Limerick Suburban Rail ( ga, Iarnród Fo-uirbeach Luimnigh) are a group of Iarnród Éireann commuter train services from Limerick Colbert to various other destinations on three different lines. * Limerick – Ennis, 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 Ireland. Nenagh used to be a market town, and the site of the East Munster Ormond ...

, 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 t ...

Limerick to Ennis

The Limerick to Ennis suburban service runs over the southernmost of the former Waterford, Limerick and Western Railway(WL&WR) track between Limerick and the junction with the

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...

–

Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a city in the West of Ireland, in the province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay, and is the sixth most populous city on ...

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 virt ...

. 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 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.

Limerick to Nenagh Commuter Line

The Limerick Colbert to

commuter rail line operates over a short section of the Limerick – Limerick Junction line before joining the Limerick–Ballybrophy railway line 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. 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 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 coast with Rosslare Europort on the coast of the Irish Sea. It also serves the city of Waterford, and at it conne ...

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" , mapsize = 220px , pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe , pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe , pushpin_relief = 1 , coordinates ...

. 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 Dubli ...

, Clonmel and

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

References

External links

Limerick-Ennis / Ennis-Limerick train times

Limerick-Nenagh / Nenagh-Limerick train times

Limerick-Limerick Junction-Waterford train times, retrieved 13 March 2011

Iarnrod Eireann Network Statement 2011, retrieved 13 March 2011

Timetable Alterations: Valid From 13 December 2010, retrieved 13 March 2011

New Public Consultation Process for Rail Timetable Changes, retrieved 13 March 2011 onward link to timetable PDF broken

Speeds to be increased on Nenagh to Limerick line (Nenagh Guardian 08/01/2011), retrieved 13 March 2011

Irish Railway News Forum: Evening Limerick to Nenagh Service Often Returns Empty From Birdhill, retrieved 13 March 2011
Rail transport in the Republic of Ireland Limerick (city)

Limerick to Ennis

Limerick to Nenagh Commuter Line

Limerick to Limerick Junction

See also

References

External links