thumb|Interior of the station looking towards the track area in 2018

thumb|Ticketing area in 2018

Heuston Station, ( ; ; formerly Kingsbridge Station) also known as Dublin Heuston, is one of Dublin's largest railway stations and links the capital with the south, southwest and west of Ireland. It is operated by Iarnród Éireann (IÉ), the national railway operator. It also houses the head office of its parent company, Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ). The station is named in honour of Seán Heuston, an executed leader of the 1916 Easter Rising, who had worked in the station's offices.

History

In 1836, a committee of Commissioners was appointed by the British Government to identify a system of rail routes throughout Ireland which would best serve the interests of the country as a whole.

The Great Southern and Western Railway (GS&WR) company was authorised by an Act passed in 1844 and began selecting a site in Dublin for their main city terminus, as well as the site of their headquarters. On 28 October 1845 the Great Southern and Western Railway Company bought a site in Dublin adjoining the Military Road, and another parcel of ground, from Henry John Temple, Lord Viscount Palmerston for £1,600. In December 1845, the GS&WR began advertising for tenders for building the Kingsbridge railway terminus on the land they had recently bought.

When first constructed the station had only two platforms separated by five carriage lines. Two of the lines were subsequently replaced by a two-sided platform and the remaining carriage line also removed. An additional platform, created in 1872 on the south side of the station, beyond the station roof, was known as the "military platform" – the intention being that military personnel could be kept separate from the rest of the public. its retail facilities now include a branch of Easons, as well as some dining facilities, including a branch of Supermacs, several cafés, a kiosk, and a large pub.

A maintenance depot at the Inchicore railway works is located approximately three kilometres (two miles) away and, as with Heuston Station itself, was also opened in 1846.

Operation

Based on 2019 National Transport Authority figures for "boardings and alightings", Heuston was then the third busiest station in Ireland, behind Connolly Station and Pearse stations, also in Dublin.

  • 1 train per hour (tph) to
  • 1 tp2h to
  • 3 tpd to
  • 1 tph to (peak times only)

The Luas light rail red line connects the two stations (apart from off-peak Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays).

Dublin Express has a direct service to Dublin Airport.

Platforms

There are nine platforms: eight terminal platforms and one through platform. Platform 1 is an extension to Platform 2, and is reachable only via that platform. Prior to Heuston's 2002–2004 upgrade, there were five terminal platforms.

The through platform is numbered Platform 10 and is situated on the Phoenix Park Tunnel line, which connects to Connolly Station.

Other plans, first published in the 1970s, suggested that a proposed DART Underground project would link underground stations at Heuston and Pearse station via a tunnel. As of 2015, these plans were subject to review,

Heuston Luas stop

Heuston is an interchange with Dublin's Luas light rail tram system. Opened in 2004, Heuston Luas stop is located in front of the station building; the tram tracks run perpendicular to the main line tracks. To the north of the stop, trams cross the River Liffey on the Seán Heuston Bridge, which was refurbished as part of the Luas construction. To the south, trams travel up Steeven's Lane, which is closed to road vehicles other than those accessing St. Patrick's University Hospital.

Heuston has three platforms. There are two outer edge platforms and two sides of an island platform. The two platforms nearest the station serve the same section of track, used for northbound trams travelling towards Connolly or The Point. The platform nearest St. John's Road West is for southbound trams travelling towards Tallaght and Saggart. The eastern side of the island is a terminus platform, used only in certain peak times, when extra services are run in the city centre section.

In culture

Exterior shots of the station appeared in the 1978 heist film The First Great Train Robbery purporting to be London Bridge railway station. The station was altered to represent the Victorian era including the erection of offices, signs, posters and horse-drawn transport.

<gallery widths=180>

Image:Heuston Station Dublin 2018.jpg|Facade in 2018

Image:Heuston railway station.jpg|Cork-Dublin train at Heuston

Image:Heuston railway station Dublin.jpeg|Renovated roof

Image:Heuston.jpg|Heuston interior

Image:Luas @ Heuston.jpg|Luas at Heuston

</gallery>

See also

  • List of railway stations in Ireland
  • History of rail transport in Ireland

Notes

References

</references>

Sources

  • Irish Rail Dublin Heuston Station Website
  • Luas Heuston Stop information