General information | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Location | Portadown Northern Ireland | ||||||
Coordinates | 54°25′30″N6°26′46″W / 54.425°N 6.446°W | ||||||
Owned by | NI Railways | ||||||
Operated by | NI Railways | ||||||
Line(s) | Newry/Portadown (1) Dublin-Belfast Mainline | ||||||
Platforms | 3 | ||||||
Tracks | 3 | ||||||
Train operators | NI Railways, Iarnród Éireann | ||||||
Bus routes | 5 | ||||||
Bus stands | 1 | ||||||
Bus operators | Ulsterbus | ||||||
Construction | |||||||
Structure type | At-grade | ||||||
Architect | 1862: John MacNeill [1] | ||||||
Other information | |||||||
Station code | PDOWN | ||||||
Fare zone | 3 [2] | ||||||
Website | translink | ||||||
History | |||||||
Previous names | Portadown - Craigavon West | ||||||
Key dates | |||||||
1842 | Opened | ||||||
1848 | Moved to present location | ||||||
1863 | Returned to original location | ||||||
1970 | Returned to present location | ||||||
2013 | Refurbished | ||||||
Passengers | |||||||
2015/16 | 908,113 [3] | ||||||
2016/17 | 950,529 [3] | ||||||
2017/18 | 990,085 [3] | ||||||
2018/19 | 1,055,835 [4] | ||||||
2019/20 | 950,445 [5] | ||||||
2020/21 | 195,336 [6] | ||||||
2021/22 | 587,782 [7] | ||||||
2022/23 | 925,721 [8] | ||||||
2023/24 | 1,141,174 [9] | ||||||
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Portadown Railway Station serves the town of Portadown in County Armagh, Northern Ireland.
The station is located on the Belfast-Dublin railway line. The original station opened in 1842, and the present station opened in 1970. It is currently NI Railways 6th busiest station with over 1.1 million passengers in the 2023/24 financial year [9]
The original Portadown station was sited half a mile east of the present station and opened on 12 September 1842, replacing a temporary station at Seagoe that had opened the preceding year. The Portadown station was moved to the present location in 1848 then reverted to its original site between 1863 and 1970. Goods traffic ceased on 4 January 1965. The present station opened in 1970, replacing a large and largely redundant station.
At the time (1970) the station was called Portadown - Craigavon West, a title that was quietly dropped after the "new city" Craigavon failed to materialise. The layout of the 1970 station was modified in 1997 to allow bi-directional working on all three platforms. The lines to Cavan via Armagh (closed 1957), and Derry via Dungannon and Omagh (closed 1965) diverged immediately west of the present station. [10]
In 2012, work began on a major refurbishment of the station. A new, modern building was constructed and a footbridge replaced the subway. The refurbishment was completed in 2013. [11]
The station has three platforms. After the station upgrade being completed in late May 2013 both platforms 1, 2 and 3 have lifts and have disability access. Platform 3 is usually used for storage of a NIR train but one departs from this platform occasionally towards Belfast. Platform 1 Is for all trains south, to destinations such Dublin Connolly, Dundalk Clarke and Newry while Plaform 2 and 3 are used for Belfast & Bangor bound services, both Express and stopppers.
This is the terminus for most services from Bangor or Belfast but there are 4 services which continue to Newry Mondays to Saturdays only. There is a half-hourly service to Belfast Lanyon Place and Bangor. There is a two hourly Enterprise service to Dublin Connolly or Belfast Lanyon Place. On Sundays there is an hourly service to Bangor and no NIR services at all to Newry, although five Enterprise services still operate between these two stations.
This line can be popular with rugby fans connecting at Dublin Connolly for the DART to Lansdowne Road. The line is also used by rail passengers changing at Dublin Connolly onto the DART to Dún Laoghaire for example or travelling to Dublin Port for the Irish Ferries or Stena Line to Holyhead, and then by train along the North Wales Coast Line to London Euston and other destinations in England and Wales.
There is a possibility of re-opening of the line from Portadown to Armagh railway station. [12] Government Minister for the Department for Regional Development, Danny Kennedy MLA indicates railway restoration plans. [13]
The Armagh railway line has been listed in proposed plans to reopen the line. [14]
The all-island rail review draft suggested that Portadown become a major interchange between the current Dublin-Belfast Main line, proposed lines such as the single tracked Mullingar-Portadown Line via Armagh, Monaghan, Clones, and Cavan and the dual tracked Derry~Londonderry-Portadown Line via Dungannon, Omagh and Strabane. Portadown would also become an inland freight terminal serving connections to Rosslare Europort, Dublin Port and Larne Harbour.
The All-Island Rail Review draft also includes 29 other recommendations for railways across the Island of Ireland and it is said that it will take a least 25 years to competed. It would cost in the range of €36.8bn/£30.7bn (as of 2023) and be split between both regions. 75% by the Republic of Ireland and 25% by Northern Ireland. [15] [16]
No plans as of May 2024, have gone about implementing this review.
Translink's Ulsterbus and Goldliner services operating from just outside Portadown railway station: [17]
Belfast Lanyon Place is a railway station serving the city of Belfast in Northern Ireland. Located on East Bridge Street in the Laganside area of central Belfast, it is one of four stations in the city centre, the others being City Hospital, Botanic, and the under-construction Grand Central. Lanyon Place is the northern terminus of the cross-border Enterprise service to Dublin Connolly. It is also served by Northern Ireland Railways, which operates routes to other locations in Northern Ireland, including Derry, Bangor, Portadown and Larne.
Derry ~ Londonderry railway station, also known as North West Transport Hub or Waterside railway station, is a railway terminus in Derry, Northern Ireland, on the east bank of the River Foyle, operated by Northern Ireland Railways and its 7th busiest station across the network with 952,126 passengers boarding or alighting at the station in the 2023/24 financial year. It is on the Belfast–Derry railway line, terminating at Belfast Lanyon Place. Derry/Londonderry has the longest platforms on the NIR Network, at 258.3 metres in length.
Lisburn railway station serves the city of Lisburn in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
The Belfast–Newry line operates from Lanyon Place station in County Antrim to Newry in County Down, Northern Ireland. The manager for this line is based at Portadown railway station, although the line extends to the border to include the Scarva and Poyntzpass halts and Newry. Newry is on the fringe of the network, being the last stop before the border with the Republic of Ireland. The line follows the route of the northern half of the main Dublin–Belfast line.
Newry railway station serves Newry and Bessbrook in Northern Ireland. The station is located in the northwest of Newry, County Armagh on the Dublin-Belfast line close to the Craigmore Viaduct. It is the most southerly railway station in Northern Ireland.
Titanic Quarter railway station is located in the townland of Ballymacarrett in east Belfast. It is a short walk from the SSE Arena and Titanic Quarter.
Holywood railway station serves Holywood in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is located along the shore of Belfast Lough and during the Summer months, provides excellent views over the lough to Carrickfergus.
Helen's Bay railway station serves Helen's Bay as well as the nearby village of Crawfordsburn in the townland of Ballygrot, County Down, Northern Ireland.
Bangor West railway station is located in the townland of Ballyvarnet in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland.
Moira railway station serves Moira in County Down, Northern Ireland. Despite the station serving the County Down town, the station itself is located in County Antrim, the neighbouring Lagan Canal being the boundary. Moira station is the oldest building on the NI Railways network today having been opened on 18 November 1841. The old, now redundant, signal box stands over the station on the Southbound side.
Lurgan railway station serves Lurgan in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Located on William Street. The station is managed by NI Railways. With just under 867,000 passengers boarding or alighting at the station in the year 2023/24 financial year, Lurgan is the 9th-busiest station on the NIR network.
Scarva railway station serves Scarva in County Down, Northern Ireland. Despite serving the County Down village, the station itself is in County Armagh, the nearby Newry Canal being the boundary.
Poyntzpass railway station serves Poyntzpass in County Armagh, Northern Ireland.
Lambeg railway station serves Lambeg in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The station opened on 1 September 1877.
Derriaghy railway station is located in the townland of Derriaghy in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It lies between the centres of Belfast and Lisburn.
Dunmurry railway station is located in the townland of Dunmurry in west Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
Finaghy railway station is located in the townland of Finaghy in south Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The Great Northern Railway of Ireland opened the station on 9 February 1907.
Balmoral railway station is located in the townland of Ballygammon in south Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The station opened on 1 November 1858. The platform was extended by 45 metres in 1870 and the station has been unstaffed since October 1966.
Botanic railway station serves the Botanic area in south Belfast, Northern Ireland and students for Queen's University Belfast; it is also near Shaftesbury Square which is along Botanic Avenue. It is named after the nearby Belfast Botanic Gardens. It is one of the four stations located in the city centre, the others being City Hospital, Lanyon Place, and the under-construction Grand Central.
Great Victoria Street was a railway station that served the city centre of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was one of two main stations in the city, along with Lanyon Place, and was nearest to the city centre. The station was situated beside Great Victoria Street and shared a site with the Europa Buscentre, Belfast's main bus station. The railway and bus stations will be replaced by the adjacent Belfast Grand Central station later in 2024. Great Victoria Street railway station closed permanently on 10 May 2024, several months before its replacement was due to open.