Friday’s train strike: What you need to know

Rail commuters should prepare for delays and possible strike action from 6am-9am on Friday morning as talks at averting a stoppage by Iarnród Éireann staff continue.

Train drivers represented by Siptu and the National Bus and Rail Union are planning to stop work for a second time during the morning rush hour because of a dispute with management over payment for past productivity.

A spokesman for Irish Rail advised passengers on Thursday to plan as if industrial action was going ahead. He said he expected many commuters would take their cars to work on Friday and that "realistically, there will be more congestion on the roads".

Representatives from Iarnród Éireann, Siptu and the NRBU will meet at 10.30am Thursday morning and, while Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe says there has been significant engagement between the groups in recent weeks, commuters are advised to prepare for the worst and organise alternative transport for Friday morning.

What time is the strike set to go ahead?

Drivers are due to stage rush hour stoppages from 6am to 9am, Friday, November 6th. All rail services – Dart, Commuter and Intercity – will be affected.

Irish Rail said no Dart or Commuter services will operate prior to 9am. Dart services will resume from Bray-Malahide at 9.40am and Howth-Bray at 9.45am.

There will be no docklands services operating before 10.38am.

Irish Rail said Intercity services will resume at 9am with the exception of the following services which will not operate:

09.05 Tralee Mallow
09.47 Limerick Junction Waterford
10.05 Ballybrophy Limerick
10.35 Belfast Connolly

Will trains scheduled before 6am continue to run?

Trains that leave before the planned strike at 6am will continue to travel as normal.

The following services prior to 6am are expected to operate:

05:20 Athlone Heuston will operate
05:20 Westport Heuston will operate to Athlone only
05:27 Connolly Maynooth will operate
05:30 Galway Heuston will operate
05:30 Limerick Heuston will operate
05:30 Galway Heuston will operate
05:35 Rosslare Dundalk will operate
05:40 Dundalk Pearse will operate to Connolly only
05:40 Longford Pearse will operate to Connolly only
05:40 Portlaoise Heuston will operate
05:45 Sligo Connolly will operate
05:50 Cork Heuston will operate
05:55 Gorey Connolly will operate
06:50 Belfast Connolly will operate
08:00 Belfast Connolly will operate
05:30 Cork Cobh will operate
05:45 Cork Midleton will operate
05:55 Tralee Mallow will operate
05:55 Limerick Galway will operate

What about the Dart?

No Dart services will operate before 9am on Friday. Dart services will resume at the following times:

09:40 Bray Malahide
09:45 Howth Bray
10:00 Greystones Howth
10:30 Malahide Greystones

Will Irish Rail put on extra carriages on the earlier trains?

A spokesman for Irish Rail said they would maximise capacity where possible in response to the demand. “This will be straightforward enough with the Dart and commuter trains,” he said. “With Intercity services, we will be sure to have the right capacity in the afternoon and evening and will maximise where possible.”

I bought a ticket online, what can I do?

Irish Rail says customers who are booked to travel during the hours of disruption on Friday, November 6th can use their tickets at the following times and no surcharge will apply:

Thursday, November 5th, at any time
Friday, November 6th, at an earlier or later time
Saturday, November 7th, at any time

Customers may also submit their ticket at the station to receive a full refund. The refund on the ticket will take between 7-10 days to be processed back on to the customer’s credit or debit card.

I bought a ticket at the station, what can I do?

Customers who buy a ticket at the station and are affected by the industrial action can collect a refund from the station or download a refund form from the Irish Rail website which they can send to Customer Care, Iarnród Éireann, Connolly Station, Dublin 1.

What alternative options do I have?

All Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann and Luas services will operate normally. A full Dublin Bus fleet will be deployed during the morning peak time but services are expected to be busier than normal. Customers are advised to leave additional time for their journey on Friday morning.

Can I use my train ticket on bus services instead?

Unfortunately, rail tickets are not valid for use with other public transport providers during the stoppage.

I have a Taxsaver ticket, how will this affect me?

Iarnród Éireann says customers who purchase their tickets through their company as part of the Taxsaver scheme can apply for a refund for the day that their travel plans were impacted by the industrial action.

The Taxsaver refund form is available through the Irish Rail website and can be used by customers to apply for a refund from Monday, November 9th.

How many train services will be cancelled?

A total of 41 Dart services, 45 Dublin Commuter services, 30 Cork Commuter services, and 42 Intercity/regional services will be cancelled based on the latest information from Irish Rail.

Why are train drivers striking?

The dispute centres on claims by train drivers for payment for past productivity measures such as taking on new safety responsibilities and operating new services.

Iarnród Éireann chief executive David Franks wrote on Monday directly to drivers saying he was “disappointed” the unions would not put the company’s proposals to a ballot of workers.

The company’s proposals, outlined in the letter to drivers, include an increase in earnings through “productivity allowances” of 7.9-8.3 per cent and a voluntary redundancy scheme.

How many people were affected by October’s strike?

About 40,000 passengers had their travel plans disrupted on October 23rd by the three-hour strike.

But wait, there’s more hardship for commuters.

Due to engineering works between Bray and Greystones and Limerick Junction and Waterford, there will be no train services between these stations on selected Saturdays.

On Saturday, November 7th, rail tickets will be accepted on the existing 84 Dublin Bus service for passengers travelling between Bray and Greystones. A regular Dart service will operate between Bray and Malahide/Howth.

On Saturday, November 7th train services will operate to Bray with bus transfers between Bray and Greystones and a second train from Greystones to Rosslare Europort at the following times:

09.40 Connolly/Rosslare
13.36 Connolly/Rosslare
18.38 Connolly/Rosslare
06.45 Gorey / Dundalk will operate as a train to Greystones only, with a bus transfer between Greystones and Bray. Onward passengers are asked to avail of alternate services.

Passengers travelling between Limerick Junction and Waterford between November 7th-21st should note that there will be no rail services on the Limerick Junction to Waterford route due to bridge works being carried out near Carrick-on-Suir.

The following bus services will operate during the bridge works:

07.20 Waterford - Limerick Jctn.
09.45 Limerick Jctn - Waterford
16.25 Waterford - Limerick Jctn.
18.40 Limerick Jctn - Waterford