Onboard catering on the Cork to Dublin train is to recommence from early April.

Iarnród Éireann confirmed that it will resume on-board catering services from early April, on the Cork to Dublin route this morning.

Carriage Food Services, who currently also provide catering services on board the Dublin to Belfast Enterprise service, will provide a trolley service on selected services on the Cork to Dublin route from early April, building to all Cork-Dublin services within weeks.

With Cork to Dublin also serving the vast majority of customers travelling to/from Kerry (changing at Mallow) and Limerick (changing at Limerick Junction), Iarród Éireann said 50% of Intercity customers will have on-board catering available, including Dublin-Belfast Enterprise.

An Iarnród Éireann spokesperson said: “We have been as keen as our customers to see on-board catering resume, and are delighted to be in a position to do so with this interim provision. We also believe that the success of the interim service will ensure that some of the inflated costs being quoted for full catering provision across our Intercity network will be reduced through the full procurement process.” 

 As well as this, Iarnród Éireann will also 

• proceed with a full procurement process for catering services across the Intercity network 
• progress a pilot for catering vending machines on selected trains. If successful and progressed further, vending machines would be intended to be complementary to onboard trolley services 
• work to identify further opportunities to enhance station retail and catering facilities