The National Transport Authority (NTA) in Ireland, in partnership with the Department of Transport and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, is supporting a new campaign to promote night-time Transport for Ireland (TFI) public transport services nationwide.
This campaign has been developed in collaboration with the Night-Time Economy Advisors in the Night-Time Economy pilot areas across the country.
The campaign, which aims to remind people that “The TFI Network works later than you think” is a Night-Time Economy Initiative. This is a pilot initiative across the areas of the country which have a Night-Time Advisor in place including the cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Kilkenny, as well as Drogheda Co. Louth, Sligo, Buncrana, Co. Donegal and Longford Town. The NTE Advisors are supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
The campaign will highlight the range of TFI public transport options available in these towns and cities after 6pm, including bus, train and tram services. The TFI public transport network continues to develop with new routes and service enhancements introduced regularly. In 2023, a record 308 million passenger journeys were made on public transport across Ireland which is a 24% increase on the 2022 figures.
Over 625,000 people now have access to a regular, seven day a week 24-hour bus service within a short walk from their homes. More will have access to weekend night link services. Over 800,000 people have access to regular public transport services up to midnight with more being planned.
In Dublin City, as part of the BusConnects Network Redesign, 10 bus routes operate 24-hour a day, seven days a week. This is in addition to the 12 reduced fares ‘Nightlink’ services which depart from the City Centre to suburbs across Dublin on Friday and Saturday nights during periods of higher demand in the City.
A further three, 24-hour routes connect Dublin with commuter towns and villages in the north east as far as Drogheda, northwest as far as Kells and west as far as Portlaoise.
In Cork City, Route 220 between Ballincollig and Carrigaline (via the City) has operated a 24-hour timetable since 2019.
In August 2024, Route 343 commenced a 24-hour service between Limerick City and Shannon town centre and Airport. This service links both Shannon and Limerick and also provides local public transport services within Shannon Town.
A new 24-hour bus service between Knocknacarra and Parkmore, via the City Centre is planned for Galway City.
The NTA has also introduced frequent urban bus services which operate from 6am to midnight in towns such as Carlow, Clonmel, Drogheda, Kilkenny, Sligo, and Navan, with Portlaoise Town bus service expected to commence later in the year.
The TFI public transport network continues to develop with new routes and service enhancements introduced regularly. In 2023, a record 308 million passenger journeys were made on public transport which is a 24% increase on the 2022 figures.
Some of the biggest changes are happening across rural Ireland. Over the past two years, over 100 new or enhanced routes have been introduced nationally under the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan. Many of these routes offer early morning, peak time and late-night services which provide transport options for those working hard to keep our Night-Time Economy thriving and those who wish to socialise in our towns and cities.
In 2024 alone, ten Connecting Ireland routes were enhanced or introduced to provide new additional evening services, offering improved connectivity with towns and villages, colleges, hospitals and other services to allow passengers to connect with the wider TFI Network. Under the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan, we aim to continue to introduce more new and enhanced bus services throughout rural Ireland.
Anne Graham, CEO of the NTA said: “As a member of the Government’s Night-Time Economy Taskforce, I understand the importance of improving our public transport network to ensure our passengers can get home from work or from a night out with friends later in the evening.
“Our public transport network is for everyone, and we want to continue to improve services which are frequent, reliable, safe and accessible to all, especially at night-time which will help to develop our economy.”
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said: “When people go out in the evening, whether it’s to see a film, go to the theatre, or meet friends for a meal or a drink, they will often take the bus or train into town. Now, with record investment and ramping up of night-time and 24-hour services over the past few years, more and more people can also expect to rely on public transport to take them home again.
“Public transport is working later so that you can stay out longer. This is good news for our night-time economy and this is good news for passengers, perhaps particularly younger people, who can have a great night out and then know that they can get home safely and economically.”
“I really welcome this new campaign to highlight the wide range of public transport options now available to evening and night-time passengers. Public transport has to work for everyone, at all hours. We have turbo-charged our public transport like never before over the past four years and I look forward to this continuing, during the day, and during the night.”
Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin T.D. said: “How we get home safely from a night out is a really important factor in deciding where to go and what to do. We want to encourage people to get out into our cities and towns, to meet with friends and enjoy the variety that our night-life has to offer. This campaign will help to inform people about what options are currently available late at night and will aim to encourage people to use our public transport networks. I want to thank the Night-Time Economy advisors and the NTA for working together on this campaign.”
The Government’s Night-Time Economy Taskforce was established in July 2020, as one of the priority actions in the Programme for Government. A number of the Taskforce’s recommendations include efforts to improve the public realm and provide effective public transport solutions at different stages of the Night-Time Economy.
