A new ticketing and travel initiative between coach operator Dublin Express and Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail was launched this week. For the first time, passengers can travel to Dublin Airport by rail or bus by booking just one seamless ticket.

Thanks to a new ticketing agreement, people travelling from rail destinations across the region to Heuston can buy their tickets online with Irish Rail and have the option of adding an onward connecting bus journey from Heuston Station to Dublin Airport with Dublin Express.

 Following a successful trial, sales of joint rail and bus tickets between Heuston Station and Dublin Airport have increased almost four-fold in just three months. Assuming two passengers per car, this has removed 90,000 car journeys in 2023.

 John Boughton, Managing Director of National Express Ireland, said: “There’s clearly a demand for high quality, sustainable and stress-free travel from Irish consumers.  More and more people are opting for quality public transport services and this service delivers that. We estimate 33% of airport travellers will use public transport this year and this will only increase in the years to come. Not only will it help cut thousands of car journeys from Irish roads, towns and cities, it will also help to cut carbon emissions and help us fulfill our climate action targets as a nation