Iarnrod Eireann is asking any potential suppliers of a much-needed and long awaited return to onboard catering services on the Dublin to Galway rail lines to be creative and innovative when identifying solutions.
Last year, 2.8 million passengers used the Galway to Dublin rail link, but despite this, for many years now, there has not been any provision of hot or cold drinks, or food or snacks onboard.
In reply to questions from the Galway Advertiser, the company said that it is continuing to work to restore catering services to Intercity routes not currently served, but at this time they are not funded by the NTA to do so, nor do they have a date estimate for any resumption.
“Within the National Transport Authority funding for catering services under our Public Service Contract, we are only in a position to provide a partial service at present, with catering service being provided on the busiest Iarnród Éireann-only route Dublin to Cork (which also serves most Limerick and Kerry customers ), and with Translink on Dublin to Belfast,” said company spokesman Barry Kenny.
“We know a catering service is part of our customers’ expectation on all Intercity routes. We are re-engaging with existing catering providers in the market, albeit limited in number, and with operators not currently in this market.
“We are asking potential suppliers to be creative and innovative in identifying solutions which will allow us to resume catering on other routes in a cost-effective manner,” he said, adding that they will continue to update customers on any progress, but at this time, they are unable to confirm any restoration date.
The news came in a record year for rail journeys across the Iarnród Éireann network, demand on the Galway/Dublin Intercity route in 2025 surged by over 9% to 2.8 million journeys, a new record high, beating 2024’s previous record of 2.56 million.
In total, journeys on the Iarnród Éireann network – including Intercity, Commuter and DART services – recorded a new highest ever total of 55.04 million journeys, up from 2024’s previous record of 50.7 million.
In addition, Galway / Limerick route journeys also continued their growth, increasing by 4% from 740,000 to 770,000 along the corridor.
Commenting on the highest ever passenger journeys both nationally and on Galway routes, Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive Mary Considine said: “We welcome another record year in demand for Iarnród Éireann services in 2025, which shows the appetite amongst commuters and communities for high-quality and high-capacity public transport.
“As passenger volumes continue to grow in 2026, all of us charged with delivering public transport in Ireland must continue to expand our services to meet the demand which exists today and to help more commuters switch to public transport. Our ongoing and planned investment programmes – in our network, in new trains and in our stations – are crucial to enabling that switch, right across the country.
“That investment will also allow more housing to be developed along our rail network for a more sustainable future, and the development of further investment programmes and projects under the All-Island Strategic Rail Review means rail as the backbone of Ireland’s sustainable transport network is a vision we are on the way to realising.
“None of this – from welcoming record passenger numbers today, to building the railway of the future – is achievable without the Iarnród Éireann team of over 5,200 colleagues, and I thank them for their continued efforts and commitment to delivering safe, customer-focused services every single day.”
Investment, funded by the Department of Transport through the National Transport Authority, is continuing to enhance services including:
Iarnród Éireann’s construction of the new Ceannt Station in Galway is on schedule for completion later this year, and the new five-platform station with enhanced customer facilities and connectivity with public transport and active travel modes will facilitate service expansion long into the future.
Oranmore Station works to enhance frequency through a second platform and passing section of track are continuing, with completion in 2027.
New DART trains entering service in 2027 will begin to free up Intercity trains for use elsewhere on the network, facilitating much-needed additional capacity including for Galway services.
The recently published Rail Projects Prioritisation Strategy, under the All-Island Strategic Rail Review, prioritises additional platforms and passing sections of track at Woodlawn and Clara to allow further service expansion on the route also, with development targeted by 2030.
