Bus Éireann advise passengers of Christmas and new year timetables

WITH THE Christmas period fast approaching, Bus Éireann, Ireland’s national bus company, is advising customers to note changes to normal schedules.

With demand expected to be high, book in advance to guarantee a seat on your preferred Expressway intercity service.

Bus Éireann operates the city services of Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford, the town services of Athlone, Balbriggan, Drogheda, Dundalk, Navan and Sligo, regional and rural services, as well as the country’s largest intercity service, Expressway.

Normal services will operate up to and including Friday, December 23.

On Christmas Eve, services finish earlier than normal.

City, town, commuter and rural services will operate to a Saturday service with last departures at approximately 9pm, while Expressway services will also operate with earlier last departures.

With anticipated high demand, passengers are encouraged to plan their journeys in advance and check the updated timetables on the Bus Éireann website HERE.

Bus Éireann services will operate to normal schedules until Saturday, December 23 marking one of the busiest travel weeks as passengers from across Ireland and beyond travel home for the festive season.   

No services will operate on Christmas Day.

St Stephen’s Day will see a Bank Holiday/Sunday service timetable, beginning from approximately 9am, although some Expressway routes commence earlier.

From Bank Holiday Tuesday, normal schedules will resume – with weekday schedules running from December 27-30, and weekend schedules as normal on New Year’s Eve (Saturday), New Year’s Day (Sunday) and Bank Holiday Monday, January 1.

A full normal timetable across Bus Éireann services will resume from Tuesday, January 2.

Stephen Kent, Chief Executive of Bus Éireann, said: "Bus Éireann has facilitated over 99 million passenger journeys in 2023, and we know that many of our customers will be using our services during the Christmas season, whether travelling home, visiting family and friends, shopping, or working over the festive period. Christmas and New Year is the busiest period for Bus Éireann services and we are delighted to provide an extensive schedule up to and during the Christmas season to meet the travel needs of our customers. We advise those planning to travel over the festive period to plan their journeys in advance and check our website for up-to-date timetables and travel information. On behalf of Bus Éireann, I want to take this opportunity to thank our valued customers for choosing our services this past year and we extend our warm wishes for a safe and joyful holiday season to all, wherever you may travel."