Don’t get caught out if you’re using the train to get into town to do your shopping

11:10, 16 Dec 2025Updated 11:30, 16 Dec 2025

New Platforms at Cork Kent Station

Public transport from towns all over Cork into the city is packed this time of year as everyone heads in to do their shopping – if you get the train, Irish Rail has made changes to some busy morning services.

Kent Station’s new platform – which was completed earlier this year – will be used to combine a number of routes to create peak-time direct services and open the network up to more passengers.

Here are the confirmed changes for Cork’s commuter rail network:

06:50hrs Mallow to Cork and 07:15hrs Cork to Midleton combined to form a 06:48hrs Mallow to Midleton through service07:50hrs Mallow to Cork and 08:15hrs Cork to Midleton combined to form a 07:48hrs Mallow to Midleton through service08:50hrs Mallow to Cork and 09:15hrs Cork to Midleton combined to form a 08:48hrs Mallow to Midleton through service16:30hrs Cobh to Cork and 16:55hrs Cork to Mallow combined to form a 16:30hrs Cobh to Mallow through service17:30hrs Cobh to Cork and 17:57hrs Cork to Mallow combined to form a 17:30hrs Cobh to Mallow through service18:30hrs Cobh to Cork and 18:57hrs Cork to Mallow combined to form a 18:30hrs Cobh to Mallow through service17:27hrs Mallow to Cork and 18:00hrs Cork to Cobh combined to form a 17:30hrs Mallow to Cobh through service18:25hrs Mallow to Cork and 19:00hrs Cork to Cobh combined to form a 18:30hrs Mallow to Cobh through service19:25hrs Mallow to Cork and 20:00hrs Cork to Cobh combined to form a 19:30hrs Mallow to Cobh through service

Meanwhile, TFI has also announced extra late night bus and rail services to even more towns over Christmas to make doing late night shopping in town or catching up with friends easier.

The increase in services is part of a wider push to encourage Leesiders to spend time and money in the city centre over the festive season and give a boost to local businesses that have faced huge challenges in the last five years.

if you’re finishing off your shopping this weekend, make sure to wrap up and wear waterproof clothes because Met Éireann’s latest forecast shows Cork is in for a lashing of rain as well as hail and thunderstorms.