[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by eaw

My husband, son and I will be traveling from Dublin to Limerick on Saturday, July 3, 2010. I am planning to buy standard seats online

You should be able to do this within 28 days of departure. You can have your tickets posted to you within Ireland or you can collect them at your nominated station from the large orange ticket machines - have your booking reference handy. Any problems, just collect them from the cashier (photo ID may be required). Child fares are available to those under 16, toddlers go free. If you book ahead, you can get adult, standard class fare for about €10 one-way on some services. Peak and walk-on fares tend to be much more expensive.

and want to know which direction the train will be traveling so that I can choose 2 seats facing toward Limerick. Does the locomotive always face the direction it's traveling on the seat assignment page?

The left side of the booking screen generally corresponds with the front of the train (it gets slightly complicated on trains via Kilkenny). On those trains with locomotives, normally the locomotive is at the non-Dublin end of the train and this is the left side of the screen on the booking page.

Strictly speaking, not all trains have locomotives these days. On Dublin-Limerick direct services, the trains are the 22000 Class DMU shown here: http://www.irishrail.ie/fleet_information/intercity_fleet.asp If you get a Cork-bound train and change at Limerick Junction, it is likely (not guaranteed, some quiet services might be 22000 Class) to be a Mark 4 train as shown on that page, with a 2700 Class on the Limerick Junction-Limerick leg.

Is it worth it to buy premier seats?

If you are on a Mark 4, first class means much bigger, comfier seats, electrical sockets (220V 50Hz) and is a better general experience. The carriage is 3 seats across instead of 4. Certain services have free Wi-fi (in all classes). The dining car will be immediately adjacent. There will likely be a train host, but sometimes they aren't the most efficient - some of them are excellent, others hide.

If its a 22000 Class, the seating is 4-across in all classes, but all seats have electrical sockets. While it might be a "better experience", it won't be as nice as the Mark 4. No wi-fi. The dining car will be immediately adjacent. I'm not sure about train hosts.

We will have 3 large (30") suitcases with us. Is there a size limit to the baggage you can travel with? I found the weight limit, but no size info.

That should be fine. I don't think there is a size limit, once you aren't over-doing things.

Where does the luggage get stowed since they will be too big for the overhead bin?

Most carriages have a luggage rack at either end, and a certain amount of space between those seats that are back to back - board early and there shouldn't be a problem. In addition, there is a large luggage space at the Dublin end of the Mark 4 trains.

Will we need to carry it on board ourselves?

Normally yes, but if you have a particular problem, just ask. All access within Heuston is more or less step free, except for a single step up onto the train - ramps are available.

Let us know about your experience. http://railusers.ie/forum/showthread.php?t=193

Note: while Limerick station is quite central, it is on top of a hill. Heuston is a short bus or tram ride from the city centre in Dublin.