The Old Rail Trail (also known as Athlone to Mullingar Cycleway) is a long-distance cycling and walking trail in County Westmeath, which forms a section of the Dublin-Galway Greenway. It is a 42 kilometres long rail-trail over the disused Athlone-Mullingar rail line beginning in Athlone and ending in Mullingar.
History
The route was originally opened in 1851 as a railway line by the Midland Great Western Railway and was the first to reach Athlone from Dublin. The line was closed in 1987 with trains using the former Great Southern and Western Railway line to reach Athlone.
The Moate-Garrycastle section was officially opened by Taoiseach Enda Kenny in October 2015. In September 2015 the Westmeath Independent reported that the greenway could provide a "€15m boost" to the local economy.
The section was extended up to Ballymahon road (White gates) in December 2016, and in October of 2022, the trail expanded to athlone.
A new bridge to cross the River Shannon in Athlone was allocated €8.1m funding and began construction in 2021. The bridge, later named the Mary O'Rourke Bridge, opened in August 2023.
Kilbeggan link As of 2015, plans by a community development organisation in Kilbeggan, County Westmeath, were underway to connect the Greenway to the Offaly Cycleways at Kilbeggan with a greenway to Tullamore, County Offaly. The preferred route, extending the Kilbeggan - Ballycommon greenway, including Belvedere House and Gardens and linking the Royal and Grand Canals, was published by Westmeath County Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland in October 2025.
Access points
The following is a list of the access points to the cycleway. Location Distance from Athlone (km) Distance to Mullingar (km) Coordinates Mary O'Rourke Bridge - 4353.424000, -7.943297 Abbey Road, Athlone - 4353.426547, -7.942494 Whitegates, Athlone - 42 53.427995, -7.931805 Garrycastle, Athlone - 40 53.422411, -7.899979 Mount Temple 6 34 53.402258, -7.816096 Maghermore 8 32 53.399294, -7.781841 Moate (Dún na Sí Park) 12 28 53.398406, -7.736041 Moate (Station) 12 28 53.399177, -7.723514 Rosemount 18 22 53.415931, -7.641321 Lisnagree 21 19 53.415931, -7.641321 Streamstown 23 17 53.435258, -7.570478 Garhy (R391) 26.2 13.8 53.450029, -7.531310 Castletown Station 28 12 53.454793, -7.522229 Dysart 30 10 53.476641, -7.480747 Ballinea 36 4 53.502709, -7.431523 Bellmount 37.2 2.8 53.508298, -7.403209 Kilpatrick 38.4 1.6 53.509364, -7.390320 Mullingar Newbrook (Canal Link) 40 - 53.517095, -7.368273 Mullingar Newbrook (Roundabout Access) 42 - 53.509364, -7.390320
See also EuroVelo
References
External links Map of the cycleway