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TRAIN SERVICES BETWEEN Belfast and Dublin are in line for a major facelift worth €21.45 million.
Part of the overhaul will involve the refurbishment of the 129-year-old Drogheda Viaduct, which is need of renovation to ensure its “long-term efficient operation”.
The bulk of the money will be spent by Translink in Northern Ireland to improve the trains used on the line.
This will involve an overhaul of the train’s physical appearance with new livery and interiors, and electronics such as reservation systems and CCTV. The train’s mechanical systems will also be improved.
The EU is providing 75% of the funding, with the remaining 25% coming from the Department of Transport in the Republic of Ireland and the Department for Regional Development in Northern Ireland.
Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe called the funding a “big win” for the rail corridor, and called for strengthened economic links between the two cities.
“There should be much more business and travel done between the two cities,” he said.
The economic benefits were echoed by the Special EU Programmes Body’s chief executive and Stormont’s Department for Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy.
He said:
I am confident that these very significant improvements will attract even greater numbers of passengers in the future and help raise awareness, in much wider terms, of the benefits of rail travel.
The work is expected to be completed next year.
Travelling by train is still too expensive.
Tell me about it i wish the irish system would take one look and the english one and realise how over priced it is. The other day i didnt have a student card but had my pass port they said pass port wasnt viable and it cost me 35 euro from Galway to Kildare im only 15 like come on i could get nearly four day passes for london zones 1-6 on any transport system over there. Irish rail have to step up!
You think trains are expensive in Ireland?
I travelled from Toronto to Ottawa – about 400 miles , 4 hour journey .
A return ticket on via rail for 2 people cost $615.
Especially when you’d bused part of the journey.
Robert if your 15 get the child ticket! not the student ticket , My god I’d love to be still be able to get it.
When i was buyinng it i was denied it that i was too old
Bringing the track bed up to the best European standards is really needed to increase average speed on the line. Will it still faster to travel by car after this upgrade? Probably yes, because most of the line is victorian. A sub 2 hour travel time should be the goal, not a paint job.
And how to fund that though? Would take billions and people here still think the tickets are too expensive at present prices, so it’d have to come entirely from the taxpayer properly.
Any chance of improving the actual speed of the trains?
Went to Belfast with grandchildren last week to Titanic exhibition in Belfast.
Malahide station staff exceptionally courteous , Drogheda station staff brilliant and very helpful, train jammers with great staff & a good service.
Train comfortable on outbound and return journey, but could be faster.
All in all a great trip, we’ll worth it.
We’ll done all !
It’s cheaper to travel by car … And quicker!
This could have been done years ago …..and possibly electrified if €106.5 million hadn’t been wasted on the Western Rail Corridor.
We shouldn’t be encouraging nordies to come down here.
Shame this money couldn’t have been handed to the workers as a nice top-up rather than investing in the infrastructure. The Unions must be raging.
Lets hope they also reduce the ridiculous cost of a train ticket from drogheda to dublin.
Maybe they should invest a few euro in training the staff on that particular line the basics in customer relations. Traveled from Dublin to Dundalk once and had one jumped up little so and so give the entire que of customer a mouthful of obscenities.
Now now mr mceneaney u were probably giving some jip first
Oh now not very likely. Peace loving person that I am. Only thing I regret was I didn’t think of video it on my phone. Irish rail apparently don’t have cctv on that particular platform so nothing could be done with the gentleman even though they recieved a number of complaints about the incident.
Doesn’t matter how quick they make the trains go if we have to get off at Newry and get a bus because of ‘security concerns’. Happens far too often.
I don’t quite understand the issue about the plans for the new High Speed Rail Line. Wouldn’t it be cheaper for current train drivers to put their foot down?
Electric fences along the platforms should be considered. They are cost effective in comparison to steel railings.
Why?
Mary, welcome to the Journal. Please meet Glen, he is what is termed an “internet troll”… A most distasteful being whose main objective it is to confuse and/or annoy!
So people don’t fall, stroll or jump off the platform.
Mary
I am certainly not a troll. If anyone is annoyed by my comment
1. I don’t understand how you would be annoyed
2. It is not my intention to annoy.
I am merely suggesting something in the safety of rail users so if that makes me a troll then I’m a troll.
Well Mary – Glen is either a troll, or an annoying buffoon…
Wow
So a suggestion makes you a troll or a Buffon ….. Really nice people comment hear on the journal
Haha i love this, perfect explanation of THE GLEN
Fud
Have them electrocuted if they step “thar an line bán”?!
Does seem pretty stupid to think of putting in electric fencing. They’re railway platforms not prisons. Not Glen’s most brilliant contribution.
Id rather travel to Islamic State than northern ireland
I doubt you are a big loss to the north of our country
Northern Ireland is a brilliant place to visit! Belfast is great! So friendly! I hear Derry is supposed to be nice too! One of the best value for money cities in the UK! You are missing out big time!!!
It’s about time although I’m in bits they wouldn’t accept my design… Full of pomp and splendour :(
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