Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail Reviews 

343
TrustScore 2 out of 5

2.2

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Evaluating 50 reviews, most reviewers were unhappy with their experience overall. Customers frequently encountered significant service issues, such as frequent delays, overcrowded trains, and a general lack of reliability. The booking process caused frustration, with reserved seats often taken or non-existent, and online booking sometimes problematic. Train facilities were also criticized for being unhygienic, featuring dirty toilets, unpleasant smells, and overall uncleanliness. However, some customers praised staff for being helpful, kind, and going above and beyond to assist passengers. Conversely, other reviewers reported negative encounters, citing staff as unhelpful, rude, or difficult to locate.

What people talk about most

Service

Clients share negative opinions on service, with many reviewers describing it as very poor and a reflection... See more

Staff

Customers had ambiguous experiences with staff, with many praising their helpfulness and kindness, especially... See more

Location

Reviewers mention ambiguous feedback about location, with some highlighting specific stations like Heuston,... See more

Booking process

People report negative experiences with the booking process, often encountering issues with double-booked... See more

Facilities

Reviewers highlight negative aspects of facilities, with many expressing disgust over the cleanliness of... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Reserved 7 seats in the train from Dublin to Kilkenny and back. Outward journey was great even with rain and storm outside. Inward journey was made a hell of an experience by 4 people having thei... See more

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

The smell of urine from the carrage was unacceptable. The toilets were in a disgusting state. And you could see on the mat outside that they were leaking. These carrages are not cleaned properly, as t... See more

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Apart from the major delays, the tickets are still really expensive, considering the travels from Portlaoise to Dublin. It's much cheaper to go by car if you have one. No wonder there is so much traff... See more

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Travelled the Cork dublin return last weekend train was packed. Had seats booked luckily. Train was ontime girl checking tickets very helpful and pleasant. Only thing was train stopped way outside st... See more


Company details

  1. Railway ticket agent
  2. Transportation service

Information provided by various external sources

Iarnród Éireann, also known as Irish Rail in English, is the operator of the national railway network of Ireland.


Contact info

2.2

Poor

TrustScore 2 out of 5

343 reviews

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1-star

No history of asking for reviews

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2.2

All reviews

(343)

84 reviews in the last 12 months

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Exceptional customer service from…

Exceptional customer service from Hilary@Bray Station for numerous information given to me as first time traveller in Ireland. Knowleadgeable, very professional and prompt. Congratulations, Hilary, you are an exceptional asset to Irish Rail!

11 March 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

It's like they are trying to be bad

It's like they are trying to be bad. Sitting at Tara Street waiting on another late train so might as well review. Last Saturday night from Malahide to Town.. Train pulls in, sits there for 20 mins past departure time whilst people freeze on the platform, no announcements, don't let people on the train out of the cold.
Just knuckle draggers running the show.
Even in Tara Street they're paying brain dead staff to sit in booths on their phones at nothing.
Privatise it and clean up shop.

28 March 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

So rude and no understanding treated like a criminal.

I have just had the most horrible experience on the train from Thurles to Dublin , was traveling with my son who I’m a carer for with my husband and 2 kids had 4 tickets and mine was free travel he asked for proof of my travel pass and realized I had left it at home while I completely understand I had no proof I told him I was a carer for one of my children who was with me and I had purchased 4 tickets he was so rude I have never met anyone like him and in front of a child who was already anxious . I asked could I email a copy of my travel pass he was having none of it so anyone traveling with kids with needs make sure and bring your pps card as you will have to pay for a ticket you shouldn’t have to pay for and no le way at all so so rude .

27 March 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Regular customer on the Sligo líne i…

Regular customer on the Sligo líne i work in Dublin City Centre so normally get the train from Broombridge each day. Today was on the Luas as normal as I approached Broombridge at 15.09 I noticed the Sligo train on the line it was early at least 8 people ran to get the train the driver clearly saw passengers he smiled and continued to pull away ,what a nasty price of work.........

25 March 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Harassesment

Getting tired of being harassed in the morning by your staff "were you going" if I wanted help I'd ask. Than they look at me with two heads just because I ignored them.

Trains are pretty dirty.

24 March 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Terrible Services

Like most my experience is negative, in fact very negative. Dublin to Cork twice recently and it gets worse each time. Toilets overflowing with contents on the floor and spilling out onto passage ways. Filthy everywhere, torn seat covers, people drinking alcohol eventhough its not allowed. Punctuality is good, staff ambivalent. Im not a fan of privatisation but this company should be sold for €1 as thats the value of it. Its 2026 and they are stuck in the 1950s.

8 March 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

1,5 hour travel time from malahide to…

1,5 hour travel time from malahide to howth,with over 50 minutes waiting time/delay at howth junction is a joke.Train station without toilets is a third world thing.Seats ripped, train overcrowded.Real world updates incorrect.Shocking experience,we were travelling for leisure I can imagine how it is if you have to travel for work.Worst railway in Europe

28 February 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant service 👏👏👏

I caught the train this morning from Mallow to Dublin Heuston. Whilst waiting for my bus i realised my car keys had vanished, instant panic 🙈🙈 I sent an email and got a rapid response from the lovely Orla. Shortly after i got through to Customer Service at Heuston and they had found my keys👏👏👏 absolutely fantastic service and saved me a great deal of trouble. Well done to Irish Rail👏👏👏

25 February 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Five star Customer Service

I travelled by train recently from Dublin to Cork. At Portarlington, due to technical problems, the train had to be withdrawn from service and passengers had to retrain. The staff handled this disruption kindly, with sensitivity and care for passengers. Due to their smooth handling of the situation passengers whil discommoded, we’re accepting of the situation and I heard very little grumbling or complaining. Within an hour we were on our way on the next scheduled train. Due to the disruption there were few spare seats on the next train. I wrote to Irish Rail, received a response within 24 hours which included an apology and refund. This is what I call 5 star customer service.

20 February 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Should be 0 stars

Should be 0 stars!
They changed my seats without my permission or knowledge. I received and email that my booking was modified but I didn't modify it. I rang their customer service straight away because my daughter suffers from travel sickness and I specifically chosen seats that are the best for her. Customer service not helpful at all. I was informed that they don't know why and how it happened and told me that my initial seats aren't available so they can't give them back to me. Joke! I submitted complaint but again I was informed that it is very unlikely that I will be sitting on seats that I reserved. This is just awful! They don't care about any rules and definitely they don't care about people!

17 February 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I travelled from Dublin to Cork this…

I travelled from Dublin to Cork this evening with three children. They had bought pot noodles in the shop before boarding the train. When they asked for hot water from the dining cart they were told by a staff member by the name of "Isabelle" that they need to pay €3.40 per cup of hot water, which then changed to 3.80. When I went and asked why there was a charge for hot water she told me that she needed to charge for the "tea" because it was against "company policy". Absolutely scandalous!!

14 February 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant staff

On Thursday morning 22nd January the gentleman working collecting tickets at sligo train station was so pleasant and welcoming. The ticket inspector on the 9 train was so friendly and welcoming, the gentleman checking tickets on the 4.05 from dublin to sligo was so kind and polite. Well done to the staff

22 January 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Expensive!

Apart from the major delays, the tickets are still really expensive, considering the travels from Portlaoise to Dublin. It's much cheaper to go by car if you have one. No wonder there is so much traffic on the highways still....

20 January 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Filthy disgusting trains.

Went to cork today. Another broken disgusting train with broken toilets and tattered dirty seats.

And to think yesterday the CEO Irish rail got a pay rise of 60.000 euro. It's criminal they are getting awarded for complete incompetence. It's the worst public transport system in Europe.

15 January 2026
Unprompted review

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