Galway railway station

Galway Ceannt
Stáisiún Cheannt
Iarnród Éireann
Location Galway
Republic of Ireland
Coordinates 53°16′25″N 9°02′48″W / 53.2736°N 9.0468°W / 53.2736; -9.0468Coordinates: 53°16′25″N 9°02′48″W / 53.2736°N 9.0468°W / 53.2736; -9.0468
Owned by Iarnród Éireann
Operated by Iarnród Éireann
Platforms 2
Construction
Structure type At-grade
Other information
Station code 170
Key dates
1851 Station opened
1998 0.993 million
2002 1.26 million
2006 1.5 million

Limerick to
Galway Line

Legend
[to Claremorris(Disused)}
 
Dublin–Galway Line
Athenry
Oranmore
Galway
 Craughwell
 Ardrahan
 Gort
 Ennis
 Sixmilebridge
 Limerick Colbert

Galway (Ceannt) railway station (Ceannt Station / Stáisiún Cheannt) serves the city of Galway in County Galway. The station itself is located in the centre of the city in Eyre Square.

It is the terminus station for the Dublin to Galway intercity service and the Limerick to Galway and Athenry to Galway commuter services.[1]

Description

There are two platforms at Galway Ceannt; Platform 1 and Platform 2. Platform 2 can only be reached via Platform 1. Platform 1 is used for terminating/departing trains to Dublin Heuston while Platform 2 (a much shorter platform) is used for departing Limerick services.

The services which are provided at the station include ticket machines, a booking office, heated waiting rooms, toilets, a café, vending machines and a telephone box.

The station also serves as the Bus Éireann depot for Galway City.

History

The station opened on 1 August 1851.[2] This made Galway the western terminus of the Midland Great Western Railway giving the city a direct main line to its Broadstone Station terminus in Dublin.

As the 19th century progressed the rail network in Connacht was expanded, making Galway an important railhead. The nearby town of Athenry became a railway junction, giving Galway links to Ennis, Limerick and the south in 1869 and Sligo and the north in 1894. In 1895 the MGW opened a branch line between Galway and Clifden.

The 20th century brought increasing road competition, and this led the Great Southern Railways to close the Clifden branch in 1935. In the 1970s the state railway authority Córas Iompair Éireann closed the Sligo-Athenry-Ennis line to passenger services. It later closed to freight as well.

It was given the name Ceannt on 10 April 1966 in commemoration of Éamonn Ceannt, one of the executed leaders of the Easter Rising of 1916.

Future

The station is to be redeveloped in the future as part of the Ceannt Station Quarter project.

In the meantime in 2013 1 million euro was spent on "bus/rail/taxi interchange at the station, with widened footpaths, "properly designed" bus bays and revised taxi arrangements. Approximately €100,000 is also to be allocated for design work for the provision of new 95 square meter double height glass and steel concourse as an interchange area for bus and rail passengers. This will include a seated waiting area, retail units, vending area and a new office for bus inspectors." [3]

In 2014 an additional €600,000 has been allocated for further design and planning work on the interchange area [4] with planning permission submitted to Galway city council for approval in February 2014.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.irishrail.ie/index.jsp?p=119&n=147 Irish Rail Printable Timetables
  2. ↑ "Galway station" (PDF). Railscot - Irish Railways. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
  3. ↑ http://galwayindependent.com/stories/item/5791/2013-6/Major-investment-in-Galway-transport Galway independent 31 January 2013
  4. ↑ http://galwaybayfm.ie/3-million-euro-for-galway-sustainable-transport Galway Bay FM 18 February 2014
  5. ↑ http://galwaybayfm.ie/plans-submitted-for-major-redevelopment-at-ceannt-station/ Galway Bay FM 10 February 2014
Preceding station   Iarnród Éireann   Following station
Oranmore   Intercity
Dublin-Galway		   Terminus
Oranmore   Intercity
Limerick-Galway		   Terminus
  Commuter
Galway Suburban Rail		  
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