New-look 'commuter' carriages being added to some Offaly train services

Passengers taking the train in Tullamore and Clara are starting to see the introduction of new-look carriages on some services.

In recent years Irish Rail purchased 41 new Intercity railcar carriages, and last month the process of phasing these new facilities into use got underway.

The new carriages are now being used on some Offaly Intercity services but have a very different appearance to the typical rail carriage on the Dublin to Galway line.

They are more similar to what might be seen on an underground commuter rail service in a big city, as they feature rows of flip-up seats that face each other on both sides, and overhead hand straps for people standing while the train is in motion.

The new carriages offer additional space for bicycles. They are not fitted with toilet facilities, which are available on the other 'traditional' carriages on the train.

Irish Rail said the new carriages would add capacity by making existing trains longer.

It said the existing Intercity railcar fleet consisted of 234 carriages, and this was now expanding with the addition of the 41 new-look carriages.

"These carriages have a multi-purpose area to include tip-up seats and extra bicycle space," said Irish Rail spokesperson Barry Kenny.

"This means that they have flexibility in usage, whether operating on Intercity services or on busy peak Commuter services. They were produced by Hyundai-Rotem in South Korea."

Mr Kenny added that Irish Rail was "currently engaging with the National Transport Authority on final deployment of additional capacity, based on current passenger demand."

"We do plan to deliver improvements to Galway services later this year, and the roll-out of this fleet will assist in this," he said.