Christmas 2024 and New Year 2025 bus and train services in Galway

A summary of  bus and train services in Galway city and county 

for the

2024 Christmas and 2025 New Year period.

This is based on information published by the bus companies, and may change.
  Always check the services you want to use with the bus company.

New evening bus-service from Galway to Loughrea

Local Link Galway have announced they will be running three buses from Galway city to Loughrea each evening/night, starting on Monday 23 December 2024.

Route 439 will run from Galway Cathedral, stopping at Eyre Square, The G Hotel, ATU (formerly GMIT) Dublin Road, Oranmore Town Centre, Derrydonnell Cross, Craughwell, and Loughrea (Supervalu Athenry Rd, and Beattys). 

This is a 7-day, Monday to Sunday service, running every day except Christmas Day.

Buses will leave Eyre Square at 7:30pm, 9:30pm and 11:30pm.   Each journey takes approx. 50 minutes.   

No return (Loughrea to Galway) services are run by LocalLink - see East Galway regional buses for other options.

Fares have not been announced yet, but will probably be available on this page soon.   Leap card is accepted, and gives a 30% discount.   Free travel pass is also accepted on LocalLink services.

For queries, or to book a seat, phone (091) 842 384, or see www.locallinkgalway.ie

Galway-city Christmas Park-and-Ride for 2024

A park-and-ride service will run in Galway City for the Christmas 2024 shopping period.

It will run for eleven days, between Saturday 14 December and Tuesday 24 December inclusive. 

The service is being operated on behalf of Galway City Council, who commission and fund this service, using buses from locally-owned Callinan Coaches.

Decreases to City Direct Galway city fares

City Direct have announced  "we've made an update across all fare options".

They didn't give any details, but there has been standardisation with fares on other Galway city bus services, and a substantial decrease in some fares.  

For example, a adult single fare paid with a Leap card is now €1.35, and was previously €2.20.  This is a 39% decrease.

New fares  

Effective-date not stated, but perhaps 3 November 2024

ADULT FARES

• Single Cash Fare - €1.90
• Leap Single Fare - €1.35
• Leap Weekly Ticket - €16.80
• Leap Monthly Ticket - €60.00

CHILD FARES

• Single Cash - €0.90
• Leap Single Fare - €0.65
• Leap Weekly Ticket - €7.80
• Leap Monthly Ticket - €29.00

YOUNG ADULT

• Leap Single Fare - €0.65

STUDENT FARES

• Leap Monthly Ticket - €42.00

Advertised fares as at 16 June 2024 

(source: Internet Archive)

ADULT FARES

• Single Cash Fare - €2.70
• Monthly Ticket - €65
• Weekly Ticket - €20
• Leap Single Fare - €2.20
• Leap Monthly Ticket - €65
• Leap Weekly Ticket - €20

CHILD FARES

• Single Cash (3-12 years) - €1
• Single Cash (13-16 years) - €1.50
• Weekly Ticket - €15
• Leap Single (3-16 years) - €1.40
• Leap Weekly Ticket - €15 (up to 16 years old)
• Leap Monthly Ticket - €42 (up to 16 years old)

STUDENT FARES

• Single Cash Fare - €2 - applies from the 1st of September to the 31st of May on all routes.  I.D. is required.
• Leap Card Single - €1.90 - accepted from the 1st of September to the 31st of May on all routes.
• Leap Monthly Ticket - €55

 

Route 418 - Athenry cancelled

Farrel's of Athenry have announced that their daytime route 418 service between Athenry and Galway is cancelled from Friday 13 September 2024.

Their Nightlink service will continue to operate normally - note that buses operating this service now have "Spains Coach Hire" branding.

Bus Éireann Expressway fare increases, July 2024

Bus Éireann have announced that Expressway bus fares are going up, from 29 July 2024.

• Adult single fares are increasing by at least 50 cent (more for longer journeys).
  
  
• On average, fares are going up by 4.5%.
  eg   Galway / Cork adult single increases from €17.60 to €18.40 
  
  
• A new 6-trip weekly ticket is available:   You can buy it either online or the a bus, and you get a discount of up to 22%  
  (This ticket is aimed at people who work-from-home part of the week.   There is an existing 10-trip weekly ticket which can be purchased the same way)

Buses to the Galway Races, 2024

Public transport and traffic-management plans for the Galway Races Summer Meeting between Monday 29 July - Sunday 4 August 2024.

Summary

• Races shuttle buses will run from Eyre Square, leaving from outside the Skeff.

• Some bus companies are running special services from various towns and villages.  Some hotels are also organising shuttle services. 

• Bus Eireann's 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, and you will be dropped approx 20 minutes walk from the entrance
• BE have announced that regular city services during Race Week cost €1.35 per journey if you use a Leap Card.

• There are some changes to regular regional buses during race week and the next week.

Route x51 buses to Shannon airport for summer 2024

Bus Éireann have announced that for the 2024 summer-season, there will be seven services each way on the Expressway x51 Galway - Limerick service:

• Five buses between Galway and Shannon airport.
• Two express (x51) buses between Galway and Limerick via Shannon Airport.

These buses do not stop at ATU (previously called GMIT).

This starts from 20 June 2024. 

Other services on route 51:  Galway to Cork via Limerick, are no affected.

Cancellation of route 706 - Aircoach Galway to Dublin airport

Aircoach route 706 approaching The Huntsman

With little in the way of public announcements, Aircoach cancelled all services on route 706  (Galway to Dublin airport, via Portincula Hospital (Ballinasloe), Athlone, Maynooth and Dublin city-centre.

This service started in 2021, and the last day for this service was 8 April 2024.

See Galway eastern regional bus services for information about other options in on these routes.

Summer ferry services from Galway city to Inis Mor

Aran Ferries have announced that they will be running ferry services from Galway city centre to for the 2024 summer season.

This service will start from Friday 29 March 2024.   No end-date has been announced.

There is one sailing each day, leaving Galway city at 9:30am, and from Inis Mór at 4:15pm.

Sailings take 1.5 hours from Galway, and 1 and 3/4 hours on the return journey, which travels via the Cliffs of Mohr.

Note:  although this has been announced as a public-transport service, it is aimed at tourists.    Regular ferry services between Galway and the Aran Islands run from Rosaveal, and the ferry company provides a shuttle bus to and from Galway City.