IRISH RAIL’S BELOVED catering trolley is making a comeback to Dublin/Galway intercity services on Monday.

The pilot service will last for six months on three services each way daily, with the potential to extend to more services and other routes during the course of the pilot.

On Monday to Saturday, these services will be:

• 7.35am Heuston to Galway, 11.05am Galway to Heuston
• 9.25am Heuston to Galway, 1.05pm Galway to Heuston
• 11.30am Heuston to Galway, 3.05pm Galway to Heuston

On Sunday, the services are:

• 8am Heuston to Galway, 11am Galway to Heuston
• 10.30am Heuston to Galway, 1.40pm Galway to Heuston
• 11.40am Heuston to Galway, 3pm Galway to Heuston

Some trolley services will be provided on services over the coming days for staff familiarisation purposes, Irish Rail said.

The commercial pilot will operate without public service obligation funding to help determine the potential viability on the intercity network. The trolley will be operated by Irish company Sambos.ie.

Catering services on Irish Rail trains were suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic, and this is one of the few services where it has been reinstated (even if just for a pilot).

Refreshment services returned on the Dublin to Cork and Dublin to Belfast lines since the pandemic, but not for other lines such as the Sligo commuter service (a three-and-a-half hour route).

The Heuston to Galway train takes around two-and-a-half hours.

A spokesperson for Irish Rail said the company is aware of its customers’ value on the on-board catering services.

“With record demand for our train services, we appreciate that it has been frustrating that it has been limited to Dublin to Cork (also benefiting most Limerick and Kerry customers) and Dublin to Belfast routes over recent years.

“We will undertake this pilot with Sambos.ie to help determine the potential for more extensive catering operation on a commercial basis, which will be decided upon completion of the pilot, in consultation with the NTA.”