Iarnród Éireann estimate that over 200,000 people will travel on inter-city train services across the country this weekend as people join the festive travel deluge to be with family and friends for Christmas.
Bus and rail services from Limerick’s Colbert Station were busy from early morning, bringing passengers from Ennis and Limerick onto Dublin and Cork, Galway and Waterford, many who will then make onward journeys by air to Europe and beyond.
Passengers coming into Limerick had travelled from Germany and the UK, while some going out of Limerick were travelling by train home to Cavan via Dublin, and others to Dublin and onto Zurich to join friends in the Alps.
Maureen Schall who travelled from Germany, was among those to arrive in Limerick where she was greeted by her sister Betty Burke.
Its the first time in 45 years the sisters will spend Christmas together in Limerick.
Train and bus services continue tomorrow, when there will be a Sunday service.
There will be no services Christmas day and they will resume on St Stephen’s Day.
Thousands of rail passengers at Heuston Station were also bidding farewell to Dublin as they travelled home and away for their Christmas celebrations.
Heuston is expecting over 130,000 inter-city travellers over the weekend.
The station was given a dose of Christmas cheer by Late Late Toy Show star Freya McLaughlin, who welcomed passengers with her spin on ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’.
Yesterday was expected to be the busiest day for air travel in the run-up to Christmas at Dublin Airport, according to airport operator daa.
Around 102,000 passengers were due to depart and arrive at the airport.
In total, around 1.5 million people are expected to travel through the airport during the Christmas period from 18 December to 6 January.
Cork Airport said it expects 195,000 passengers between 12 December and 10 January – a 22% increase in passenger traffic on the same period last year.
Shannon Airport said over 121,000 passengers will pass through the airport during the Christmas period, which is up 18% on last year’s figures.
Meanwhile, Ireland West Airport in Knock, Co Mayo is expecting over 40,000 passengers to pass through the airport over the Christmas period making it the busiest in the airport’s history.
It is up almost 15% compared with the same time last year.
With additional reporting by Barry Gallagher
