On Trains & Buses

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A Guide to Christmas 2025 and New Year 2026 Public Transport in Ireland Beyond CIE Group Companies

Posted on December 11, 2025

Reading time: 14 minutes.

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Introduction

The festive period brings public transport changes across Ireland’s other operators, complementing the arrangements already outlined for Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann and Irish Rail. This guide covers how Go-Ahead Ireland, Luas, City Direct, JJ Kavanagh, Aircoach, Matthews Coach Hire, Wexford Bus and Dublin Coach will operate through Christmas and New Year, helping passengers navigate the varied approaches across these networks.

Go-Ahead Ireland Network-Wide Changes

Go-Ahead Ireland, which operates over 60 routes across the Greater Dublin Area, Kildare and Wicklow under contract to the National Transport Authority, follows a pattern similar to other Dublin operators. On Christmas Eve, services run until 21:00 across the network. Christmas Day sees a complete suspension of all routes, a standard pause mirrored across Irish public transport. St Stephen’s Day brings a return to service from 09:00, but on a Sunday timetable, meaning reduced frequencies and later starts than weekday schedules.

From 27^th to 30^th December, normal timetables resume, providing four days of regular service before the year’s end. New Year’s Eve operates as a normal day with services running until the standard early finish. New Year’s Day returns to the Sunday timetable once more, before everything settles back to the regular pattern on 2^nd January. Further details are available on the Go-Ahead Ireland website.

Luas

Dublin’s Luas tram network operates an extensive festive schedule including special late-night services in the run-up to Christmas and New Year. The service shows clear differentiation between the two lines and includes valuable late-night operations for those celebrating.

Night Luas Services: Special late-night services operate on Friday 12^th, Saturday 13^th, Friday 19^th and Saturday 20^th December. On the Red Line, departures from Tallaght run at 01:00 and 02:00, from Saggart at 00:30 and 01:30, and from The Point at 01:00, 02:00 and 03:00. On the Green Line, departures from Brides Glen operate at 00:20, 00:50, 01:20, 01:50, 02:20 and 02:50, whilst from Broombridge services run at 00:36, 01:06, 01:36, 02:06, 02:36 and 03:06.

Christmas Eve (24^th December): Services operate from 05:30 to 20:00 on all routes except Saggart, which runs 05:42 to 19:52. This represents a significantly earlier finish than normal, allowing staff to reach home for the evening.

Christmas Day (25^th December): No services operate on any Luas line.

St Stephen’s Day (26^th December): Services resume at 09:00 across the network, running until 23:00 from Tallaght and Brides Glen, 22:53 from Saggart, 23:30 from The Point, and 23:17 from Broombridge. Note that Connolly Luas Stop is closed on this date.

27^th, 29^th and 30^th December: Extended hours operate with services running from 06:30 until midnight from Tallaght (last from Saggart at 23:49), 00:30 from The Point, midnight from Brides Glen, and 00:17 from Broombridge.

28^th December (Sunday): Sunday timetable operates with services running 07:00 to 23:00 from Tallaght and Brides Glen, 07:12 to 22:51 from Saggart, 07:00 to 23:30 from The Point, and 07:00 to 23:17 from Broombridge.

New Year’s Eve (31^st December): Extensive late-night services mirror the pre-Christmas pattern. Services begin at 06:30 and run until 02:00 from Tallaght (01:30 from Saggart), with services from The Point continuing until 03:00 (last departure 02:30), from Brides Glen until 02:50, and from Broombridge until 03:06. This represents one of the most comprehensive late-night public transport offerings for New Year’s Eve celebrations in Dublin.

New Year’s Day (1^st January): Services operate on a Sunday/Bank Holiday timetable, running from 07:00 to 23:00 from Tallaght and Brides Glen, 07:12 to 22:51 from Saggart, 07:00 to 23:30 from The Point, and 07:00 to 23:17 from Broombridge.

Normal services resume from Friday 2^nd January. Passengers should note that Connolly Luas Stop is closed on both Christmas Eve (24^th) and St Stephen’s Day (26^th December). Full timetables and service updates are available at luas.ie.

JJ Kavanagh

JJ Kavanagh operates a diverse network across the southeast and midlands, with different service types following distinct festive arrangements. The company differentiates clearly between its main intercity routes, local services and specialised Local Links connections.

Main and Airport Routes

JJ Kavanagh’s approach to its main intercity and airport services differs markedly from urban operators. Routes 717 (Clonmel - Kilkenny - Dublin), 735 (Limerick - Nenagh - Dublin) and 736 (Waterford - Carlow - Dublin) pause only on Christmas Day itself. St Stephen’s Day sees full resumption of normal service, and crucially, these routes maintain normal operation throughout the New Year period without the Sunday timetable reductions seen elsewhere. This continuity makes them particularly valuable for airport access and intercity travel during the festive season.

Local Routes

The local routes operated by JJ Kavanagh follow a different rhythm. Routes 874 (Hacketstown - Carlow) and 871 (Urlingford - Kilkenny) finish earlier in the festive period, with final services running on Tuesday 23^rd December. Services resume on Monday 29^th December, providing a link through the post-Christmas period, but pause again on New Year’s Day before full resumption on Monday 5^th January.

Waterford City Services

Waterford’s city services, comprising routes 607, 617 and 627, operate with carefully timed finishes on Christmas Eve. The last service from Clock Tower to Dunmore Road departs at 18:15, while the previous service to Slieverue leaves the Quays at 17:45. After the Christmas Day pause, services resume fully on Friday 27^th December. As with the local routes, there is no service on New Year’s Day, with operations returning to normal on Friday 2^nd January.

Local Links Routes

JJ Kavanagh’s Local Links services each have distinct arrangements reflecting their varied passenger bases and route characteristics.

Route 139 (Naas - Blanchardstown) finishes at 21:00 on Christmas Eve and does not run on Christmas Day. It resumes from 09:00 on St Stephen’s Day and notably operates normally through both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, making it one of the few services maintaining New Year’s Day operation.

Route 815 (Tullamore - Athlone) runs normally on Christmas Eve but pauses on Christmas Day. St Stephen’s Day sees most services resume, except for the 22:00 Tullamore to Athlone and 23:15 Athlone to Tullamore services. The route continues normally throughout the Christmas period, but again omits the late 22:00 and 23:15 services on New Year’s Day.

Route 858 (Portlaoise - Thurles) operates on Christmas Eve except for the 20:25 Portlaoise to Urlingford and 21:30 Urlingford to Portlaoise services. There is no service on either Christmas Day or St Stephen’s Day, with normal operation resuming on Saturday 27^th December. New Year’s Eve follows the Christmas Eve pattern, omitting the same evening services, and there is no service on New Year’s Day.

Route 891 (Fiddown - Kilkenny) runs normally on Christmas Eve, with the last service being the 20:15 - 21:39 to Kilkenny and the 18:45-20:07 to Fiddown. All bank holidays over Christmas, including St Stephen’s Day, operate on the Sunday and public holiday timetable. New Year’s Eve runs to the normal schedule, while New Year’s Day returns to Sunday timings.

Route 817C (Carrick on Suir - Grangemockler) takes a straightforward approach, running every day except Christmas Day. On all other public holidays, the route operates to the Sunday timetable.

Timetables and booking information for all JJ Kavanagh services can be found on the JJ Kavanagh website.

Aircoach

Aircoach, a major airport and intercity operator now part of FirstGroup, takes a notably simple approach to festive scheduling. All Aircoach routes operate every day of the year except Christmas Day. This includes all their main services: the 700 series Dublin Airport routes, 702 (Dublin Airport - Greystones), 704X (Cork - Dublin), 705X (Belfast - Dublin) and 706/706X (Dublin Airport - Maynooth/Celbridge).

The company’s website notes that services finish earlier than usual on Christmas Eve and St Stephen’s Day, with specific details published on their timetables page closer to the dates. This consistent year-round operation, with only the single Christmas Day exception, makes Aircoach particularly reliable for airport connections and intercity travel throughout the festive period. More information is available through Aircoach customer support.

Matthews Coach Hire

Matthews Coach Hire operates daily commuter services from Dundalk, Drogheda and Bettystown to Dublin all year round, with the sole exceptions of Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. This makes their M1 corridor services particularly valuable for maintaining connectivity during the festive period when other operators reduce frequencies or pause services.

Based on previous years’ patterns, Christmas Eve sees reduced service with last departures around 20:00 from Dundalk and 21:30 from Dublin, though passengers should verify specific times closer to the date. The company’s straightforward approach of operating every day except the two main holidays provides useful continuity for commuters and those visiting family in the northeast. Full timetable information is available on the Matthews Coach Hire website.

Wexford Bus

Wexford Bus operates an extensive network connecting Wexford, Dublin, Waterford and surrounding areas, with detailed Christmas and New Year arrangements varying by route. The company has published comprehensive festive schedules for 2025/2026.

Route 740 (Wexford - Dublin City & Airport): Christmas Eve sees the last bus departing Wexford at 16:30 and Dublin Airport at 20:30, with Saturday timetable operation before these times. No service operates on Christmas Day. St Stephen’s Day brings the first service from Wexford at 07:30 and Dublin Airport at 10:30, with Sunday/public holiday timetable thereafter (excluding the 18:30 ex Wexford and 11:30 ex Dublin Airport). Services operate to Saturday timetables on 29^th and 30^th December. New Year’s Eve mirrors Christmas Eve with last departures at 16:30 from Wexford and 20:30 from Dublin Airport. New Year’s Day follows the St Stephen’s Day pattern.

Route 740X (Wexford Direct - Dublin City & Airport): Christmas Eve sees limited services operating at 08:20 and 10:20 ex Wexford, with no southbound services. Christmas Day has no service. St Stephen’s Day operates limited services at 10:20 ex Wexford and 14:00 ex Dublin. Services run to Saturday timetable on 29^th, 30^th and 31^st December, with Sunday/public holiday timetable on New Year’s Day.

Route 740A (Arklow & Wicklow - Dublin City & Airport): Christmas Eve operates limited services from Gorey at 07:10, 09:40, 11:40, 13:40 and 15:40, with corresponding Dublin Airport departures. No service Christmas Day. Sunday/public holiday timetable operates St Stephen’s Day and New Year’s Day, with Saturday timetable on 29^th, 30^th and 31^st December.

Route 340 (Wexford - New Ross & Waterford): Christmas Eve sees last departures at 16:30 from Wexford and 18:00 from Waterford (Whitfield Hospital), with certain morning services cancelled. No service Christmas Day. St Stephen’s Day operates limited timetable with departures from Wexford at 10:30, 12:30, 14:30 and 16:30. Services operate to Sunday timetable on 28^th December (with 20:30 ex Wexford and 22:00 ex Waterford cancelled). New Year’s Eve mirrors Christmas Eve, with limited timetable on New Year’s Day.

Route 376 (Wexford - Carlow): Operates to Saturday timetable on Christmas Eve. No services on Christmas Day, St Stephen’s Day or 28^th December. Saturday timetable resumes 29^th, 30^th and 31^st December. No services New Year’s Day.

Full details for all Wexford Bus routes, including the 884 (Wexford - Gorey), WX1, WX2 and other local services, are available on the Wexford Bus Christmas schedule page.

City Direct

City Direct operates urban bus networks in Kilkenny, Galway and Portlaoise, with festive arrangements following similar patterns across locations but with some local timing variations. All services broadly mirror the Sunday timetable approach used by other urban operators during the holiday period.

Kilkenny City Services

City Direct’s Kilkenny operations mirror the Go-Ahead Ireland pattern seen in Dublin. Christmas Eve brings normal service until approximately 21:00, allowing for the predictable early closure. Christmas Day sees a complete halt across the city’s routes. St Stephen’s Day recovery begins at 09:00 with a Sunday timetable in operation, meaning reduced frequencies compared to normal weekday service.

From 27^th through to 30^th December, normality returns with the full timetable reinstated. New Year’s Eve ends early at around 21:00, echoing the Christmas Eve finish. New Year’s Day operates on the Sunday timetable from 09:00 before the city’s buses resume their usual pattern on 2^nd January.

Galway Urban Routes

Galway’s core City Direct routes (410, 411 and 412), which link Eyre Square with western suburbs including Knocknacarra, Cappagh Road and the Western Distributor Road, follow similar arrangements with slight timing variations. Christmas Eve sees normal service across all three routes, but everything winds up by approximately 21:15 from Eyre Square. Those travelling from the city centre for festive gatherings need to be mindful of these last departures.

Christmas Day brings a complete pause. St Stephen’s Day sees the familiar Sunday schedule cover all three city routes, providing core service levels without normal weekday frequency. From 27^th through to 30^th December, these busy arteries reclaim their standard operation. On New Year’s Eve, buses operate through the day but all finish with a last departure from Eyre Square at 21:15, echoing the Christmas Eve pattern. New Year’s Day brings a Sunday timetable once more, before all systems reset to normal on 2^nd January.

Portlaoise Routes PL1 and PL2

Routes PL1 and PL2 feature detailed timings with notable variations. On Christmas Eve, PL1 operates a full service up to 21:00, while PL2’s last bus leaves at 20:50, a small but potentially crucial difference for late evening users. Both routes pause on Christmas Day.

St Stephen’s Day features a Sunday timetable with staggered starts: PL1 commences from 09:00, while PL2 starts slightly earlier at 08:50. From 27^th to 30^th December, everything operates as per the normal timetable. New Year’s Eve repeats the Christmas Eve pattern, with early finishes of 21:00 for PL1 and 20:50 for PL2. On New Year’s Day, the Sunday timetable returns with the same staggered initial departures. Regular timetables resume for all services on 2^nd January.

Current information for all City Direct services can be found on the City Direct website and through Transport for Ireland.

Analysis and Practical Implications

The variation across these operators reveals different operational philosophies and service priorities. Luas stands out with its comprehensive late-night services on key dates, providing valuable connectivity for Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations with services running until the early hours. This commitment to late-night operation contrasts sharply with most bus operators’ early finishes.

Aircoach’s decision to operate every day except Christmas Day represents the most consistent festive service among bus operators, reflecting its focus on airport connections where demand remains relatively stable. Matthews Coach Hire follows a similar pattern, pausing only on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, providing valuable continuity for northeast commuters.

JJ Kavanagh’s approach shows clear differentiation between service types: main and airport routes maintain full operation throughout (except Christmas Day), local routes take an extended break from 23^rd December to 29^th December, and Local Links services each follow carefully tailored patterns reflecting their specific communities’ needs. This varied approach recognises that different passengers have different festive travel requirements.

Wexford Bus demonstrates the complexity of managing a regional network with multiple route types, from high-frequency airport services to local town routes. Their detailed, route-specific arrangements balance maintaining connectivity with allowing staff time off during the holidays. The early finishes on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve (16:30 from most origins) are notably earlier than many other operators, requiring careful planning from passengers.

Go-Ahead Ireland and City Direct follow the Sunday timetable approach familiar from other Dublin operators. Understanding this distinction becomes crucial for passengers, as Sunday schedules mean fewer buses and often later morning starts. The difference between a 09:00 start on a Sunday timetable and earlier weekday departures could leave passengers waiting longer than anticipated on chilly winter mornings.

The early finishes on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve across City Direct’s networks (21:00 in Kilkenny, 21:15 in Galway) mean those heading out for celebrations need alternative arrangements for return journeys. JJ Kavanagh’s Route 139 stands out as an exception, maintaining New Year’s Day service alongside its New Year’s Eve operation.

Route-specific variations demand careful attention. The few minutes’ difference between PL1 and PL2 start times, the specific evening services omitted on routes 815 and 858, the varied resumption dates across JJ Kavanagh’s local services, and Wexford Bus’s route-by-route arrangements all require checking individual timetables rather than assuming uniform patterns.

Conclusion

These additional operators complement the wider national network covered by Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann and Irish Rail, but their varied approaches reflect different service types and passenger needs. Luas provides exceptional late-night coverage for festive celebrations, particularly on New Year’s Eve with services running into the early hours. Aircoach and Matthews Coach Hire’s near-continuous operation provides valuable continuity for airport access and commuter corridors. JJ Kavanagh’s maintenance of intercity and airport links provides essential connectivity for longer-distance travellers, while Wexford Bus’s comprehensive network serves the southeast with carefully balanced festive arrangements.

The urban networks of Go-Ahead Ireland and City Direct follow patterns more typical of city transport operations, with Sunday timetables creating noticeable service reductions on key dates. The diversity of arrangements underscores the importance of checking specific operator details rather than assuming all services follow identical festive timetables.

Return to normality comes at different dates depending on service type and operator, with most urban services back to normal by 2^nd January, some local routes taking until 5^th January to fully resume, and certain routes operating altered timetables through early January. As always, the key to smooth festive travel lies in verifying arrangements with individual operators before setting out, recognising that Ireland’s transport network comprises numerous independent operators each tailoring their festive service to their specific circumstances and passenger base.