Balbriggan train station
Northern Commuter · Baile Brigín · Dublin
About Balbriggan
Balbriggan has had trains since 25 May 1844, when the Dublin and Drogheda Railway reached the town. The line passed to the Great Northern Railway, which ran it until 1950; the cross-border Railway Board took over, and when that body was dissolved in 1958 the southern portion went to Córas Iompair Éireann. Goods traffic finished on 2 December 1974, leaving the station to passengers alone.
The viaduct immediately south of the platforms is the set piece. It carries the line over the mouth of the harbour and can be viewed from walkways on both sides — the eastern one reached by steps from Balbriggan beach, the western by a path from Quay Street. The station itself has two platforms: the main entrance and ticket office are on platform 2, with platform 1 reached over a footbridge. Every Northern Commuter service calls, and one train a day starts or finishes here, while the Belfast Enterprise and the Tara mine zinc trains run through without stopping.
First and last trains from Balbriggan
| Line and direction | Mon–Thu first – last | Friday first – last | Saturday first – last | Sunday first – last | Bank holiday first – last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern towards Dublin Pearse | 06:07 – 22:22 | 06:07 – 22:22 | 06:38 – 22:25 | 07:56 – 22:16 | 07:56 – 22:16 |
| Northern towards Drogheda (MacBride) | 07:49 – 00:36 | 07:49 – 00:36 | 08:05 – 00:33 | 09:56 – 00:30 | 09:56 – 00:30 |
Departures from this station in the NTA’s published timetable for a representative week. A day type with no departures is shown as no service rather than filled in from another day.
From Balbriggan: Northern towards Dublin Pearse, about one train every 40 minutes at the busiest times (31 departures on a weekday) and Northern towards Drogheda (MacBride), about one train every 39 minutes at the busiest times (30 departures on a weekday).
Some of the 61 weekday departures are worked by trains that continue as InterCity services beyond the commuter zone. They run to Rosslare.
Next stops from Balbriggan
Running times to the adjoining stops, from the operators’ own timetables.
| Line | Next stop | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Northern | Drogheda (MacBride) | 18.9 min |
| Northern | Skerries | 5.5 min |
Connections and interchange
- Iarnód Éireann timetables for the routes serving this station are published on its own station page.
Facilities
From Iarnód Éireann’s own station record. A facility that the operator does not list is left out rather than marked as absent.
Open for all services
Station Staffing Hours
Monday to Friday: 06:00- 20:00
Saturday: 06:00- 20:00
Sunday: 08:00- 20:00
Station Booking Office Opening Hours
Monday to Friday: 06:00- 20:00
Saturday: 06:00- 20:00
Sunday: 08:00- 20:00
What is near Balbriggan
Unusually for a town of this size, the station is right in the middle of things: the harbour and the beaches are about two minutes’ walk down the hill, and the main street is on the doorstep. Omniplex Balbriggan, the town’s cinema, is roughly 170 m away and Balbriggan Library about 370 m. The viaduct walkways either side of the line make a short circuit of their own, with the railway, the harbour and the strand all in view.
| Place | Straight-line distance from the station |
|---|---|
| Omniplex Balbriggan | 170 m |
| Balbriggan Library | 370 m |
Named places from OpenStreetMap within 400 m of the station. The distance is a straight line, not a walking route.
Frequently asked questions
Not onto the railway itself, but walkways run along both sides of the viaduct just south of the station. The eastern walkway is entered by steps from Balbriggan beach and the western one from a path off Quay Street.
No. Every Northern Commuter service calls, and one train a day begins or ends its journey here. The Dublin to Belfast Enterprise and the zinc ore trains from the Tara mine both pass straight through without stopping.