Rail travel in Ireland
Ireland's rail network fans out from Dublin and Belfast to almost all the major cities and towns on the island. It's a relatively small, diesel-hauled network, but quick, comfortable and inexpensive, so it's a great way to travel inter-city. There are also a few suburban / commuter lines around Dublin, Cork and Belfast.
Dublin also has a tram or light-rail system LUAS, see Dublin#Get around, not described here but it's the way to get between Dublin's two main stations, Heuston and Connolly.
UnderstandIreland's first railway opened in 1834 to connect Dublin to its port of Kingstown, now Dún Laoghaire. As in Great Britain, the Irish rail network grew during the 19th century but on a much smaller scale.
PlanningUse these pages for outline planning of your itinerary, but you need to study the relevant transport websites for timetables, fares and deals, online tickets, and travel disruptions. The main ones are:
Cities and ports of entryAlso refer to individual city "Get in" sections for more detail. Irish railway stations are small by European and British standards, easy to navigate, and fairly central in town.
RoutesThese radiate from Dublin and Belfast, with only a few side lines or cross-country routes, so it's not so much a network as a star-burst.
Using the trainAt the station: Irish stations are small by European standards, so they're easy to navigate.
Railway heritageIreland's railways were built in the Victorian age like Great Britain's, but the unique gauge and small network means there isn't the same wealth of heritage.
See also
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Rail travel in Ireland" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0