Off the rails: Kilkenny train passengers will be forced onto buses this weekend due to work on line

Kilkenny commuters using Irish Rail services this weekend better be prepared for disruption as during their journeys they may have to leave their carriages and board buses to get to their destination.

Irish Rail announced this week, it is to undertake yet more line improvements on the Waterford to Dublin Heuston line over the weekend.

As part of the upgrades, some trains will be delayed leaving Dublin, while on others, Irish Rail will ferry passengers to Athy on a bus. Passengers going in the opposite direction will be asked to get off the train at Athy and complete their journey to Dublin by bus.

The affected services are expected to take up to 30 minutes longer than is normally scheduled to reach Dublin, or in the other direction, Waterford and Kilkenny.

The services affected are on Saturday:

09:10 Dublin Heuston to Waterford/Kilkenny – This train will now depart at 09:50

17:35 Dublin Heuston to Waterford – This service will see bus transfers direct from Heuston to Athy, with a train from Athy completing the journey to Kilkenny, then onto Waterford

18:25 Waterford to Dublin Heuston service which will operate as a train between Waterford, Kilkenny and onto Athy,  then as a bus transfer between Athy and Heuston.

18.35 Dublin Heuston to Waterford service will operate as a bus transfer between Heuston and Athy, with a train from Athy completing the journey to Kilkenny, then onto Waterford

On Sunday morning, February 23, the 9.10am train from Dublin Heuston to Waterford/Kilkenny will now depart at 9.50am.

All services will return to normal Sunday afternoon.