Snacks trolley won’t return to Iarnród Éireann until “at least early 2023”

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Irish Rail users will need to keep the sambos in tinfoil and the tea in flasks for a while longer, as its been confirmed RailGourmet will no longer be providing its services on board. The sound of crisp packets rustling and metal clanging as the trolley makes its way through the carriages has been sorely missed on Iarnród Éireann services since the beginning of the pandemic back in 2020. In a recent statement, Iarnród Éireann confirmed that RailGourmet "has not been in a position to resume services", primarily due to staffing issues and additional costs. The statement reads:

Iarnród Éireann regrets to inform customers that our catering provider, RailGourmet has advised that it is no longer able to provide catering services on Iarnród Éireann’s Intercity network.

This is despite extensive efforts by both Iarnród Éireann and RailGourmet to see on-board catering services resume, following their enforced absence for two years of the pandemic. Since the lifting of face covering regulations in February 2022, RailGourmet has not been in a position to resume services, primarily due to the challenges in resolving staffing issues, and significant additional costs.

Iarnród Éireann added that they will be commencing the search for a new catering contact as soon as possible, but that the snacks trolley is unlikely to return "at least early 2023". Goodbye for now, chicken-and-stuffing sambos and miniature bottles of wine. Gone but never forgotten. Header image via All4 READ NEXT: Ireland's first bar manager apprenticeship degree launches today