Iarnród Éireann has launched public consultation on ambitious plans that could see Cork’s rail network transformed, with eight new stations, full electrification, and trains running every 10 minutes across three commuter lines, including Mallow.
The Phase 2 proposals for the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme promise to bring rail services to previously unconnected communities, including Blarney, Blackpool, Tivoli, and Dunkettle, whilst supporting up to 16 million passenger journeys annually once completed.
The eight proposed new stations are Blarney/Stoneview, Monard, Blackpool/Kilbarry, Tivoli, Dunkettle, Ballynoe, Carrigtwohill West, and Water-Rock. The plans also include a new fleet maintenance depot at Ballyrichard More and strategic Park and Ride facilities at Blarney/Stoneview and Dunkettle.
Locals will be invited to attend consultation events across the county, starting with Kent Station on 24th June from 4pm to 8pm. Additional sessions will be held in Blarney (25th June), Blackpool (26th June), Midleton (2nd July), Cobh (3rd July), and Mallow (9th July), all running 4pm to 8pm. A webinar is scheduled for 10th July at 7pm.
The consultation will run until late July, with full details available at www.irishrail.ie/cacr. Following this feedback period, a second consultation on the preferred option is expected later this year, with a Railway Order application to An Bord Pleanála planned for 2026.
The programme represents a significant step towards reducing Cork’s reliance on private cars, with improved connections planned to bus services, cycleways, and the city’s future LUAS system.