Irish Rail are running a consultation on timetabling changes until Monday 14th September 2026. We are encouraging all ByLandAndSea.ie supporters to submit comments on the linkages between train services and ferry services at Dublin, Cork Ringaskiddy, Rosslare Europort and Belfast.

The consultation is per service, so we suggest ByLandAndSea.ie supporters make up to three submissions, for Dublin to Cork, Dublin to Belfast, Dublin to Rosslare, and for each submission you can copy and paste the introductory section, the Dublin section and the other relevant section (Cork/Belfast/Rosslare) from the consultation response text below.

Consultation response

Introduction

In order to move more international travel away from flying, which is hugely damaging to the climate, and towards rail, which is the most climate friendly form of travel, we need to have better connections between rail services and ferries. Further information on the need to reduce flying is on http://childrensrightsoverflights.ie and a website promoting alternatives to flying to and from Ireland is http://ByLandAndSea.ie.

We call on Irish Ferries to actively promote connections ferries and rail services and passenger ferries to and from Ireland, and promote Rail and Sail tickets, including in Irish Rail marketing emails and on the Irish Rail website.

Dublin:

• We call on Irish Rail to review timetables for trains arriving to and leaving Dublin, to ensure linkages with ferries departing from and arriving to Dublin port, taking into account bus travel times between the port and Heuston and Connolly train stations, ferry check-in times, and ferry disembarkation and luggage collection times.
• We call on Irish Rail to liaise with Nolan Coaches and Dublin Bus, as well as with Irish Ferries and Stena ferry, to ensure that bus times facilitate connections between Dublin Connolly and Dublin Heuston and Dublin Port ferry times.
• We call on Irish Rail to actively promote and support the bus service between Dublin Port, Dublin Heuston train station and Dublin Connolly train station https://www.nolancoaches.ie/ferry-link, including through Irish Rail marketing emails and on the Irish Rail website.

Cork:

• We call on Irish Rail to review timetables for trains arriving to and leaving Cork Kent, to ensure linkages with ferries departing from and arriving to Cork Ringaskiddy port, taking into account bus travel times between the port and Cork Kent train station, ferry check-in times, and ferry disembarkation and luggage collection times.
• We call on Irish Rail to liaise with Bus Eireann as well as Irish Ferries and Hibernia ferry to ensure that bus times facilitate connections between Cork Kent train station and Cork Ringaskiddy ferry departures and arrivals.
• We call on Irish Rail to actively promote connections between Cork Kent and Cork Ringaskiddy ferries, including through Irish Rail marketing emails and on the Irish Rail website.

Belfast:

• We call on Irish Rail to review timetables for trains arriving to and leaving Belfast Grand Central Station, to ensure linkages with ferries departing from and arriving to Belfast and Larne ports, taking into account bus travel times between Belfast and Larne ports and Belfast Grand Central train station, ferry check-in times, and ferry disembarkation and luggage collection times.
• We call on Irish Rail to liaise with Translink buses as well as Stena ferry and P&O ferries to ensure that bus times facilitate connections between Belfast Grand Central train station and Belfast and Larne ferry departures and arrivals.
• We call on Irish Rail to actively promote connections between Belfast Grand Central Station and Belfast and Larne ferries, including through Irish Rail marketing emails and on the Irish Rail website.

Rosslare::

• We call on Irish Rail to review timetables for trains arriving to and leaving Rosslare Europort to ensure linkages with ferries departing from and arriving to Rosslare Europort, liaising with Irish Ferries, Stena ferry, Brittany Ferries and DFDS ferry, taking into account time for walking between the port and the train station, check-in times, ferry disembarkation and luggage collection time.
• We call on Irish Rail to actively promote connections between Rosslare Europort train station and Rosslare ferries, including through Irish Rail marketing emails and on the Irish Rail website.