Bus, train and airplane users should expect delays over the August Bank Holiday weekend as hundreds of thousands of travellers stretch the State's transport infrastructure to capacity.
Aer Rianta estimates more than 365,000 passengers will travel through Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports over the four-day period starting today.
Over 284,000 passengers will use Dublin Airport during this period, a 4 per cent increase over last year's figure. Up to 2,000 flights will arrive and depart over the holiday weekend including 350 charter flights, which have been added to the normal schedule.
Cork Airport expects to handle more than 36,000 passengers, an 8 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. More than 45,000 passengers are expected to travel through Shannon Airport, a 5 per cent increase over 2002.
Bus Éireann expects to carry up to 100,000 passengers on Expressway and provincial services over the weekend.
Services today and tomorrow will operate on normal weekday timetables, with additional buses as required on all major routes. On Sunday services generally will operate normally with some alterations and cancellations.
On Monday, there will be a Sunday service with a number of alterations, and extra services will cater for people returning to the main centres in the evening.
Bus Éireann has warned customers that because of traffic congestion on major roads throughout the country, bus services on all routes are liable to be delayed. Delays of up to one hour or longer are expected on many routes from midday today and again from noon on Monday.
Iarnród Éireann has also warned rail passengers that services will be stretched over the weekend - particularly on routes leading to Dublin from counties taking part in the All Ireland Football Quarter Finals in Croke Park on Sunday and Monday.
Trains from Galway, Roscommon and Sligo for the matches have already been sold out, the company said.
On Sunday, Tyrone take on Fermanagh and Laois are up against Armagh. On Monday, Kerry play Roscommon, while Galway clash with Donegal. Racing in Galway continues until Sunday.
