Seán Canney TD, Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports, and Leader in Cabinet of the Independent Ministers, has welcomed the introduction of a new early morning train service between Athenry and Galway, commencing Monday, 13th October.

The 6:50am service from Athenry will call at Oranmore at 7:00am, arriving at Galway Ceannt Station at 7:08am, and will operate Monday to Friday.

The additional service has been introduced by Iarnród Éireann primarily to facilitate ongoing works on the Galway-Athenry line. The train will provide extra capacity for commuters during peak travel times.

The service will operate on a temporary basis until August 2026, with the National Transport Authority (NTA) monitoring passenger demand and operational performance before any decision is made on continuation beyond that point.

Minister Canney said: “It’s good to see continued investment and activity on the Galway-Athenry rail line. This temporary service will be a welcome addition for local commuters and reflects the strong demand for public transport across the region. I will continue to work with my Department, NTA and Iarnród Éireann to ensure services evolve in line with local needs and available resources.”