Tea trolleys are set to return on select trains between Galway and Dublin.
The snack and tea trolleys were removed from train services at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and haven’t been brought back in any major capacity since, despite years of calls from frustrated commuters for them to return.
Despite being limited on Dublin to Belfast and Dublin to Cork services, Iarnród Éireann has confirmed that — on a trial basis — the trolley services are set to return on select services between Galway Ceannt and Dublin Heuston.
‘We know how much our customers value an on-board catering service, and 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,’ an Iarnród Éireann spokesperson said.
‘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 National Transport Authority.’
The services will return on six routes between Galway Ceannt and Dublin Heuston, Monday to Sunday.
The Monday-Saturday services are:
- 7.35 am Heuston to Galway, 11.05 am Galway to Heuston
- 9.25 am Heuston to Galway, 1.05 pm Galway to Heuston
- 11.30 am Heuston to Galway, 3.05 pm Galway to Heuston
The Sunday services where the trolleys will be available are:
- 8 am Heuston to Galway, 11 am Galway to Heuston
- 10.30 am Heuston to Galway, 1.40 pm Galway to Heuston
- 11.40 am Heuston to Galway, 3 pm Galway to Heuston
The trolley services were suspended outright as a precaution due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but were brought back on only two services — Dublin/Cork and Dublin/Belfast — since 2023.
Commuters have expressed frustration that the tea trolleys have not returned, including Senator Nessa Cosgrove — who travels by train — who took matters into her own hands last October on the Sligo/Dublin commuter train.
