Pre-booking for bank holiday ‘essential' says Irish Rail with many trains already sold out
Customers for intercity services have been told to pre-book for the 'busiest times across the weekend' with the annual Bord Bia Bloom festivities kicking off in Dublin on Thursday and running until bank holiday Monday.
There is particularly 'high demand' on intercity routes coming into Heuston Station, Irish Rail said, with a free shuttle bus service going from Parkgate Street, just a five-minute walk from Heuston, to the Bloom site in the Phoenix Park.
Some intercity trains from Galway, Limerick, Cork and Waterford to Dublin are already sold out and customers have been told to pre-book their tickets via the Irish Rail website to guarantee travel.
There is also a revised timetable in place for some services this weekend from Saturday to bank holiday Monday with major works planned between Connolly Station and Blackrock.
Track renewal, bridge upgrade and level crossing renewal works will be taking place across multiple sites, impacting southside Dart and Rosslare intercity services.
From May 31 to June 2, Dart services will be suspended between Connolly and Dún Laoghaire Stations. Rail tickets will be valid on Dublin Bus services to and from the impacted areas.
Dart services will be in operation between Malahide/Howth and Connolly, and between Dún Laoghaire and Bray/Greystones.
Dublin to Rosslare intercity rail services will operate with bus transfers between Connolly Station and Bray.
With a number of events taking place over the June bank holiday weekend, extra services will be operating to accommodate those attending. This will include additional trains from Cork and Galway to Heuston for Bloom over the weekend, and northside Dart and Maynooth trains following concerts at St Anne's Park on Saturday and Sunday.
On Saturday, Aslan are set to play the West Lawn at Malahide Castle, with extra Malahide Dart services in place after the concert. Additional early trains from Cobh, Mallow and Midleton are also planned to Cork for the Cork City Marathon on Sunday.
Extra trains from Dundalk to Dublin are planned for Sunday ahead of Armagh taking on Dublin in the All-Ireland Football Championship at Croke Park.
Customers have also been advised that Dart and commuter trains will be on a Sunday schedule for bank holiday Monday.
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