Waterford commuters hit by six months of train disruption as flood works begin

Rail passengers in Waterford are facing six months of disruption as major flood defence works get underway from Monday, August 25.

Irish Rail says off-peak morning services from Monday to Thursday will be affected until November 27, before resuming again from January 5 to March 26, 2026. Weekend trains and all services during December and the New Year period will run as normal.

The works, which are part of the Waterford North Quays project, aim to end years of repeated flooding along the line and make services climate-resilient into the future.

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As well as ensuring rail services are no longer impacted by flooding, both to the existing station and the new Plunkett Station from 2027, the works will allow a new electrical signalling system to replace the mechanical system which has been in place, and reinstate track capacity and routes to and from Waterford.

Services impacted include:

• 7.20am and 10.15am Dublin Heuston to Waterford – terminating at Kilkenny, with bus transfers to Thomastown and Waterford.
• 11am and 1.05pm Waterford to Dublin Heuston – bus transfers from Waterford and Thomastown to Kilkenny, then train to Heuston.
• 9.45am Limerick Junction to Waterford – terminating at Carrick-on-Suir, with bus transfers to Waterford.

Irish Rail says only two of the eight daily services each way between Waterford and Dublin will be affected from Monday to Thursday.

The flood prevention project will see sheet piled walls up to 25 metres deep, impermeable trenches, a new drainage network and pumping stations installed along a 1.1km stretch from Sally Park to east of the new Plunkett Station and Transport Hub.

Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive Jim Meade said: "The Waterford North Quays project is a transformative one for Waterford and for public transport serving the city.

"As well as delivering a new integrated transport hub incorporating a relocated Plunkett Station, it will resolve the recurring flooding issues which have disrupted rail services to and from Waterford for many years. This is a trend which has worsened with the impact of climate change, so it is far-sighted to incorporate these works in the wider programme.

"We welcome Waterford City and County Council's commitment to the protection of key public transport infrastructure, and thank them and their contractors for the proactive engagement which has been core to the Waterford North Quays programme.

"While any disruption is regretted, we believe the programme strikes the right balance between the needs of rail customers and the efficient delivery of these crucial flood defence works."

Irish Rail says it has worked with Waterford City and County Council and contractors BAM to minimise the impact, but warned line closures are unavoidable during piling works due to safety concerns.

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