Connolly Station, also known as Dublin Connolly, is the busiest railway station in Ireland, serving as a vital hub for both domestic and international travel [is a train every two hours to Belfast international travel?]. Situated in the heart of Dublin city centre, the station is a bustling gateway to Ireland’s rich history, culture, and natural beauty.
Towards the end of last year it was reported that Dublin Bus, Go-Ahead and the Luas Tram operator had been fined a total of €5m by Ireland’s National Transport Authority for late and cancelled journeys. My experience of Go-Ahead is limited to the 17 bus service which has been discontinued recently as the bus routes have been reorganised. I had to visit an old relative twice every week and she was located on Roebuck Road. I travelled there by getting the Tram to Windy Arbour and then the 17 to the Fosters Avenue end of Roebuck Road. However, the 17 service was so unreliable that I often gave up and walked to/from the tram stop. There was supposed to be a bus every twenty minutes but I frequently had to wait for close to sixty minutes (especially on Saturdays).
Towards the end of 2022 the Luas service received a penalty of €2.67m for the number of journeys not operated or which didn’t run to time. However, I have not found the tram service to be unreliable but I have noticed that many trams are too crowded for my liking and it is getting worse especially on the Red Line.
Today I decided to visit the Golden Bridge cemetery I was really surprised to discover that the tram was packed and it was only 2PM. When I got to the Drimnagh stop I was surprised by the frequency of the trams as there was one about every minute. It should be mentioned that if you wish to visit the Goldenbridge Cemetery you should get off the tram at the Drimnagh Stop rather than the Goldenbridge Stop.
Today Sunday 8th October 2023 I decided to investigate the new 99 bus route servicing Phoenix Park. I arrived at the Parkgate bus stop [8208] at 15:25 expecting a bus to arrive at 15:30 but the bus did not arrive until 15:45. It would appear that the timetable only shows the times that the buses depart from the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre rther than from Patkgate Street and this is confusing to say the least.
Initially, the new shuttle bus service will run between Parkgate Street and the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre, via Chesterfield Avenue. Stops include Parkgate Street entrance and popular visitor attractions like Dublin Zoo and the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre. Visitors to Áras an Uachtaráin will be also facilitated with stops close to the Phoenix Monument. The Phoenix Park Transport and Mobility Options Study, developed by the Office of Public Works, the NTA, Dublin County Council and Fingal County Council, identified the need for a bus service to the park as part of its ambition to reduce private car usage, enhance sustainable transportation modes for visitors and commuters, and minimize the impact of vehicles on the park and its surroundings.
The study found that public transport accounts for an 18% share of all trips with a destination in Phoenix Park. As the largest park in Dublin, with numerous significant attractions and thousands of annual visitors, the new shuttle service will help to increase the numbers accessing the park via public transport.
The new bus route has been designed to allow a greater number of trips to be facilitated by public transport to and from the Phoenix Park, taking into consideration the sensitive environment of the Phoenix Park. Once the service is operational, The NTA will assess customer feedback and demand, adjusting the hours of operation where required.
The station was unusually busy for a Saturday as there was a Rugby Match at Lansdowne. As soon as I arrived there was a special train and that reduced the pressure on the southbound service however because of the crowding I abandoned my plan to visit Greystones and travelled North to Howth instead.
The Dublin Area Rapid Transit system (stylised as DART) is an electrified commuter rail railway network serving the coastline and city of Dublin, Ireland.
The service makes up the core of Dublin’s suburban railway network, stretching from Greystones, County Wicklow, in the south to Howth and Malahide in north County Dublin. The DART serves 31 stations and consists of 53 route kilometres of electrified railway (46 km (29 mi) double track, 7 km (4.3 mi) single), and carries in the region of 20 million passengers per year. In a similar manner to the Berlin S-Bahn, the DART blends elements of a commuter rail service and a rapid transit system.
The DART system was established by Córas Iompair Éireann in 1984 to replace an ageing fleet of diesel-powered locomotives. It was, and still is, the only electric mainline railway in Ireland, and one of two currently operating electric railways, the other being the Luas tram which opened in 2004.
Since 1987, the service is operated by Iarnród Éireann, Ireland’s national rail operator. Contemporary rolling stock on the DART network is powered by 1,500 V DC overhead lines and uses the 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) Irish gauge. All trains in the Dublin suburban area, including DART services, are monitored and regulated by a Central Traffic Control (CTC) facility located in Connolly Station, known as Suburban CTC. This facility has been extensively automated and requires a staff of five; two signallers, one with responsibility for level crossings, an electrical control officer, who supervises the electrical power supply equipment and an overall supervisor.
The main CTC is staffed at all times however, there are also backup local control rooms which allow services to continue in the event of serious technical problems.
A single driver is responsible for the management of each train from the cab in the leading carriage. Automatic doors are controlled by the driver and are armed upon arrival at stations. Real-time passenger information displays on station platforms offer passengers updates on the next train arrival times, service updates and outages.
Automatic PA announcements are made in case of service disruptions and are tailored to each station. The majority of stations on the network have been renovated to include automatic barriers which require passengers to submit their tickets for verification before they can set foot on the platform.
A ticket is required in advance of boarding DART services and can be purchased at stations from staffed kiosks and automated machines. Passengers can also avail of the option of using a Leap Card, Dublin’s integrated ticketing scheme. Leap cards are offered as contactless cards onto which passengers can load set ticket options or a cash balance. Leap fares are typically cheaper than paying in cash for a journey.
On the DART network, users tag on at their point of entry and tag off at their exit point. Irish Rail, along with Dublin’s other public transport operators operated its own smart card system which was phased out to coincide with the Leap Card’s introduction. Revenue protection officers check passengers’ tickets to ensure validity both onboard trains and on station platforms at random intervals.
Several proposals have been made to expand the DART network beyond the coastal mainline and provide service to the north and west of the city. These expansion plans included a proposed tunnel linking the Docklands Station at Spencer Dock in the city’s quays and Heuston Station. This proposed DART Underground project, first posited in 1972, included plans for services from Celbridge/Hazelhatch to the Docklands via St. Stephen’s Green.
The DART Underground project was put on hold in September 2015. While included in the Greater Dublin Transport Strategy 2016-2035 (published in 2016), the DART Underground proposal was not included in the Greater Dublin Area Strategy 2022-2042 (published in 2021). In 2017, IÉ announced plans to procure a new fleet of trains with the intention of extending DART services from 2023 onwards.
An initial purchase of 100 vehicles was proposed to allow replacement of the existing fleet; this proposed purchase would include bi-mode units to allow services to run beyond the existing electrified network. In December 2021, IÉ announced that Alstom had been selected as the provider of up to 750 new vehicles, with 325 planned as part of the DART+ plan. Part of Alstom’s X’Trapolis family, an initial purchase of 95 vehicles is to be undertaken, formed into 19 5-car units. A total of 13 of these are due to be fitted both with pantographs to operate using the 1,500 V DC OHLE on the main DART network, and batteries to allow operation on non-electrified routes.
The battery operation is planned to allow the extension of DART services as far as Drogheda. The remaining units in the initial batch are expected to also be 5-car, fitted with pantograph only.[23] In 2023, Alstom revealed prototypes of the new DART trains. The prototype plans include 4 bike spaces per car, space to charge e-bikes and scooters, dedicated wheelchair areas, and automatic ramps for passenger accessibility.
In April 2023, TD Fergus O’Dowd suggested that the first set of trains were due to be delivered by 2025, enabling expansion of DART services to Drogheda along the DART+ Coastal North route.
The Point Luas stop is the easternmost terminus of the docklands extension of the Luas Red Line light rail system.
This Luas link to Tallaght connects the Point Village to other transport options, including the DART, suburban rail, Busáras, mainline rail, and the future Dublin Metro.
The Dublin Port Tunnel southern portal is located nearby.
There are a few entities, at the same location, called “The Point” in Dublin.
The most famous one is the Point Theatre, which was a concert and events venue that operated from 1988 to 2007. It was located on the North Wall Quay of the River Liffey, amongst the Dublin Docklands. The Point was closed in the middle of 2007 for a major redevelopment and underwent a rebranding as The O2 in July 2008. The O2 is now a world-class entertainment venue that hosts a wide variety of events, including concerts, sporting events, and conferences.
Another place called “The Point” in Dublin is Point Square. Point Square is a shopping mall and entertainment complex that is located next to the 3Arena. It is home to a number of stores, restaurants, and a cinema.
Point Square is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike. Finally, there is also a tram stop called “The Point”.