Athlone railway station is the best in Ireland, according to the results of this year's Iarnród Éireann train station awards.
The Westmeath station came first out of 134 stations for cleanliness, customer facilities, innovation and customer service. It also won the best intercity station category.
This is the first time Athlone has won in the 14-year history of the competition. The award was the result of much hard work on the part of staff including station manager Margaret Larkin, Iarnród Éireann chief executive Dick Fearn said.
"It's great to see a new station reaching the top in these awards, firstly because it shows that a determined effort has been put into improving standards, and secondly because it shows other stations that it can be done."
The northeast also did well in this year's competition with Drogheda station winning the heritage award for its display of artefacts and memorabilia to mark the 150th anniversary of the Boyne Viaduct, while Dundalk collected the best major station award.
While no Dublin city station won in any category, Connolly Station was judged to be "most improved" in the major stations category. Dún Laoghaire won first prize in the Dart stations award. Skerries in north Co Dublin was the suburban halts award winner.
A special award for community involvement went to Greystones station in Co Wicklow. The award honoured former Greystones person of the year Harry Booker for his contributions to the station.
The competition was judged by Brendan Pender and the late Norman McAdams of the Irish Railway Records Society.
STATION AWARDS: winners
Best station: Athlone; best major station:Dundalk; best intercity station: Athlones.
Best intercity halt: Castlebar; best Dart station: Dún Laoghaire.
Best suburban halt: Skerries.
Best unmanned halt: Castleconnell; community involvement: Greystones; best staff effort: Ennis, Mary Linehan; floral display: Killarney; heritage award: Drogheda
