Irish Rail do not publish detailed information about carrying your bike by train in Ireland, so we have compiled this guide for passengers who wish to bring a bike on the train. Upcoming EU regulations will make such information a legal requirement.
Irish Rail will carry your bike on all Intercity branded train services for a fee. The fee depends on the distance you are travelling. The bike travels in the guard's van (either at the front or rear of the train) or in a special rack if provided. Folding bikes, if covered, are carried for free as normal luggage on all trains (also on Luas).
In general all trains shown as Intercity in the online timetable can carry bikes. All trains listed as suburban, also can however this cannot be guaranteed. Where a service is listed as Railcar, Arrow or DART bikes will not be carried. Space is limited and strictly on a first come first served basis.
Services you can carry your bike on:
- Dublin-Cork
- Dublin-Belfast
- Dublin-Tralee - direct services only
- Dublin-Mayo* - all Westport services, 16:05 to Ballina on Friday but not on Manualla Junction - Ballina shuttle
- Dublin-Galway* - but not on the 12:10 Dublin Galway or 16:15 Galway Dublin on Sunday
- Dublin-Limerick*
- Dublin-Waterford - but not on the 20:05 Dublin Carlow and 21:25 Carlow Dublin
- Dublin-Sligo* - 5:45, 7:00, 9:00, and 15:00 Sligo Dublin, the 11:05, 16:00, 17:05 and 19:05 Dublin Sligo.
* Space for only 2 bikes
While a dedicated space is available on Dublin Sligo/Limerick/Westport services, this space has been found to be totally inadequate and impossible to use. Rail Users Ireland together with groups representing cyclists from Dublin, Galway and Mayo have lobbied for this problem to be resolved. A new bike rack has been designed and is being rolled out fleet wide. The existing cupboard will be used for other purposes, e.g. carriage of parcels
Irish Rail say you can bring your bike on Tralee - Mallow, Limerick Junction Limerick Ennis but then contradict this by saying bikes can only be carried on trains with designated areas for bikes, not all trains on these routes are so fitted, but bikes are generally carried.
Bikes will be carried on all Dublin Rosslare and Mallow Tralee services once these routes are operated by Intercity railcars in mid to late 2008.
Cost
The cost of bringing your bike depends on the distance you are traveling:
- €2.50 for up to 56km
- €4.00 for 57km-108km
- €5.50 for 109km-137km
- €8.00 for 138km+
These are the more recent prices known to us, they date from 2002 however Irish Rail tell us they still apply.
Note these are single fares, passengers travelling Belfast Dublin may be permitted to carry a bicycle for free but the opposite is not true. Passengers should note beyond main stations many ticket checkers will not charge for bikes.