All Aboard! As Toots Christmas Train arrives in Limerick

Toots Christmas Train 2018

All Aboard! As Toots Christmas Train arrives in Limerick

Hop on board Toots Christmas Train and travel through the heart of Limerick city centre and experience the festive sights and Christmas lights!

A new addition to this year’s Christmas in Limerick offering is Toots Christmas Train.  Over the next four weekends (Fri – Sun inclusive) beginning this Friday 30 November 2018, Toots the Train will be travelling around the city centre bringing Christmas cheer.

There are two routes:

Castle Route (King John’s Castle – Medieval Quarter – Arthur’s Quay – Nicholas St – King John’s Castle)

City Centre Route (Arthur’s Quay – O’Connell Street – Cecil St –  Glenworth St – Henry St – Arthur’s Quay)

Toot’s Christmas Train will travel along the City Centre Route from 10.30am until 1pm and from 7pm to 9pm, and will transfer to the City Centre Route between 1pm and 4pm each day.

Toots is wheelchair accessible and buggy friendly, while those under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.  As with all trains please expect a wait time at busy periods.

There is an optional donation for taking Toots Christmas Train, which goes to St Vincent de Paul.

Toot’s Christmas Train will allow you to travel in style to many of the Christmas events in the city centre.  You can take in King John’s Castle Magical Christmas (Castle Route only), or sample the Gingerbread Factory at the Hunt Museum, or prepare to travel in a different way at Limerick on Ice in Arthur’s Quay, while listening to the Musical Treats sponsored by Savins on Bedford Row or just enjoy travelling in a Christmas Train – the choice is yours.

Alternatively, you can hop off to post your Santa Letter near the GPO on Cecil Street.  Santa’s Christmas Postbox arrives in Cecil Street on Friday 30 November. An initiative by Amee’s supported by AIB, Roberts Pharmacy, Creation Travel, Hairy Lemon and Sodalicious and with logistics by An Post, which has direct links to Santa in the North Pole.

Santa’s Christmas Postbox will be in place weekdays from 9.30am to 5.30pm and from 1 pm to 5 pm on Sundays.

When running on the city centre route the Toots Christmas Train will pull in at Roberts Pharmacy to allow passengers to visit the Postbox.

Christmas Letter Forms are available from shops along Lower Cecil Street or can be downloaded from An Post’s website here.

When posted with a €1 stamp by 17 December, An Post’s chief elves will be able to get you a reply from Santa before he gets too busy.

Toots Christmas Train and Santa’s Christmas Postbox are just two of hundreds of other events in Limerick during the festive period.  They include:

• King John’s Castle Magical Christmas – Why not visit Santa Claus and all his friends who have come to live within the magnificent castle walls for their weekends in December.
• Limerick Unwrapped – Join Celia Holman-Lee for some inspiration and gift ideas showcasing the best of fashion, jewellery, accessories and gifts from local Limerick stores. At Bowes Ryan Café, Arthur’s Quay, and Alex Findlater & Co, O’Connell St, Limerick on 7^th Dec and Sodalicious, Lower Cecil St and The Savoy Bar, Savoy Hotel on December 8.
•  The Gingerbread Factory and Santa’s Postbox at the Hunt Museum –  You can make your own gingerbread while enjoying a hot chocolate before writing your all-important letter to Santa and posting it in the Big Green Post Box.  Every Fri, Sat & Sun from November 30 to Dec 23.
• Limerick on Ice  – Enjoy the magic of real ice at Ireland’s longest established ice-rink Arthur’s Quay Park from Nov 29 – Jan 6.
• Christmas at the Milk Market and the Christmas Market on Cruises Street  – Soak up the atmosphere with local artisan traders showcasing the wonderful handmade craft, art, horticultural produce and seasonal treats. Milk Market: Dec 14 – 16 and Dec. 21 – 24 Cruises Street: Dec 16 – 24.
• Musical Treats sponsored by Savins – Bedford Row will be filled with festive cheer as colourful street performers and musicians entertain live from the vintage caravan stage on the December 8.
• Winter Busking Competition on Upper William Street –  Sample some of the best sounds around as musicians and bands compete for one afternoon only on December 8.
•  Santas – A host of magical Santas across Limerick including Newcastle West: Dec 8, 15, 16, 20, 22. Lough Gur on Dec 8, 9, 15, 16. Kilfinane on Dec 9 and Stonehall: Dec 1 – 22. 
• Christmas Racing Festival – Limerick Racecourse – the four-day traditional festival is the ideal place to continue the celebrations in style from Dec 26.

As part of Christmas in Limerick, hundreds of additional free car parking spaces will be provided with Park & Strides and Park & Rides available around the city. New sites this year include the Irish Rail Depot, Great National South Court Hotel in Raheen and University of Limerick.

Free Park & Stride (9 am to 9 pm)

• Cleeve’s Site, O’Callaghan Strand from 07 to 31 Dec 2018 inclusive
• Limerick City and County Council Car Park, via Nicholas Street on 08 & 09, 15 & 16 and 22 – 24 Dec 2018 inclusive
• Irish Rail Depot, Roxboro Road on 08 & 09 and 15 – 24 Dec 2018 inclusive

Park & Ride (9 am to 9 pm)

• The Great National South Court Hotel, Raheen 08 & 09, 16, 22 & 23 Dec 2018 inclusive
• University of Limerick 08 & 09, 15 & 16, 22 & 23 Dec 2018 inclusive

Motorists using the Park & Rides will then board regular Bus Éireann scheduled services 304, 304A (from both locations) and 301 from Raheen.  A real-time information app can be downloaded from the National Transport Authority while using a Leap Card for the best bus fares.

As always parking in the city centre is available on-street and in multi-storey car parks.  Download the Limerick e-parking app, or pay by phone or disc.  On-street car parking is free after 5.30pm daily and is always free on Sundays.

In Abbeyfeale, Kilmallock and Newcastle West, motorists will get an extra two hours free parking in each of the towns from 2.30pm daily from 07 until 31 December inclusive.  They already have their first hour free.

The Christmas in Limerick programme is being coordinated by Limerick City and County Council’s Culture & Arts Department and the Marketing & Communications Department.

Christmas in Limerick is supported by:

• Gold Sponsors – Arthurs Quay Shopping Centre, King John’s Castle/ Shannon Heritage, Specsavers, SuperValu
• Silver Sponsors – Brown Thomas, Caherdavin and District Credit Union, Limerick Chamber
• Bronze Sponsors – Alex Findlater & Co, Centra, O’Connell St., The Hunt Cafe, Retail Excellence Ireland, Savins, Shannon Airport
• Media Partners are Limerick’s Live 95fm, Limerick Post, Limerick Leader, Spin SouthWest

All details about what’s on for Christmas in Limerick 2018 are available in the Christmas In Limerick 2018 brochure, 100,000 copies of which are being distributed across the mid-west.

 

For more information, go here.

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