THE NATIONAL Transport Authority and Bus Éireann announced a significantly enhanced bus service on the 343 Limerick-Shannon-Ennis bus route, one that will see the first 24/7 airport bus service in the Mid West introduced.
Under new plans announced this Tuesday, the 343 route from Limerick to Shannon Airport will become the Mid West’s first 24 hour bus service, operating seven days a week, 364 days a year.
Services on the 343 will also increase in frequency, running every 20 minutes during peak hours and every 30 minutes off-peak.
The service will run hourly between midnight and 4am.
Changes will come into effect from this Sunday (August 25), and come as part of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan.
Passengers travelling onwards to Ennis and Newmarket-on-Fergus from Limerick can now interchange with the enhanced Route 330 from Shannon Airport to Ennis. This service will operate a daily hourly service from 5am to midnight, providing passengers with links to Shannon Airport, interchange with the 343 service and rail services.
The Connecting Ireland enhancements also include new and improved routes including route 316, Sixmilebridge to Shannon and route 317, Limerick to Ennis via Sixmilebridge and Quin.
Stephen Kent, Bus Éireann chief executive, said that the route enhancements will make the bus service more usable, as well as creating extra jobs.
“Bus Éireann is delighted to introduce these improved services between Limerick, Shannon, and Ennis, significantly increasing transport options for passengers, adding over one million kilometres to the network as well as creating 31 new jobs in the region,” he said.
Niall Kearns, director of the Shannon Airport Group said that the airport is “on track to reach two million passengers … for the first time since 2009, so the additional frequency on Bus Éireann’s 343 service is great news. As more people choose Shannon, this new 24-hour service ensures convenient access to the airport, day or night”.
