Cork City will host its first Car Free Day in the city centre on
Saturday, September 23rd from 12 noon until 6.30pm.
Cork City Council is hosting this initiative in collaboration with its partners Cork Environmental Forum, Transport & Mobility Forum, Cork Cycling Group, Bus Eireann, Irish Rail, Cork Chamber, Cork Business Association and An Garda Síochána.
Members of the public are encouraged to come to town on Saturday without their cars, either on foot, by bicycle or on public transport to enjoy the city’s streets without traffic.
Use the TFI journey Planner / TFI Live App to plan your route.
The quays will be open to traffic as normal and street closures will be applied to Patrick Street, North Main Street, Cornmarket Street, Castle Street and Adelaide Street from 12 noon to 6.30pm. Buses and taxis will be able to access Patrick Street as normal.
Lord Mayor, Cllr. Kieran McCarthy said‘This is a great opportunity for people to come into town and shop, maybe get a bite to eat or just walk around the city centre and enjoy the calm atmosphere. I am delighted that this event is taking place as part of European SDG week. We have seen from our recently published climate report that 29% of the emissions in Cork City are from cars. This is a small step in encouraging people to get out of the car and try a cleaner mode of transport.’
Conor Healy CEO of Cork Chamber commented, “decarbonising our transport offers a huge opportunity to reduce our emissions and to help reach our 2030 climate targets. Car Free Day is a great incentive to trial switching transport modes, whether it’s public transport, the Park’n’Ride, TFI bikes or walking. Reductions in traffic also create a more pleasant street atmosphere for those visiting, shopping and enjoying the cultural offering of our wonderful city.”
Kevin O’Herlihy, President of Cork Business Association said “Car Free day is a fantastic opportunity to highlight the fact that things are changing at a rapid pace in Cork City. We at the The Cork Business Association are advocates of the 15 minute model where people will be able to live, work and socialise within 15 minutes of the city centre. The future of transport will be walking, cycling and using public transport such as buses and in time, the light rail system. This Saturday, we would encourage all patrons of Cork City to leave the car at home and travel to the city using these modes of transport.”
Darren McAdam O’Connell from Cork Transport & Mobility Forum said “Great to see Cork joining so many Cities around Europe and the world in giving the street back to the people for a day. Streets were always social spaces for the people of the city to enjoy, to meet and greet their neighbors, until so much space was given over to traffic. I look forward to seeing my friends and neighbors out enjoying all the activities for the day in peace and quiet with space to stroll once again.”
Use the TFI journey Planner / TFI Live App to plan your route.
Events in Cork
Event venues/ useful locations include
- Virgin Media Park (Munster Rugby), Tramore Road, Ballyphehane, Cork, Ireland T12 FX40
- Turner’s Cross (Cork city FC and Munster FA – soccer), 10 Curragh Rd, Turner’s Cross, Cork, T12 WK19.
- SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, The Marina, Cork, T12 PF30.
- Live @ the Marquee, Centre Park Road, Marquee Road, Docklands, Cork (Eircode T12 AX77)
- Páirc Ui Rinn Boreenmanna Rd, Ballintemple, Cork Cork, T12 RF8
- Cork Bus Station, Parnell Place Bus Station Cork T12 K2WR
- Cork Kent Train Station (Stáisiún Cheannt, Corcaigh) Lower Glanmire Road, Cork City, Co. Cork T23 E6TD
- City centre (including Cork Opera House) – venue for multiple large festivals, parades and events
Irish Rail – Cork Kent Train station
Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail provide great links to Cork Kent Train station from all over the country.
To plan your journey see Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail for timetables and routes.
Inter-city: Cork has regular inter-city trains services to/from Dublin and Tralee
- with links at Mallow, Limerick Junction, Thurles and Portarlington.
- connecting to Limerick, Waterford, Galway and more.
Cork commuter train services to/from Cobh, Midleton and Mallow.
From Cork Kent Train Station
- 10-minute walk to central Cork city
- 8-minute walk to Parnell Place Bus station
- 212 Bus route from Kent station to Pairc Uí Chaoimh / Live @ the Marquee
- Bus 226 – from Kent station to Virgin Media Park (Musgrave Park) and Cork Airport
- Bus 225 – from Kent station to Cork airport and to Ringaskiddy ferry port.
- Bus 205 – from Kent station to UCC and MTU.
- 15-min walk to Stop 250841, City Hall, Cork City, for Bus 215a – to Páirc Uí Rinn
- 40-minute walk to Pairc Uí Chaoimh / Live @ the Marquee
- Cork city centre
- Bus Éireann provide great links to Cork Parnell Place Bus Station from all over the country.
- Cork’s Bus station at Parnell Place is a 3-minute walk to Cork city centre.
From Cork city centre/ train station to:
- SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh / Live @ the Marquee
- Bus Eireann 212 (Kent Station to Mahon Point via Blackrock)
- From: Kent Station (Train) Stop 212631, Cork Kent Stn
- And from Stop 247811, Cork Bus Stn, Cork – from Clontarf Street
- For – Live @ the Marquee: Alight at 248141, Marina Com Pk, Lower Glanmire Road
- For Páirc Uí Chaoimh: Alight at Stop 246191, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Ballintemple (Cork)
- Bus Éireann 202/202a from Merchant’s Quay (2-minute walk from Parnell Place) towards Mahon.
- Alight at Stop 237091, Ballintemple, Ballinlough
- 7-minute walk to Pairc Ui Chaoimh
- 13-minute walk to Live @ the Marquee
- 10-minute walk to Páirc Ui Rinn
- Páirc Ui Rinn
- Bus Éireann 215a towards Mahon Point
- Board at the Stop 241211, South Mall, Cork City
- Alight at Stop 246521, Páirc Uí Rinn, Ballinlough
- Pairc Ui Rinn 1 minute walk
- 17-minute walk to Páirc Ui Chaoimh
- Virgin Media Park (formerly Musgrave park, Munster Rugby) / Turner’s Cross stadium (FA Cork City)
- Take Bus 203, 213, 206, 219* and 226 routes from Cork City centre.
- Bus Éireann 213 Lapps Quay to Black Ash (Park and Ride)
- 9 min walk to Musgrave / Virgin Media park,
- 15 mins to Turner’s Cross
- Bus Éireann 203 (towards Parklands)
- Board at Stop 243881, St Patrick’s Street, Cork
- Alight at Stop 242611, Turner’s X Stadium, Turner’s Cross
- Alight at Stop 242221, O’Growney Crescent, Ballyphehane (for Musgrave / Virgin Media park)
- Bus Éireann 226 – from Kent train station to Virgin Media Park (Musgrave Park)/ Turner’s Cross
- Bus towards Kinsale (via airport)
- Board at Kent Station, Banduff
- Alight at Evergreen Road, Turner’s Cross (Stop 241631)
- Walk 4 mins to Turner’s Cross
- Walk 18 mins to Virgin Media Park
- Bus Éireann 206
- South Mall (city centre) to Evergreen Road Turner’s Cross (Stop 241631)
- Bus Éireann 219* (across the south of the city, not via city centre)
- from CIT/CUH/Wilton Shopping centre (West of city)
- And from Douglas/Mahon (South East)
- Via Pearse Road (Virgin Media Park) and Turners Cross.
- Use the TFI Journey Planner / TFI Live App to plan your journey.
- Set destination as
- “Páirc Uí Chaoimh, The Marina (Cork)”
- Or ”Páirc Uí Rinn, Ballinlough”
- Or “Marina Com Pk” (for Live @ ther Marquee)
- Or “Munster Rugby, Virgin Media Park, Tramore Road, Cork, T12FX40”
- Or “Turner’s Cross, Cork City”
Short walk to Cork city centre, from Rail and Bus stations
Walking from Cork city centre:
- Virgin Media Park (Musgrave Park) 38 minutes.
- Turner’s Cross stadium 28 minutes
- SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh 40 minutes
- Live at the Marquee 25 minutes
- Pairc Ui Rinn 45 minutes
- Cork Bus station Parnell Place 3 minutes
- Kent Train station 10 minutes
TFI Bikes are available throughout Cork city,
including from Kent train station, Parnell place bus station, Marina Promenade (near SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh and Live @ the Marquee), UCC and MTU.
