The information below is for 2022.
See Galway Races bus and train information for this year.
Public transport and traffic-management plans for the Galway Races Summer Meeting between Monday 25 - Sunday 31 July 2022.
Summary
- Bus Éireann special races shuttle buses will run from Eyre Square.
- Private bus companies are running special services from various towns and villages. Some hotels are also organising shuttle services.
- The route 409 - Parkmore and route 401 - Salthill to Ballybrit / Parkmore Industrial city buses go to the racecourse (Avenue entrance). But there are restrictions during peak racing traffic hours Mon - Fri.
- There are some changes to regular regional buses during race week and the next week.
Race days and times
- Monday 29 July - Opening Day:
Gates open at 2:30pm, first race at 5:10pm, 7 races, last race at 8:20pm
- Tuesday 30 July - Throwback Tuesdays, 80's Night
Gates open at 2:30pm, first race at 5:10pm, 7 races, last race at 8:20pm
- Wednesday 31 July - The Tote Galway Plate Day & Country Music Extravaganza:
Gates open at 2:30pm, first race at 5:10pm, 7 races, last race at 8:20pm
- Thursday 1 August - The Guinness Galway Hurdle & Stylish Ladies Day:
Gates open at 11:15am, first race at 2:10pm, 8 races, last race at 6:10pm
- Friday 2 August - Friday's Most Stylish:
Gates open at 2:15pm, first race at 5pm, races, last race at 8:40pm
- Saturday 3 August - The Weekender:
Gates open at 11:30am, first race at 2pm, 8 races, last race at 5:55pm
- Sunday 4 August - Mad Hatter's Family Fun Day:
Gates open at 11:30am, first race at 2pm, 8 races, last race at 5:40pm
Special Shuttle Bus Services to Ballybrit Racecourse
From Eyre Square (Galway city centre)
Bus Éireann are running the races-special service between Galway city centre and the Galway Racecourse.Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday
- Shuttle buses to the racecourse will run from 3pm until 7pm, leaving Eyre Square as required.
- The return services will run from before the 2nd-to-last race, with the last bus leaving Ballybrit at 10:30pm.
Thursday and Saturday
- Shuttle buses to the racecourse will run from 11am, leaving Eyre Square as required.
- The return services will run from before the 2nd-to-last race, with the last bus leaving Ballybrit at 9pm
Sunday
- Shuttle buses are advertised as leaving Eyre Square "as required" from 11am.
- However in previous years, the special buses have not run on Sunday, and passengers are directed to the regular 401-Ballybrit or 409 bus.
- Extra buses are usually put on route 409 to meet demand later in the afternoon.
Fares
- Adult: €6 single and €10 return.
- Children: €3 single and €5 return.
- Booking is not possible. Buy your ticket when you catch the bus.
- Leap cards, Free Travel Pass, TaxSaver tickets and debit-card are not accepted on the Galway Races shuttle buses - pay in cash only, and ideally have the correct change
Route
Shuttle buses leave from the west side of Eyre Square, outside the Skeffington Arms Hotel (map). Drop off is through the tunnel entrance, within 50 yards of the course-entry.These shuttle buses do not pick-up or drop-off along the way. See "Regular Galway city services to Ballybrit" below for information about services which do.
From Oranmore
- Updates will be announced on their Facebook page.
- The bus stop is in the village, outside the Olde Brewery pub.
- The first bus will leave the village at
3:40pm on Mon, Tues and Wed
12:30pm on Thurs, Sat and Sun
3:30pm on Fri - Buses will operate a shuttle service: once one bus is full, it will leave and the next one will pull in to load.
- Return buses will start just after the last race each day.
- Tickets are available on the bus only. They cost €13 for return bus transfer and a complimentary drink one of the supporting pubs.
From Athenry
In previous years, buses ran from/ to the Raheen Woods hotel - services for this year have not yet been announced.
Regular Farrells of Athenry services to Galway city are likely to be running - they drop off in Eyre Square at the same place where the regular 401 and 409 services leave from, across the Square from the races-shuttle bus stop.
From Claregalway
There are three options for travelling to the races from Claregalway:- Paul Nash Travel is running a daily shuttle service from the village. For more information, call Paul on 087 81 61 400 or email info@paulnashtravel.com
- Bus4U special bus from Roscommon also pick up in Claregalway (see below for details).
- Regular public transport services from to and from Galway City (see the Claregalway Neighbourhood Map for details) connect with both city and races shuttle buses.
From Loughrea
Lough Rea Hotel are offering a bus package on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday only.
This is open to the public and hotel guests. It must be booked in advance. Phone or email them for details: (091) 88 00 88 or email info@loughreahotelandspa.com
This is timetabled to take 35 minutes (ie standard journey time for their multi-stop service), so is likely to stop at Oranmore and Craughwell.
This is starting on Monday 25 July so the first bus will actually run at 1am on Monday, some hours before the actual race meeting starts, and the last bus is at 1am on Sunday 31 July, ie this bus will not run after the last day of races on Sunday. (This sounds odd - but it is what their ticket-system is currently offering.)
From Roscommon
Bus4U will run one dedicated races bus from Roscommon each day, picking up in Athleague, Mt Talbot, Ballygar, Newbridge, Mountbellew, Moylough, Abbeyknockmoy, Turloughmore, Lackagh and Claregalway. Departure times from Roscommon is at- Monday: 2:35pm
- Tuesday: 2:35pm
- Wednesday: 2:35pm
- Thursday: 11:35am
- Friday: 2:25pm
- Saturday: 11:25am
- Sunday: 11:25am
and returning one hour after the last race.
Fares:
Apart from that, there are not usually special services from other Irish cities. Instead, use the use national and regional services to get to Galway: these stop very close to where the races shuttle buses leave from.
The Avenue (back) entrance to the racecourse (number (5) on the Parkmore area map) is served by these buses, which pick up from all stops along their route:
These routes will end at the Briarhill Shopping Centre Junction between
Fares:
- Roscommom / Athleague / Mt Tabbot - €20 (return) / €15 (single)
- Ballybar and closer - €15 (return) / €10 (single)
Enquires: phone them on 086 043-0753
From Tuam
Burkes servies from Tuam and Dunmore travel into Galway along the Tuam Road. They have a regular bus-stop at the racecourse entrance at Two Mile Ditch, beside Kenny Motors and McMahons. See North Galway regional bus services for links to their pages.From other towns
Some hotels in County Galway and beyond offer packages including races tickets and access to a shuttle-bus - contact them directly for more information.Apart from that, there are not usually special services from other Irish cities. Instead, use the use national and regional services to get to Galway: these stop very close to where the races shuttle buses leave from.
Regular Galway city services to Ballybrit
- Route 401 - through from Salthill to Eyre Square, and then travels along College Rd, through Wellpark, Mervue, Castlepark and Ballybrit, then on to Parkmore
- Route 409 - from Eyre Square, travels along the College and Dublin and Doughiska Roads.
- 3pm to 5pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
- 11.30am to 3:30pm on Thursday
- 4pm to 6pm on Friday.
Passengers going to/from the racecourse, Parkmore West Industrial Estate, Parkmore East Business and Technology Park, Galway Technology Park, Racecourse Business Park or Briarhill Business Park will need to walk for approx 15-20 minutes from this last stop.
Also routes 401 and 409 will not use the stops nearest to the Avenue entrance after the race meeting ends each day. Instead, passengers will get off / on the bus at the Parkmore roundabout stop (200 m north of the Avenue). Affected times:
Note: These times are based on the overall road closure times in the area, and may be extended if there are traffic management problems in the area.
On these buses, he usual city bus fares apply, and Leap cards, Travel Pass and TaxSaver tickets can be used.
Burkes Buses have not yet made an announcement.
Also routes 401 and 409 will not use the stops nearest to the Avenue entrance after the race meeting ends each day. Instead, passengers will get off / on the bus at the Parkmore roundabout stop (200 m north of the Avenue). Affected times:
- Monday 8:30pm - 10:30pm
- Tuesday 8:30pm - 10:30pm
- Wednesday 7-9pm
- Thursday 7-10pm
- Friday 8-10pm
- Saturday 5:30 - 7pm
Note: These times are based on the overall road closure times in the area, and may be extended if there are traffic management problems in the area.
On these buses, he usual city bus fares apply, and Leap cards, Travel Pass and TaxSaver tickets can be used.
Changes to regional bus services
Farrells of Athenry have not yet made an announcement. But in previous years:- The Nitelink service between Athenry and Galway ran from Wednesday until Sunday inclusive.
- The 5:10pm Galway to Athenry service did not run from Mon-Sat.
Burkes Buses have not yet made an announcement.
But in previous years the cancelled these services for Race Week and the following week:
Note that there is limited capacity, and booking on-line in advance is strong recommended, for both these trains and for regular services.
However the 2017 plan and map are still available for download from Galway Races website and it is likely that a very similar plan applies in 2022. Key points of this plan included:
- 7am from Dunmore to Galway
- 7:20am from Tuam to Galway
- 4pm from Galway to Headford
- 4:45pm from Headford to Galway
- 5:10pm will operate from Galway to Tuam only, not to Dunmore
All other Galway regional bus services are expected to operate normally during Race Week - though may suffer some delays due to traffic volumes.
Trains
Irish Rail are running at leave one extra train to/from Galway on each day during Race Week - with several extra trains on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. See their announcement for details.Note that there is limited capacity, and booking on-line in advance is strong recommended, for both these trains and for regular services.
Traffic Management Plan for the Galway Races 2022
The full traffic-management plan for 2022 has not yet been published.However the 2017 plan and map are still available for download from Galway Races website and it is likely that a very similar plan applies in 2022. Key points of this plan included:
- Traffic from the south and east (M6 / N6 or Oranmore south) can travel via Carnmore Cross and use the Blue Route - Avenue entrance - garda will control crossing right turn at Briarhill junction.
There is no access to the Avenue entrance from the N6 Eastbound (Dublin road) during the road closed times (listed above, under city bus changes).
- Traffic from the south and east (M6 / N6 or Oranmore and south) can travel via the old N6 and Galway clinic to use the Red route Tunnel entrance.
After the Briarhill junction, races traffic use the right lane, and city traffic use the left lane.
- Traffic from the north (Tuam) can use the Green route - Hill / Tuam Rd entrance - or turn left at the Parkmore Rd and use the Avenue entrance.
- Traffic from the city and west can use either the red entrance (via Bothar na dTtreabh), or the green or blue entrance (via Tuam Rd).
- Taxis have a special lane through the Green entrance