This is a summary of the changes to Galway public transport services which are due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation.
It will be kept up-to-date as services are reduced, and as they start operating again - current information is in black, outdated information is in grey.
Overall
From 29 March 2020, people in Ireland are allowed to use public transport when they are buying food or medicines, carers, going to medical appointments, or going to work. (link).This restriction was broadened to a recommendation to use public transport for essential journeys only from July 2020, and a recommendation to leave peak-time services for essential workers - but these are not enforced.
Galway city buses
Bus Eireann
- 25 March: Buses are running according to their normal timetables - link. (Passenger levels are very low, drivers are making an effort not to run ahead of time.)
- From Wed 1 April
Buses have had some seating closed off, to maintain social distancing
City buses will run to a Saturday timetable, with some enhancements. Link. - Route 402 - extra buses at:
6:30am from Knocknacarra to Merlin Road and from Merlin Park to Knocknacarra - Route 405 - extra buses at:
6:30, 7:00 and 7:30am in both directions, ie from Rahoon ((B&Q) to Ballybane (Boston Scientific) and from Ballybane (Boston Scientific) to Rahoon ((B&Q)
- From Monday 8 June, city buses run by Bus Eireann return to regular timetables (ref)
Note: Bus Eireann services in Galway City are subsidised by the National Transport Authority. This is why they are able to continue running, while private companies have to cancel services due to low demand.
City Direct
- Routes 410, 412 and 414 suspended from the evening of 16 March 2020 (link)
- Route 411 running a Saturday service from 18 March 2020 (link)
- Route 411 suspended from 9:15pm on 24-March-2020 (link)
- Route 411 recommenced on Monday 7th September, with buses between 7am to 9.15pm daily, and a reduced timetable on Sundays.
- Routes 410, 411 and 412 returned to regular schedule from Saturday 7 November 2020 (link)
- The hospital shuttle, operated by City Direct, has run throughout, but this is for staff / patients only, not the general public.
Galway regional and national buses
Burkes - Tuam
- Reduced services from Saturday 21 March (link)
- Further reductions from 30 March (link): Galway to Tuam is the only route which is operating, 6 services per day Monday - Friday, 3 on Saturday, and no services on Sundays.
- From Monday 15 June - more buses are running on the Galway / Tuam route, and some services on the Galway / Headford route (ref)
- From Monday 19 October, returned to close to the regular timetable on the Tuam, Headford and Mayo routes - see details here.
Bus4You - Roscommon
- Services suspended from the evening of Thursday 26 March (link)
- From Monday 15 June, running one service a day, leaving Roscommon at 7am and returning from Galway at 6:30pm (link).
- From Wednesday 1 July, adding a second daily service, and a Saturday service (link). Further services have been added since - see their website for details.
- From September 2020, added early morning services (link) and Sunday evening student services (link).
Bus Eireann
- From 23 March
Some Expressway services are cancelled. These include
Route 20: 5:20am an 7:30am from Galway to Dublin Airport
Rout 20x: 5am and 6am from Dublin Airport to Galway
Route 51: 7:10am from Ennis to Galway
Route 64: 9:15pm Silgo to Galway
- From Wed 1 April Buses have had some seating closed off, to maintain social distancing
Regional coaches / buses will run to a Saturday timetable, with some exceptions. Link.
Exceptions:
Route 419 - Oughterard will have a bus at 7:05am from Galway to Oughterard, and 7:45am from Oughterard to Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT)
A Monday to Friday timetable will operate on routes 417 - Tuam, 425a - Mountbellew, 434 - Gort
- From Sunday 17 May
These Expressway services are cancelled:
Route X20 8am, 2pm 5pm and 10:30pm Dublin Airport to Galway on Saturday and Sunday
Route X20 10:30am, 1:30pm and 4:30pm Galway to Dublin Airport on Saturday and Sunday
Route 51: 7:05am, 9:05am and 3:05pm Galway to Cork - Monday to Sunday
Route 51: 9:25am, 12:25pm and 2:25pm Cork to Galway - Monday to Sunday
Route 52: 7am and 9pm Galway to Ballina - Monday to Sunday
Route 52: 11:35am and 5pm Ballina to Galway - Monday to Sunday
- From Monday 8 June
Exressway services return to normal times, except for these which are cancelled:
Route X20 8am, 5pm Dublin Airport to Galway on Saturday and Sunday
Route X20 1:30pm and 4:30pm Galway to Dublin Airport on Saturday and Sunday
Route X20 8:30am, 10:30am, Galway to Dublin Airport - all days
Route X20 5pm and 10:30pm Dublin Airport to Galway - all days
Route 51: 7:05am, 9:05am and 3:05pm Galway to Cork - Monday to Sunday
Route 51: 9:25am, 12:25pm and 2:25pm Cork to Galway - Monday to Sunday
Route 52: 7am and 9pm Galway to Ballina - Monday to Sunday
Route 52: 11:35am and 5pm Ballina to Galway - Monday to Sunday
Bus Feda - Donegal
- Reduced services from Saturday 21 March (link)
- Services cancelled after 30 March 2020. (Link)
- Services between Donegal Sligo, Mayo and Galway are re-starting fully on Thursday 1 October (link). Services must be pre-paid, booking is strongly advised.
CityLink - Dublin, Cork/Limerick and Clifden/Cleggan
- Some service changes happened from Saturday 14 March (link)
- The 1:00am from Galway and 6:30am from Dublin Airport commuter services will not run on 17 March 2020.(link)
- All services suspended from 12:30am on Saturday 21 March (link).
For people with a Taxsaver, 10 journey or an open return ticket purchased from the driver, they will extend your ticket once services are in operation again (link)
- Services started again on Friday 31 July 2020 (link). They will have a reduced timetable, with
Galway - Dublin express, 9 services daily, two-hourly from 5am - 7pm plus 1:15am
Galway - Dublin multi-stop: 3 services daily
Galway - Clifden: 4 services daily
Galway - Limerick - Cork: 4 services daily
Farrells - Athenry
- Services suspended from the evening of Wednesday 25 March (link)
- A limited daytime service started from Monday 29 June (link)
- The service has been suspended from 13 July 2020, due to lack of demand (link)
- All services, including NightLinks, started again from Friday 25 September (link).
GoBus - Dublin and Ballina, Co Mayo
- Services suspended from Monday 16 March (link)
- All services started again on Monday 21 September, with reduced timetables on some routes (link)
Healy Bus - Loughrea via Oranmore and Castlebar to Galway
- Services suspended from Tueday 17 March (link)
- Services started again from 11 October 2020 - as per the previous timetable, except there is no 7:45am bus from Loughrea (link).
Trains
22 March 2020: Trains are running according to normal timetables, but catering is suspended on intercity trains (link).30 March 2020: revised timetables apply - see the journey planner for details of available trains. Allocated seat booking is suspended. (link)
Ferries
Aran Island Ferries are still running. Their office is closed, but Islanders can buy bus tickets from the driver, and ferry tickets at the pier. Non-Islanders are asked not to travel to the area until 29-March, at last, to protect the large number of elderly residents (link).
Ferry offices are now open, and visitors to the islands are permitted.
Taxis
Taxi companies are still operating normally, but individual drivers may not be working, or may ask you to do certain things, eg pay by card.