Winter timetable for the Killarney to Galway express bus service

CityLink have announced a winter timetable for the express coach service between Galway City and Killarney, Co Kerry, from Wednesday 1 October 2014.

Timetable and route

Services run between the Galway Coach Station and East Avenue in Killarney, with  pick-up / drop-off stops at

• GMIT in Dublin Rd, Galway
• The main bus stop in Farranfore -- this stop is newly added to the timetable.

Between October and February, there will be services on Friday and Sunday only, with two services each day in each direction, at 8:30am and 5:30pm. on those days.

Other options

Currently no other company runs a direct service on this route.   However other regional buses can be used for a non express service with a change in Limerick.

Galway city buses now accept Leap smartcards for fare payments

From Sunday 28 September 2014, the LEAP card will be accepted as a way of paying fares on Galway City bus services.

Buses and trains to the National Ploughing Championships, 2014

The National Ploughing Championships are being held at Ratheniska, Stradbally, Co. Laois  from 23-25 September 2014.

The following companies are providing return services from Galway:

• Irish Rail are offering a combined rail service between Galway and Portarlington, combined with a bus from there to Ratheniska.

• No bus services have been announced as yet - check back for updates. (BusLink ran a service in 2013.)

Check with the company for timetable, booking and departure / pickup points.  Likely departure points include:

• Galway Coach Station
• Galway Cathedral

For concerts, return services generally leave 30-60 minutes after the concert ends, from the same place where the bus drops you off.   Festival arrangements are sometimes slightly different.

Services from other towns and cities

• Bus Éireann will run a shuttle service to the site from railway stations at Portlaoise, Portarlington and Athy.  This service is open to motorists and train passengers, and drops off near the gate to the purple car-park.
  
  Note; there is only one shuttle service each day from Athy, meetng the one train from Waterford.
  
  Return buses leave from Ratheniska 30 minutes before the ticketed train time, or 40 minutes for Waterford and Thomastown.

• Irish Rail are offering special fares on rail services:
  From  Dublin, Cork, Ennis and Limerick, and Tralee to Portlaoise,
  From Galway and Westport to Portarlington
  From Waterford to Athy.
  Tickets for these services include Bus Éireann services from the nearest station to Ratheniska.

• Matthews Coaches are running a bus each day from Inniskeen, Dundalk and Drogheda (M1 retail park ).  Pre-booking is essential.

• Collins Coaches Buses on 23, 24 and 25 September, from Monaghan, Clontibret, Annyalla, Castleblayney, Carrickmacross, Ardee.  Book on-line through their website.

• Journey Through Ireland a day tour on 24 September, from Roscommon/ Athlone/ Kilbeggan/ Tullamore. Call +353 (0)46 9-555-444 or mail info@jti.ie

• O'Callaghan Coaches are running day trips each day from Killarney.

• Boyce Travel Centre are running one three day trip from Donegal, leaving on Tuesday and returning on Thursday, includes accommodation.

• East Coast Coaches are running same-day return trips on Tuesday 23rd, from Belfast, stopping at Lisburn, Banbridge, Newry, Dundalk, Drogheda and Dublin (N2).   Pre-booking required.

• A2B Buses are running a day trip from Tydavnet, Co Monaghan.

Details of other services will be added as they become available.   Email editor@GalwayTransport.info if you have a scheduled service to add to the list.