InterCity (Iarnród Éireann)

InterCity
InterCity train (201 Class) passing through the Curragh in County Kildare
Overview
Type	InterCity
System	Iarnród Éireann
Status	Operational
Locale	Ireland
Stations	83
Services	14
Operation
Opened	1972 (As Mainline) 1984 (As InterCity)
Owner	Iarnród Éireann
Operator(s)	Iarnród Éireann
Rolling stock	201 Class Mark 4 22000 Class
Technical
Number of tracks	2-6
Track gauge	1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Operating speed	160 km/h (99 mph) maximum

InterCity is the brand name given to rail services operated by Iarnród Éireann that run between Dublin and other major cities in Ireland. InterCity branding is also used in other European countries by unaffiliated organizations.

InterCity services from Dublin operate from two main stations:

Although Dublin is the hub of InterCity services with all "radial routes" terminating there, there are other services which may be considered as InterCity including;

InterCity services are operated using a mixture of locomotive pulled coaching stock and DMUs. In 2006, deliveries began of 67 new Mark 4 coaches, specifically for the flagship Dublin-Cork route, in an order costing approximately €117 million. These are formed into 8 carriage trains, pulled by a 201 class locomotive, and operate an hourly service between Cork and Dublin. The entry into service of the Mark 4 stock allowed the coaching stock to be cascaded to other routes, allowing in turn the withdrawal of the elderly and coaches. In 2007, the first of a total 183 coaches of the new 22000 Class diesel multiple unit were delivered, of which 150 vehicles are for InterCity services, the remaining for use on Commuter routes, at a total cost of approximately €400 million. These trains, which are in 3-car, 4-car and 5-car formations, replaced the Mark 3 coaches formerly in use on the routes between Dublin and Limerick, Galway and Waterford and the 2800 Class and 29000 Class DMUs on the Dublin to Sligo and Dublin to Rosslare Europort services, and on the services that do not terminate in Dublin. The Commuter DMU rolling stock was then transferred to the expanded Commuter services from 2008 until 2012, when all 22000 Class DMUs had entered service. The first 22000 Class train entered service on 18 December 2007 on the service to Sligo. These DMUs now operate all Dublin-Sligo, Dublin-Tralee and Dublin-Limerick services, as well as all Dublin-Westport services and Dublin-Galway, Dublin-Waterford and Mallow/Cork-Tralee services. The final deliveries of the 22000 Class took place in 2012. As of 2016 all InterCity and many Commuter routes are operated with 22000 Class units, with the exclusion of the Cork-Dublin and Belfast-Dublin services.