Free Rail Travel for Community and Voluntary Groups

Posted in News - Latest

Iarnród Éireann has today launched a new community initiative to support organisations and groups in the voluntary, community, sporting and charity sector.

The initiative, entitled "The Journey's On Us", will provide up to €200,000 worth of group travel to organisations in the sector who apply for the scheme in 2012.  Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive Dick Fearn said at the launch of the initiative "Voluntary organisations are the life blood of communities across the country.

However, like everyone, their budgets have been cut.  We know there are youth, sports, music, voluntary, charity and other groups in the community who would benefit greatly from being able to undertake initiatives which involve a travel cost, but have had to scale back. 

We in Iarnród Éireann, through The Journey's On Us, want to do what we can to help such groups achieve their goals, and say thank you to the organisations which play such a vital role in the daily lives of communities."Under the initiative, 100 groups of up to 50 people per group will receive a free return group travel journey from Iarnród Éireann, across any of the company's services. 

The travel facilities will be ideal in particular for organisations bringing a group to a special event, or as part of a specific support to the members of the group which requires travel.

Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive Dick Fearn said of the initiative "the role of the railway is to connect communities. Through this exciting new initiative, we will help those who do most to bring communities together, and we anticipate to a strong response from groups in this sector from around the country.  We want to hear of the excellent work being done, and how this new initiative can help that work."

How to Take Part

Groups are invited to apply for the new scheme through a number of means, including:

•             Entry forms are available at all Ianród Éireann stations

•             Online entry form at www.irishrail.ie/journeys

•             Emailed entry forms to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

•             By post to Corporate Communications, Iarnród Éireann, Connolly Station, Dublin 1.

The closing date for receipt of entries is Friday, 25 May.

All applications will be considered by an adjudicating panel, involving representatives of Volunteer Ireland and The Wheel, as well as Iarnród Éireann.  The 100 successful groups will be notified in June.

Further information and terms and conditions are available at www.irishrail.ie/journeys