# Train to Ballina



## shopgirl (9 Oct 2014)

Hi there. Don't often travel by train but need to go to Ballina and am wondering if anyone here is familiar with that train. It's so long since I have used a train in Ireland & I still have bad memories of standing on over crowded trains or being frozen on trains with no heating!


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## Protocol (9 Oct 2014)

Train departs from Heuston station.

Trains travel along Galway line as far as Athlone, where they turn onto the Mayo line through Roscommon town, Ballyhaunis, Claremorris, etc.

Here is the timetable:

http://www.irishrail.ie/media/10-dublinwestport250920131.pdf?v=gc4depe


Note that these trains serve two destinations: Westport and Ballina.


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## Protocol (9 Oct 2014)

There are four trains daily ex. Dublin, with an extra train on Friday.

Journey time to Ballina is 3h15 approx.


*PLEASE NOTE*

Ballina is on a branch off the main Mayo line.

So you'll see on the timetable that people for Ballina get off at Manulla Junction, where a shuttle train will be waiting to bring you down the branch to Ballina.

The main train will continue along the main line to Westport.

Same happens on the way back.


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## Protocol (9 Oct 2014)

You can book a ticket in advance and reserve a seat, if you like.


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## shopgirl (10 Oct 2014)

Hi Protocol.  Thanks for all that info.  If I have to go I think I'll take a chance on the train rather than driving.


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## Jim2007 (10 Oct 2014)

Well it has been two years since I've been on that line to Westport and I'd say that the train is in line with the standards of most European operators, so no need to worry about being cold on board etc.  They even have free Wifi!

You can indeed reserve and even select your seat online, but I've had mixed results with it.  Between passengers who ignore the reservation and staff who seem to be unwilling to enforce the rules, I'm not sure it is worth the effort!  Just be in plenty of time.


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## shopgirl (10 Oct 2014)

Thanks for that Jim.  I clearly still haven't erased the memory of travelling from Sligo at 5.30am in winter with no heating & "the tea urn" not working!


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## Jim2007 (10 Oct 2014)

I'm not sure, but i think this was the kind of carriage I was on the last time:


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## so-crates (13 Oct 2014)

Not quite the right carriage Jim2007  

On intercity routes Irish Rail operate 22000 rail cars (they started service in 2009). Interior here
[broken link removed]

They are generally good. They come in 3, 4 and 5 car sets and can be made into longer trains by combining sets (the largest I have seen is 7 car). The fleet breakdown is here
[broken link removed]

If it is a 5-car there will be a shop and a trolley service. If it is 3 or 4 or a combination, they will run a trolley service only. As there is only one trolley per train they will swap between the two sets about half way to Sligo.

It can happen that they may run a commuter train to Sligo (generally they don't - they should only run as far as Longford but just in case ...) In that case it would be either a 29000 or a 2800
[broken link removed]
The interior of either one is pretty similar and nowhere near as comfortable as the 22000!


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## Time (13 Oct 2014)

The Ballina shuttle is a 2800 class train.

IE regularly use 29000 sets to Sligo, at least one service each way per day is operated by commuter stock.


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## so-crates (14 Oct 2014)

Oops - sorry I had framed my answer for a destination of Sligo not Ballina! As Time says, the shuttle from Manulla Junction is a 2800 set. I had thought they had moved completely over to running 22000 out to Sligo by this stage - seems not! However on the Westport run they don't use the commuter stock.


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## shopgirl (14 Oct 2014)

Thanks for all that, as always the information on AAM never ceases to amaze me.  I'll look at trains in a totally different way from now on!


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## so-crates (14 Oct 2014)

Hope you have a pleasant trip shopgirl


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