Dublin Heuston railway station
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Dublin Heuston, commonly called Heuston station, is one of Republic of Ireland's main railway stations, serving the south, southwest and west. It is operated by Iarnród Éireann, the national railway operator. It houses the head office of Iarnród Éireann's parent company, Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ).
Heuston is connected to Connolly Station by the Red Line of the Luas light rail system. As this system is built to a different gauge and runs through a bus & tram plaza at the front of the station rather than from the platform areas in the interior, through running is not possible. There is a physical rail link between the two stations via Islandbridge Junction (less than a mile from Heuston) but this is usually only used for freight and rolling stock movements — once or twice a year special trains may operate, usually from Cork to Connolly for Gaelic Athletic Association matches in Croke Park.
There are nine platforms - eight terminal platforms and one through platform. The through platform is known as "Platform 10", and is unused; there is no platform nine. It is some distance from the main concourse. Prior to its recent upgrade, there were five terminal platforms. Platform 1 is an extension to Platform 2, and reachable only via that platform.
Heuston was called Kingsbridge Station from its opening in 1844 until its renaming in 1966 after Sean Heuston, an Easter Rising leader who had worked in the station offices. The "Kingsbridge" appellation is still common amongst native Dubliners. The station was designed by Sancton Wood and the handsome original buildings remain. Since its renewal (by Quinn Savage Smyth architects and engineers Buro Happold) it includes two branches of Eason's, as well as some cafés/restaurants, including a Supermacs, and a pub.
Intercity and Commuter services leave the station on a triple line to Inchicore and double beyond. This is the main line to Cork, serving Kildare [end of Commuter services at milepost 30] and junction for Kilkenny & Waterford; Portarlington, diverging route to west via Tullamore and Athlone; Portlaoise; Ballybrophy, junction for Limerick via Nenagh; Thurles; Limerick Junction, for direct Limerick and Ennis services and Waterford via Clonmel; Mallow, junction for Killarney & Tralee. For a full list of stops on these routes, and route descriptions, see Rail transport in Ireland.
The main maintenance depot, at Inchicore, is approximately two miles away.
| Preceding station | Iarnród Éireann | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terminus | Iarnród Éireann South Western Commuter |
Cherry Orchard and Parkwest |
||
| Terminus | Intercity Dublin-Cork |
Newbridge | ||
| Terminus | Intercity Dublin-Waterford |
Hazelhatch and Celbridge |
||
| Terminus | Intercity Dublin-Limerick |
Newbridge | ||
| Terminus | Intercity Dublin-Tralee |
Portlaoise | ||
| Terminus | Intercity Dublin-Galway |
Hazelhatch and Celbridge |
||
| Terminus | Intercity Dublin-Westport/Ballina |
Newbridge | ||
