Thurles to Dublin: New Rail Plan for Improved Accessibility

Here’s a summary of the key points from the article about Irish Rail‘s plans:

* Significant Investment: Irish Rail is investing €5.2 million in studies to plan improvements to the national rail network over the next 10-15 years.
* Dublin-Cork Focus: The Dublin-Cork line is the initial priority.
* Increased Frequency: Hourly services will become half-hourly during peak times in the next few years, eventually extending to the full day.
* Reduced Travel Time: The goal is to reduce the Dublin-Cork journey time from 2 hours 35 minutes to 90 minutes by the mid-2030s (currently a non-stop train takes 2 hours 14 minutes). They aim for under 2 hours (around 110 minutes) with track adn signalling upgrades.
* Attractiveness of Commuter Towns: Increased frequency will make towns like Thurles more attractive for commuters who can work hybrid.
* Network-Wide Upgrades: Following Dublin-Cork, upgrades are planned for services to Limerick, Waterford, Galway, Sligo, and Westport.
* Hourly Intercity Services: The aim is to have hourly departures on all Intercity routes, like the existing Dublin-Belfast service.
* Clock-Face Timetables: Implementing consistent, regular departure times (e.g., every hour, quarter-past) for easier scheduling.
* Infrastructure Improvements: This includes laying extra track, building spurs at bottlenecks, and electrifying the entire rail network.
* Benefits of Electrification: Electrification will reduce carbon emissions and provide a quieter travel experience.