Athenry-Galway Commuter Service in 2009
 

Are the planned commuter services between Athenry and Galway in 2009 simply going to be the new services between Galway-Limerick stopping in Athenry starting next year or will there be more Galway-Athenry services in 2009?

In the Galway Independent IE claimed that there was a new service starting in 2009 going from Athlone to Galway, stopping at Athenry.
I emailed IE a week ago to get more details, but haven't had a response yet.

There will be a train every 2 hours between Dublin and Galway, without hourly at peak time

Any extra services are likely to be Limerick - Athenry - Galway, the single track line makes it very difficult to increase beyond a total of 3 trains per hour

Do you mean "with" hourly at peak time? That's what I was promised by Dick Fearn in 2005.

By the way, what is "peak time" on an intercity jourrney?

hourly at peak sorry about that

presume it means 3 departures between 16:45 and 19:15 to Galway and three trains towards Dublin in the morning, 2 before 9 and one shortly after

Which is why I was surprised by the announcement in the Galway Independent.

Key issue is trains towards Dublin are going to be leaving in the 6am to 8am bracket which will somewhat conflict with trains going the other way realistically you can't get more than 3 trains per hour between Athenry and Galway not matter how you play the order of trains

From a business perspective a pre 9am arrival into Galway from Dublin is desireable

A passing loop at a possible station at Oranmore would change that dramaticly.

Not really just brings the number to 4 trains per hour, but increased journey times as a side effect

just to be clear - is that 4 trains per hour per direction or 4 trains per hour full stop?

4 in total

eeek
assuming no passing loop
an hourly intercity train each way at peak leaves only one commuter slot every hour - not much better than what's there as is

The real problem is you can't run two trains in the same direction on a single track route with the exception of Bray Greystones

Any plans to double track the route? I assume it was originally built as a double line.

Still awaiting confirmation, but its impossible to deliver the service talked about without 2 tracks to at least Oranmore, realistically Athenry

Dublin services save a number of minutes as well when complete

Is it still staff-based one in one out ?


A quick look at Gmaps pedometer shows the distance needing doubling from Athenry-Galway as 13 miles only

Standard one train in section, it could be upgraded but the solution is two tracks

Park and Ride from Athenry to Galway this Christmas! by Corporate Communications
 

looks like a good development - anecdotally i would have noticed an increase in people using the train to go to galway from athenry over the last few years.