booking free travel on irish rail

Who is eligible for this ticket?

• Customers in possession of a valid open class ticket

What are the conditions of travel?

Customers who are already in possession of or purchasing on the day of travel a valid standard class ticket(s) such as Family Ticket, Day Return, Open Return, Weekly, Monthly, Annual or InterRail ticket can book on their chosen service by selecting the 'Reservation Only' option in the Passenger selection box. Customers are advised there is limited availability for seat only bookings online.

How do I buy this ticket? 

• Read our FAQ on how to book a seat only reservation .

Where can I buy this ticket? 

• You can purchase the ticket  above using our journey planner . Tickets can only be purchased up to 90 days in advance.

Where do I collect the ticket? 

See our  Ticket Collection  section.

• Free Travel/DSFA Pass Holders

Customers who hold a  Free Travel / DSFA Pass  can book on their chosen service by selecting the  'Free Travel Pass'  option in the Passenger selection box. Customers are advised there is limited availability for Free Travel bookings online.

• Please see our handy guide on how to book a 'Free Travel Pass' option .
• You can purchase the ticket  above using our Journey Planner . Tickets can only be purchased up to 90 days in advance.
• An allocation of bookings on all InterCity services can be reserved online without a fee for 'Free Travel Pass or valid ticket holders'. When this allocation is fully booked, all remaining seats can be reserved by 'Free Travel Pass or valid ticket holders' for €2.50 per journey. 

For more information on Online Tickets please see Ticket Information

There are a limited number of wheelchair accessible spaces on each train, book in advance to avoid disappointment.

passenger-seat icon Travel Pass or Travel Ticket holder

Is an option for customers who are in possession of Free Travel Pass, a valid standard class ticket(s), seasonal ticket(s), Taxsaver ticket(s) or InterRail to book onto a train in standard class. Customers who have a valid standard class ticket but wish to upgrade to First Class should also use this selection. For more information go to Tickets Explained section.

Please select the passenger(s) who require this ticket type

Booking a 'Free Travel Pass' or 'Reservation Only' option

For InterCity travel pre-booking is recommended.

Free Travel Pass   holders wishing to book their ticket should select the passenger option 'Free Travel Pass' when making their online booking. 

A ' Reservation Only ' option is an option for customers who would like to pre-book on a service and who are in possession of a ticket(s) such as Family Tickets, Single, Day Return, Weekly, Monthly, Annual, Taxsaver Monthly, Taxsaver Annual, InterRail and Free Travel pass holders/DFSA free travel scheme. 

A 'Free Travel Pass' or 'Reservation Only' option is not a valid ticket for travel on its own .

Customers are advised there is limited availability for 'Free Travel Pass' or Reservation Only' options online. An allocation of bookings on all Intercity services can be reserved online without a fee for 'Free Travel Pass' or 'Reservation Only' ticket holders. When this allocation is fully booked, all remaining seats can be reserved by 'Free Travel Pass' or 'Reservation Only' ticket holders for €2.50 per journey. Also please note tickets are only available up to 90 days in advance.

Looking for more information check out our FAQ  Where do I find Information on the Free Travel Pass?

Step by Step guide to booking a 'Free Travel Pass' or 'Reservation Only' option

• Step 1 - Enter your origin and destination in the 'From' and 'To' fields, select a 'Single' or 'Return' ticket and select your date(s). Select the passenger drop down arrow. A box will appear listing the passenger types.
• Step 2 - Navigate to 'Free Travel Pass' or 'Reservation Only', use the plus and minus arrows to add the amount of Free Travel passengers including companion passengers or Reservation Only passengers. Please note, an 'Adult' fare will be automatically added. If you do not have a fee paying adult travelling with you, please select the minus button to remove this fare. Once you have all the required fields filled out select 'Apply'.

• Step 3 - click here to skip to step 3, continued below.  

Step by Step guide to booking a 'Free Travel Pass or valid ticket holders' option on our alternative Journey Planner

• Step 1 - Enter your origin and destination in the 'From' and 'To' fields, select a 'Single' or 'Return' ticket and select your date(s). Select the type and number of passengers travelling on the journey eg 2 Adults 1 Student.
• Step 2 - To book, select ' Free Travel Pass or Valid Ticket holders ' a pop-up will appear on your screen(see images below). If you are travelling with multiple passengers please tick the box for each passenger that is entitled to free travel. 

Once you have all the required fields filled out select 'Go'. You will then receive a full list of available services and the total price for all passengers travelling will be displayed.

• Step 3 - Choose the service(s) you wish to travel on by selecting one of the fares presented and select 'Book Tickets'. If you are looking for further information like intermediate stations, select the 'Trip details' button.
• Step 4 - Log in -  If you have an existing Irish Rail account then you need to enter your email address and password and select 'Login'. If this does not work select "forgotten password" option and follow the instructions on screen. If you don’t have an account you can continue as a  ‘Guest’ to the 'Passenger Details' page.
• Step 5 - Passenger Details -  Enter name(s). If you don't have an account, don't worry, you can register for an online account by simply ticking 'Yes, I wish to create an Iarnród Éireann account' under 'Customer details'. Once your booking is complete you will receive an email with your password, please ensure that you copy and paste the password from the email to avoid making a mistake typing in the password. You can update your password under ' My Account ' if you wish.
• Step 6 - Payment Overview -  Read and agree to the terms and conditions then click  'Pay Now'
• Step 7 - Confirmation - You have now reached the confirmation page, please ensure to either take note of your 'Ticket Collection Number' or download your QR ticket. You will also receive an email confirmation of your booking with the details included. You can now add the booking to your calendar for convenience!
• Step 8 - Collect or download your Ticket - Depending on your selected ticket fulfilment method, use your 'Ticket Collection Number' to print your ticket at the train station you are travelling from or download your QR ticket via the link in your confirmation email. For more information on collecting your ticket(s) click here .

Customers experiencing difficulty booking a 'Free Travel Pass' or 'Reservation Only' option, please contact us . 

How can we help?

• Travelling by Train
• Booking Online
• At the Station

I have a free travel pass / an existing valid ticket. Is there a charge to reserve my seat?

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Free Rail Travel in Ireland for Tourists

From Yesterday, St. Patrick’s Day, all senior tourists (aged 66 or more) are entitled to travel on the Irish Rail Network completely free of charge.

The scheme, known as the “Golden Trekker” applies to train travel in Ireland  on the Iarnród Éireann (Irish rail) network.

Golden Trekker Tickets take the form of a four-day Trekker ticket, or a sequence of four-day tracker tickets for longer stays, providing senior visitors with unrestricted rail travel within the republic of Ireland.  Each four-day Trekker ticket is worth at least €100 ($140) per person.

The scheme makes Ireland vacations even more affordable for seniors. Any of our selfdrive  Ireland vacation packages can be purchased excluding the rental car and you can get around using your free rail pass and take a bus or taxi to your hotel. Alternatively choose from our list of hotels near Irish train stations  to make that vacation even more convenient.

To get your Golden trekker ticket you must contact your local Tourism Ireland representatives:

For visitors from the USA the process is:

Call Tourism Ireland on 800 SHAMROCK (1-800-7426-7625) at least 48 hours prior to your arrival in Ireland, and provide the following information:

– First and last name – Date of birth – Passport Number – Date you wish your Golden Trekker Pass to commence (each pass is valid for four days. If you intend to travel for longer periods, you have to apply for more than one pass.) – Country of residence – Email address and/or Postal address – Origin of first rail journey

Once you have provided this information, your Tourism Ireland agent will process your application for a Golden Trekker , and a confirmation will be delivered to you in time for your trip to Ireland.

 For visitors from other countries visit www.discoverireland.com for details.

3 Responses to Free Rail Travel in Ireland for Tourists

I would like to help 2 u.s. citizens to apply for four day free travel in ireland in July 2011. Can you tell how to go about it. Many thanks helen

From the USA you can call Tourism Ireland on 800 SHAMROCK (1-800-7426-7625) at least 48 hours prior to your arrival in Ireland, and provide the following information:

There are some more details of the info you must provide here from the Irish Government’s Tourism Body. Fáilte Ireland: http://www.failteireland.ie/FailteCorp/media/FailteIreland/documents/Press%20Releases/Note_editor_Free_Rail_Scheme_for_Older_Visitors.pdf

I would like to apply for the golden trekker pass for the 4 day free rail travel for my husband and me . We apparently are not able to contact the Irish tourist office as the # is for USA citizens only. We live in Manitoba, Canada. Can you advise where we should apply? Thank you , I await your reply. Eileen Baxter

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Service News

Thu, 10 Aug 23

Reserve your seat with your free travel pass

It's just the ticket to enjoy more!

If you have a Free Travel Pass, remember to use it on the Expressway Network. It’s perfect for connecting with friends and family and doing the things you love.   It's just the ticket to enjoy more!  

There's no better way of exploring what Ireland has to offer than with Expressway and our 14 routes nationwide! You can use your free travel card, on board the coach by simply presenting your free travel card to the driver or you have the option to book online at www.expressway.ie to reserve a seat and get priority boarding for only €2 per trip.  

If you don't want to book online that's ok too as we have ticket machines in stations and travel without a booking is more than welcome provided we have space on board. 

So what are you waiting for?   We can't wait to welcome you on board!

Click here to watch our new Free Travel video

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Travel to and from the UK at a 30% discount with Expressway Eurolines!

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Eurolines service update from the week commencing 8th January 2024.

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Irish 18-year-olds can apply for free interrail tickets to travel around Europe next year

APPLICATIONS WILL OPEN this morning for Irish 18-year-olds to apply for a free travel pass to explore the countries in the European Union. 

The DiscoverEU initiative allows members of the European Union who are 18 years old to apply for one of 60,000 travel passes for travel around the EU next year. 

The aim of the scheme is to get young people interested in connecting with Europe.

Applications will open at 11am and will remain open until 26 October. 

Exceptionally for this round, young people who were eligible under the two rounds in 2020, which were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, can apply too.

Successful applicants can travel with up to four of their friends on their pass. To use the pass, people must travel between 1 March 2022 and 28 February 2023. 

Anyone who travels is expected to be a “Discover EU Ambassador” and to “report back on your travel experiences through social media tools like Instagram, Facebook or Twitter using #DiscoverEU”.

Almost 70 000 young people have been awarded a travel pass since the first application round in June 2018.

You can find out more about the initiative  here

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Ireland Trains

About railway system.

FAQ: Ireland Train Tickets

Popular irelands train routes.

Would you like to experience an Irelands train journey? Choose your perfect ticket from different routes today!

Belfast to Dublin Train

Dublin to belfast train, dublin to galway train, galway to dublin train, cork to dublin train, dublin to limerick train.

Travelling by intercity trains in Ireland with Irish Rail

The Republic of Ireland features a well maintained intercity railway network. With most major towns connected by rail from Dublin, the trains are usually a safe and comfortable way of getting around the country.

Where do the intercity trains run in Ireland?

Most major towns and cities are connected by rail. The Irish mainline rail network is actually 2 separate segments that converges at Dublin.

As a rule of thumb –

• Dublin Connolly : Trains along the east coast to the north (incl. Belfast), to Sligo, and Rosslare Europort.
• Dublin Heuston : Trains to the west (Athlone, Galway, Limerick, Tralee), and to the South (Waterford, and Cork).

The Irish railway network works best if you’re heading out from Dublin or vice versa as rail connections between towns outside Dublin are lacklustre due to the rationalisation exercise that took place between the 1950s and 1980s.

Who operates the trains?

The trains in Ireland are run by the state owned Iarnród Éireann ( pronounced approx. “Ian-rod Air-ren” ), also known as Irish Rail in English. Irish Rail is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann, which also runs most other public transport in the State.

The intercity services, branded as “InterCity”, are Irish Rail’s long distance train services to the rest of the country. While they are generally the highest tier of Irish Rail’s services, there are some regional services operated by InterCity trains with different onboard products.

Buying your intercity tickets

There are 2 ways to buy tickets for Irish Rail services – buying online, or buying at the stations. Irish Rail accepts only Euros for ticket purchases.

Buying online

The simplest way to buy Irish Rail intercity tickets is online through the Irish Rail website .

All InterCity tickets can be purchased online up to 90 days in advance . When selecting your train of choice, you will have the option of choosing between a range of 3 types of Standard Class tickets ( Low Fare, Semi-Flexible, Flexible ), or a First Class ticket. It is highly recommended that your purchase your tickets in advance online .

Seat reservations, if available on the service, can also be made via the website when you buy your ticket. Your name or ticket number will be displayed on LED panels above the seats onboard.

Remember to collect your printed tickets from the ticket machines at the station before you travel, or else you will not be able to pass through the ticket barriers at the station. To do this, you need to enter the 11 digit Ticket Collection Number that would have been emailed to you when you bought your tickets online.

Buying at the stations

Major train stations are manned and can sell you tickets. The manned counters are also a great place to get travel information if needed.

Not every ticket can be bought online. The following tickets can only be purchased in person at the station –

• Day Return tickets
• Family tickets
• Open Return tickets
• Trekker Four Day tickets (only available from the ticket counters)
• Explorer tickets (only available from the ticket counters)

A large number of train stations on the Irish rail networks are unmanned. If you’re catching a train from one such station and need a ticket, the station should have a single ticket machine available for ticket purchases.

If you’re caught in a freak situation where both the ticket counters and ticket machines are closed or unavailable , you will have to pay for your journey on the train or at your destination . The conductor will be aware that the ticket machines at the given station are inoperable, so attempting to get a free ride is not a wise choice. This is made very clear on Irish Rail’s website .

Buying or Upgrading to a First Class ticket

There are 2 ways to buy a First Class ticket with Irish Rail online – either you buy a First Class ticket outright, or you purchase an upgrade on top of your existing Standard Class ticket.

Here are the steps to getting an upgrade to First Class on Irish Rail. First, buy a Standard Class ticket at which ever tier you need.

Head back to the Irish Rail homepage. Repeat the search for trains on the same day. Click the orange “ Go ” button. When the train times appear, look for the “ Free Travel Pass or valid ticket holders ” button on the search field.

Click “ Free Travel Pass or valid ticket holders “, and when the pop-up appears, select the tickets you want to upgrade.

Click “ Update “, and now you’ll have to click the big orange “ Go ” button again. The page will then give you the familiar ticket selection interface.

You will now see the cost of the First Class supplement. In this mock booking to Cork on 24th December 2022, if we were to purchase the Low Fare Standard Class ticket for the 07:00 am Dublin Heuston departure at €21.49 and also the First Class supplement for €12.50 , we’d only be paying €33.99 for a First Class ticket, some €9.30 cheaper than if we bought a First Class ticket outright for the same service.

When collecting your ticket at the station, remember also to collect your upgrade supplement ticket . You will then need to show both printed tickets to train staff onboard .

How are the trains like?

The intercity services are operated by modern diesel trains with different experiences onboard.

IÉ Class 22000 DMU

Irish Rail operates a large number of Class 22000 diesel multiple units made by Hyundai ROTEM between years 2007 and 2011. These units are seen everywhere on the Irish mainline network – there is usually a 100% chance that your intercity service will be operated by a Class 22000 train.

The Standard Class interior of the Class 22000 sets consist of non-reclinable seats in a 2-2 arrangement, whereas First Class on these units have a 1-2 seat arrangement using the exact same seats.. The seats have decent leg room, but can get uncomfortable for longer distance sectors. I’ve had a go on these units a few times and kept feeling an urge to stretch.

Irish Rail is presently refurbishing the cabin onboard all Class 22000 sets. The works were featured by Global Railway Review in a May 2022 article .

IÉ Mark 4 carriages

Irish Rail operates the CAF-made Mark 4 carriages exclusively on services between Dublin Heuston and Cork. These trains are hauled by a diesel locomotive with a futuristic looking Driving Van Trailer at the rear.

If these carriages and their DVT look suspiciously like they were built for speed, that’s because they were. The Mark 4 carriages were designed for speeds up to 201km/h (125mph, like the Intercity 125 in Britain), but is limited to a maximum of 160 km/h in regular operation due to track, signalling, and locomotive limitations.

The Standard Class seats on the Mark 4 carriages are somewhat more comfortable than those on the Class 22000. While the seats still can’t be reclined, they are better padded and contoured to fit the human back better than the seats on the Class 22000. First Class on the Mark 4 carriages are also much more comfortable with seats essentially being cushy armchairs on trains.

Can I bring my bicycle onboard intercity trains?

Yes, you can, but there are some limitations to take note of.

If you’re using foldable bicycles , there are no restrictions or extra charges to bring them onboard Irish Rail intercity trains.

If you’re bringing non-foldable bicycles (aka normal bicycles) onboard, take note of the following important restrictions –

• You must book bicycle spaces onboard in advance. Do this online when purchasing your ticket through the Irish Rail website.
• If you already have a ticket and would like to book bicycle space, use the “ Free Travel Pass or Valid Ticket ” method.
• There are dedicated and standalone bicycle storage areas on all Enterprise services between Dublin and Belfast (subject to last minute or unexpected changes in train equipment), and on most Dublin to Cork services.
• For all other InterCity routes, the bicycle storage area is within the passenger compartment.
• Ensure that your bicycle fits into the dedicated storage space onboard.

External links

For more information and the latest travel updates, please visit –

• The Irish Rail website
• The Irish Rail twitter feed

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