Ennis is the terminus station of the Limerick to Ennis Commuter service (intermediate stop Sixmilebridge) and a station on the Limerick to Galway intercity service. Passengers for Dublin/Cork or Waterford transfer at Limerick.
The station forms part of the Western Railway Corridor, the name given to a group of lines in the west of Ireland between Limerick and Sligo.
Five services pass through Ennis on the Limerick–Galway service with more just running Limerick–Ennis.
The regular passenger service Limerick–Claremorris through Ennis shut on 5 April 1976. Limerick–Ennis recommenced on Thursdays from 4 August 1984,[1] two days a week from 12 April 1988, four days a week from 19 February 1993 and six days a week from 16 May 1994.[2]
It was proposed to utilise the National Development Plan to fund regeneration of the railway in the west. The rail line between Ennis and Athenry was funded to enable a Limerick to Galway service (Phase one of Transport 21 Western Rail Corridor project). Opening of the Limerick to Galway service took place officially on 29 March 2010 and for the public on 30 March 2010.[citation needed]
Facilities
There are two platforms in the station; Platform 2 is built on a passing loop. Access between the platforms is via a footbridge. There is a canopy over a section of Platform 1. Both platforms have benches, bins and information displays. Platform 1 has a help point. Inside the station there is a ticket office with hatches and ticket machines. There is also a waiting room which has vending machines. The station is beside the bus station.
Closures Due to Flooding
In mid-February 2008, the train service between Ennis and Limerick was suspended due to severe flooding on a section of the line running through Newmarket-on-Fergus. Further flooding in the winter of 2009/2010 delayed the completion of the Western Rail Corridor project whose first timetable carried a January 2010 issue date even though it was 29 March 2010 before the first train ran.
Further flooding occurred in early 2014 leading to a 3-month closure.[3]
The line was again closed owing to flooding from late November 2015 to May 2016 [4]
In March 2024, Irish Rail announced that the line would again be closed “until further notice” due to flooding.[5]
