Galway railway station

Galway Ceannt Stáisiún Cheannt
Location	Galway Republic of Ireland
Coordinates
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

Dublin–Galway/Westport railway line
Legend
Phoenix Park Tunnel to Dublin Connolly Luas Red Line to Dublin Connolly & The Point Dublin Heuston Luas Red Line to Tallaght & Saggart Inchicore Works Park West and Cherry Orchard Clondalkin/Fonthill Kishogeproposed Adamstown Hazelhatch and Celbridge Straffanclosed Sallins and Naas Newbridge Kildare Dublin–Waterford Line Monasterevin Portarlington Dublin to Cork main line Tullamore Clara Mullingar to Athlone Line closed 1987 Athlone Ballinasloe Woodlawn Attymon Western Railway Corridor to Limerick Athenry Western Railway Corridor (proposed) Oranmore Galway Roscommon Castlerea Ballyhaunis Western Railway Corridor (proposed) Claremorris Western Rly Corridor to Sligo (proposed) Manulla Junction (Exchange only) Foxford Ballina Castlebar Westport Midland Gt Western Rly to Achill closed 1937 Westport Quay

Limerick to Galway Line
Legend
Western Railway Corridor to Claremorris and Sligo 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.

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. 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."

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

See also

• List of railway stations in Ireland
• Western Railway Corridor

External links

• Irish Rail Galway (Ceannt) Station Website
• Galway Transport Information Portal. Includes information on all bus connections to and from Ceannt Station

Preceding station	Iarnród Éireann			Following station
Oranmore		Intercity Dublin-Galway		Terminus
Oranmore		Intercity Limerick-Galway		Terminus
		Commuter Galway Suburban Rail