[24-27/07/2009] Special Trains in connection with the U2 Concert at Croke Park

[Mark Gleeson]

There is a special from Bangor to Dublin via Belfast Central, tickets have been on sale for ages.

The only reason the extra trains run is down to Irish Rail exploiting the empty trains they would be running anyway. There is a empty Ballina - Heuston service every weekend in the summer. There are spare trains in Cork to cover for the Mk4 reliability. A rostering trick can get an extra to Galway and Waterford normally has a idle train over the weekend.

The Sligo, Rosslare and Waterford lines are not staffed for 24 hour operation

The lack of service to Kildare or Portlaois is strange given the number of empty trains moving around

I know Irish Rail have been trying to get concert promoters to give them a geographical breakdown on ticket sales to allow them to match the extra trains to the people traveling