Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail Avis 

So, ws going to limerick for medical appointment on 09.25 train, tried to book tickets online night before but kept getting different booking fees for free travel as site seemed to keep dropping free travel.
So we arrived at station at 09.05 to find a long queue outside ticket counter, as i have a travel pass i use the counter but it was roped off and no movement of the counter.
After 15 minutes i went to the kiosk and was told that yes thats the queue, so i asked the station manager when the queue would be served only to be told the train was booked out online, i asked him where on Irish Rail is this specified or displayed and got a long explanation about capacity. I then asked if it would be announced over the tannoy system only to be told everyone did not need to know??? I asked him when he intended to tell the people in the queue and he told me he had???? I was in queue for 15 minutes and saw him stop at a few people but not at us. So in a nutshell. You have to book online and pay for the privilege or you queue all day
He informed me that trains up to 14.30 were booked out and that the queue was the " Standby"
Im travelling to limerick fron Cork...not singapore to london
So no notifications, no announcements just book online and then i met people that bought " flexible" tickets that were told the train was booked out? Wtaf?
If it could not get worse i asked again if they would announce it or put it on the board...NO
so i went to the queue and told them....and told them about no seats until 2.30??? This guy expected people to queue until then for the privilege of travelling with irish rail
My own opinion, not enough trains or carriages, a stealth buy online and pay extra policy coupled with an arrogance that only a much needed transport network would encourage
Money over customers

Me and my son had flew into cork airport from Spain we had being travelling from very early in the morning we got the train from cork to portlaoise bought our tickets in cork transtation as it was a last minute decision to get the train home we hadn't seats booked so we got into the carriage sat in seats that were assigned to someone but we had no problem moving for the person who had the seats booked this annoying ticket lady kept putting us out of seats until eventually we had to sit on the floor of one of the carriages my sons 15 both of us very tired from travelling most of the night no way helpful in trying to accommodate us with seats or any help what so ever her people skills were very poor for someone working in public transport don't be on trains much but if that's the carry on of staff from Irish rail thank god I'm not

The smell of urine from the carrage was unacceptable. The toilets were in a disgusting state. And you could see on the mat outside that they were leaking. These carrages are not cleaned properly, as this seems to be a constant issue.. For what you pay to travel on Irish Rail, I believe toilets should be inspected throughout the journey, cleaned and refreshed as required. If I had a toddler, there is no way I would change its nappy in any of the onboard toilets. They are disgusting.

By far the worst rail network in the world.Constantly delayed and when it does show it's overcrowded.Tannoy systems never work to give updates while your stuck on a roasting hot train that also has constant problems with AC.

I tried to book online 2 bikes on an inter city route (Dublin to Athlone) but after 1 frustrating hour just had to give up. If someone tried to make it more complicated, I don't think it would be possible.
Totally sh!t IT system - shame on Irish rail !!

Reserved 7 seats in the train from Dublin to Kilkenny and back.
Outward journey was great even with rain and storm outside.
Inward journey was made a hell of an experience by 4 people having their pizza and drinks on our reserved seat and table.
No manners to clear the junk, left the table in a miserable condition and ignored the request to clean ....😡
Un- believable people

On our Limerick-Dublin trip, we received the good news: our (reserved) seats were occupied by an elderly couple who, by way of apology, warned us that their tickets had been "gone" for a while. When we asked them to give up their seats, the man became aggressive and made us understand that he had paid his taxes and therefore had more right to that seat than us. He also said that he was older than us and therefore deserved our seat.

Unfortunately, there was no ticket inspector on board to resolve the situation. This kind of behavior should be addressed on board, as we had to stand up for an hour and a half after paying for two seated tickets...
Deplorable

I really like Irish Rail and travel on the service frequently. Today, I am on the Heuston to Kent train (15.00). Booking was fine, ticket collection was fine and our names were over our seats - all great. However, when I pulled down my table for my book and my food, it was filthy. This is not good enough, I’m sure you ll agree. I’m travelling with a friend from Italy who also was really disappointed with this. I hope this is constructive, it is not meant as a moan. Im at 087 7518210, and my name is Tomás O Dubhlainn.

Terrible experience and a complete disaster. It took my flight five and a half hours to fly from Newark to Dublin, it took Irish Rail five and a half hours to get me from Heuston to Kent.

Late to work as train is currently 20 minutes late no notice that it'll be late and has made me miss my way home multiple of times

Yep lost my job over the trains never being on time..... Not happy at all

Disgraceful attitude by staff at an eolas office
I asked to change my train time
Dismissed
Went to ticket office and got a better reception
This w a s at 12pm.

I am consistently experiencing very low capacity on your services, leading to overcrowding and uncomfortable journeys. Increased capacity is urgently needed.

Is there any employees working on trains do cleaning of tables after each train stop.I was on train to go and come from Cork City and never saw any cleaning staff wipe down tables clean mess on floors and chairs this is a disgrace where people are eating and using the tables to eat.It’s a total disgusting environment and you need to employ people that there job discription is a cleaner and to do what they are been paid to do.

I travel from north county Dublin to city center (just south side) daily, the direct commuter in the morning is usually a few mins late. Getting home I've to go via Connolly, the first train is again usually late meaning my window to catch the second train is reduced, I usually make it but only because I walk fast . Most days there is either a "technical fault", "signalling fault", "bridge strike", operational difficulties" or "someone on the tracks". I understand sh1t happens but not to this extent. The biggest issue for me though is the lack of information on either the app or the screens in the station, e.g. if a train is delayed the app won't tell you, nor will the screens. They make incomprehensible announcements over the Tannoy (good luck to the elderly or hearing impaired understanding these). Constantly apologising but really not good enough. Carriages usually smell like a heavily used toilet. A/C units intermittently work and various lifts in stations seem to always be out-of-order. Definitely a second class travel system that is not reliable, perfect for Ireland considering there is zero forward thinking and planning.

My work colleague and I Recently travelled to Dublin by train from Temlemore.We were assisting 2 ladies in wheelchairs. All I can say is the attention and assistance we were given from start to finish was exceptional by staff in Temlemore and Houston station

So sick of the gates not scanning the QR tickets. Such a waste of peoples time. Everyone ends up queuing to get through the one gate.

4 of us Travelled from Dublin Connolly to Rosslare on 23 June. We were approached by a security man who found out which gate we were departing from, accompanied us to the gate & helped us with our luggage. Once on the train an Irish Rail staff member assisted us to lift our bags onto the baggage holder. Another Irish rail staff member helped us to get the bags down & off the train. The staff were so pleasant & helpful in fact it’s been a long time since I have experienced such great customer service. Will definitely be travelling on Irish Rail in the near future.

Travelled on 11.41 train from Boyle to Connolly on 28 06/2025 and having limited mobility was immediately offered assistance by a very tall employee.0n my return journey 17.05 Connolly to Sligo I was afforded equal assistance by Teresa.I was also impressed how she so tactfully dealt with a passenger who was pestering and imposing herself on other passenger ,and she exiting at Mullingar a station gave Teresa an warranted tirade of abuse .

Crowded, tiny luggage racks, loud old people yelling at each other (for lack of hearing aids?). Avoid.

Trains are kept well, toilets on the new trains are very small. Tickets outrageously expensive, Dublin to Cork Return (€63 approx) .. if you buy a single to cork in heuston station they charge up upwards of €45. Rip off but the trains are kept well