, DART and fr ...
commuter train services from Limerick Colbert to various other destinations on three different lines.
* Limerick –
Ennis
Ennis () is the county town of County Clare, in the mid-west of Ireland. The town lies on the River Fergus, north of where the river widens and enters the Shannon Estuary. Ennis is the largest town in County Clare, with a population of 25,27 ...
, calling at
Sixmilebridge
Sixmilebridge (), is a large village in County Clare, Ireland. Located midway between Ennis and Limerick city, the village is a short distance away from the main N18 road.
Sixmilebridge partly serves as a dormitory village for workers in the ...
* Limerick –
Nenagh
Nenagh (, ; or simply ''An tAonach'') meaning “The Fair of Ormond” or simply "The Fair", is the county town and second largest town in County Tipperary in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Nenagh used to be a market town, and the site of the ...
, calling at
Castleconnell
Castleconnell (, historically ''Caisleán Uí Chonaing'') is a village in County Limerick on the banks of the River Shannon. It is from Limerick city and near the boundaries of counties Clare and Tipperary.
History
The ruins of the ' Castle ...
and
Birdhill
Birdhill ()Placenames Database of Ireland (see archival records) is a village in
Limerick Junction
Limerick Junction ( ga, Gabhal Luimnigh) is the interchange railway station for trains originating in , , , , and stations. The station opened on 3 July 1848.
The station was highly noted for its layout which prior to 1967 required every tr ...
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
–
Galway
Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...
mainline at
Athenry
Athenry (; ) is a town in County Galway, Ireland, which lies east of Galway city. Some of the attractions of the medieval town are its town wall, Athenry Castle, its priory and its 13th century street-plan. The town is also well known by virtu ...
. In the 2016 timetable, nine services per weekday are operated from Limerick to Ennis and vice versa, five and four of each being stops made by Limerick-Galway InterCity trains respectively. Sunday service is eight trains from Limerick to Ennis and nine trains from Ennis to Limerick, and similarly four trains per direction are Limerick-Galway InterCity services. Services are timetabled for a 40-minute duration.
Passenger services on this section ceased in 1976 but were re-introduced in 1988 as far as Ennis and were increased progressively until a full six-weekday service was begun in 1994 which also had a limited Sunday service. A further expansion to eight services per weekday was begun in 2003 with the timetable further reorganised in March 2010 to incorporate the newly reopened track north of Ennis and services between Limerick and Galway.
Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann () or Irish Rail, is the operator of the national railway network of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ). It operates all internal InterCity, Commuter, DART and fr ...
proposed that its timetable revision in 2011 would include an extra train from Galway to Ennis to meet an existing Limerick–Ennis–Limerick train to create a sixth service per direction per weekday between Limerick and Galway.
As of 2016, both InterCity and Commuter services are operated by 2800 Class diesel railcars whose top speed is sufficient for the limits of the existing single-track line ( with partial restrictions of between . These railcars normally operate in sets of two, offering 85 seats but platform lengths will allow between one and four such cars to operate together. The signalling system on this line only allows one train operating in the section at a time, but a
passing loop
A passing loop (UK usage) or passing siding (North America) (also called a crossing loop, crossing place, refuge loop or, colloquially, a hole) is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at or near a station, where trains or ...
is planned for the section's only intermediate halt at Sixmilebridge, which would permit trains to depart from Ennis and from Limerick at about the same time and pass each other within the limits of the loop track.
Nenagh
Nenagh (, ; or simply ''An tAonach'') meaning “The Fair of Ormond” or simply "The Fair", is the county town and second largest town in County Tipperary in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Nenagh used to be a market town, and the site of the ...
Limerick–Ballybrophy railway line
The Limerick–Ballybrophy line is a railway line connecting the city of Limerick with in County Laois. The line diverges from the Limerick to Limerick Junction railway line at Killonan Junction and continues in a north east direction with fi ...
at Killonan Junction, County Limerick.
As of 2021, Monday to Saturday services included two trains to Limerick Colbert (3 trains Mon - Fri), and two trains to
Ballybrophy
Ballybrophy (historically ''Ballybrohy'', from ) is a village in County Laois, Ireland. It had a population of 145 as of the 2002 census, and forms part of the Borris-in-Ossory electoral area. It is best known for the Ballybrophy railway statio ...
. Sunday services included one train to Limerick Colbert and one to Ballybrophy.
There is significant criticism from communities living along the line in Nenagh, Birdhill and Castleconnell of the service currently provided. The timetable does not work for workers and students trying to get to Limerick Colbert or
Dublin Heuston
Heuston Station ( ; ga, Stáisiún Heuston; formerly Kingsbridge Station) also known as Dublin Heuston, is one of Dublin's largest railway stations and links the capital with the south, southwest and west of Ireland. It is operated by Iar ...
in time to get to work during office hours or for third level college/university timetables.
This service normally operates in a block section where trains cannot operate at the same time but changes were made at Nenagh to allow the first Limerick–Ballybrophy train of the day to split there, with the front half continuing to Cloughjordan, Roscrea and Ballybrophy to meet the Dublin–Cork mainline and the back half turning back for Limerick forming the commuter service.
There are five services, three inbound and two outbound, per weekday between Limerick and Nenagh, four of which continue to or from Ballybrophy. As of 2016, there is only one inbound service to
Limerick Colbert Railway Station
Limerick Station ( ga, Stáisiún Luimnigh) also known as Colbert Station ( ga, Stáisiún Uí Cholbáird) or Limerick Colbert serves the city of Limerick in County Limerick. It is on Parnell Street and is the main station on the Limerick S ...
in the morning timetabled to arrive at 08:45 and one evening outbound at 17:50. Journey time is timetabled at between 55 and 68 minutes.
The service is operated by 2800 Class diesel railcars, whose top speeds are sufficient for the 60 mph limits between Limerick and Killonan Junction but is hampered by the condition of the track between Killonan Junction and Nenagh.
Limerick to Limerick Junction
This service is principally a shuttle along part of the
Limerick–Rosslare railway line
The Limerick–Rosslare Main Line is a railway route in the Republic of Ireland that linked the city of Limerick on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast with Rosslare Europort on the coast of the Irish Sea. It also serves the city of Waterford, ...
between Limerick station and Limerick Junction connecting to and from mainline services between Dublin and Cork as well as to a regional service to
Waterford
"Waterford remains the untaken city"
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. In the late 2000s, an enhanced commuter aspect was developed involving expansion of car parking at Limerick Junction was completed and in 2010 Iarnród Éireann also introduced a morning service from Thurles to Limerick from Monday to Friday which passes through Limerick Junction.
There are no intermediate stops on the Limerick Junction–Killonan Junction section or the Killonan Junction–Limerick section. Some services are part of direct Dublin–Limerick intercity trains operating using 22000 Class InterCity diesel railcars and the others operate using 2800 Class diesel railcars. Journey time is between 25 and 36 minutes in the 2016 timetable.
As of 2016, commuting from east of Limerick Junction was hampered by the arrangement where the train arriving from
Cahir
Cahir (; ) is a town in County Tipperary in Ireland. It is also a civil parish in the barony of Iffa and Offa West.
Location and access
For much of the twentieth century, Cahir stood at an intersection of two busy national roadways: the Dublin ...
,
Clonmel
Clonmel () is the county town and largest settlement of County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is noted in Irish history for its resistance to the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, Cromwellian army which sacked the towns of Dro ...
and
Waterford
"Waterford remains the untaken city"
, mapsize = 220px
, pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe
, pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe
, pushpin_relief = 1
, coordinates ...
at 09:00 does not proceed onward to Limerick and a shuttle train to Limerick does not depart until 09:40.{{original research inline, date=February 2021
Dublin Suburban Rail
The Dublin Suburban Rail ( ga, Iarnród Bruachbhailteach Baile Átha Cliath) network, branded as DART/ Commuter, is a railway network that serves the city of Dublin, Ireland, most of the Greater Dublin Area and outlying towns. The system is ma ...
*
Cork Suburban Rail
The Cork Suburban Rail ( ga, Iarnród Fobhailteach Chorcaí) network serves areas in and around Cork city in Ireland.
There has been a suburban rail system in Cork since the middle of the 19th century; however, it was subject to line closures i ...
*
Galway Suburban Rail
Galway Suburban Rail ( ga, Iarnród Bruachbhailteach na Gaillimhe) is a suburban rail service currently operating on the Dublin–Galway line between Galway, Oranmore and Athenry.Rail transport in Ireland
Rail transport in Ireland (InterCity, commuter and freight) is provided by Iarnród Éireann in the Republic of Ireland and by Northern Ireland Railways in Northern Ireland.
Most routes in the Republic radiate from Dublin. Northern Ireland has ...