Letterkenny bus station

Coordinates: 54°57′24″N 7°43′13″W / 54.9566°N 7.7203°W / 54.9566; -7.7203
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Letterkenny bus station
Lough Swilly Bus Company
Construction
Structure typeBrick-and-glass structure
Bicycle facilitiesRacks
AccessibleYes
Location

Letterkenny bus station is a Bus Éireann station serving the County of Donegal in Ireland. It is located in the Cathedral Town of Letterkenny. It is a particularly important transport hub in the county, as there are no rail services in the area.

Services

It serves as the

bus terminus on Route 32 from Dublin's Busáras, via Dublin Airport and Monaghan bus station.[1]
Letterkenny is serviced by eleven daily buses each way on this route (including public holidays).

It also serves as the final stop in

This service is more varied; five daily buses to Galway, as well as an additional bus service that operates each day except for Sundays and public holidays, and three daily buses from Galway, as well as additional services that operate each day except for Sundays and public holidays and that operate on Fridays, Sundays and public holidays only.

Local services provided here include Route 487 covering

Irish border;[3] Route 489 covering Carrigans, St Johnston, Porthall, Lifford and Strabane;[4] and Route 491 covering Raphoe, Convoy, Stranorlar and terminating outside the McElhinney's department store in Ballybofey.[5]

Station layout and building

The station is situated between central Letterkenny and the

Taxis are located a short distance away (close to the easily visible sign for Michael Murphy Sports and Leisure
), though can be called across by telephone if necessary.

The station building, designed by architectural firm Quinn Architects, houses ticket counters, ticket machines, noticeboards, and waiting areas (both standing and seated) in addition to passenger amenities, such as restrooms, lighting and radiators. There are several short-term bicycle racks located at the side of the station.

The station building has also been used a venue during the annual Culture Night.[6]

History

The current bus station building was originally the Letterkenny railway station for the County Donegal Railways.[7] It was adjacent to the Letterkenny railway station for the Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway; however, this was demolished after the railway line closed down and has been replaced by road leading into a shopping centre, as well as parking spaces serving the present bus station. The goods shed and a goods crane still remain nearby. The goods shed near the station has been converted into a café, while the crane has become overgrown.

In 1996, Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications Michael Lowry announced he had acquired EU funding under the Interreg programme for several Bus Éireann stations, including the one in Letterkenny, with the station set to get a passenger waiting area, toilets for the handicapped and facilities for crews, vehicle storage and shelters among other things.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Route 32" (PDF). Bus Éireann. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  2. ^ "Route 64" (PDF). Bus Éireann. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  3. ^ "Route 487" (PDF). Bus Éireann. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  4. ^ "Route 489" (PDF). Bus Éireann. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  5. ^ "Route 491" (PDF). Bus Éireann. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  6. ^ Culture Night 2019
  7. ^ Culture Night 2019
  8. ^ Doyle, Louise (1 April 2021). "The Way We Were — 25 Years Ago: April 5, 1996 — Better bus station plan". Donegal News. p. 18.