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THE TOTAL NUMBER of people who travelled on Ireland’s rail network in 2012 was 39.9 million – a slight decrease on the previous year, according to new figures.
Iarnród Éireann said that while the number of people taking the DART increased by 6 per cent in the second half of the year, the first six months of the year were weak across all rail services, leading to the overall lower figure.
The number of people travelling on Intercity and Commuter services remained broadly the same as in 2011.
The major growth in people booking online, increased sales of monthly and annual tickets and the increase in student ticket sales were behind the improved demand in the second half of the year.
A spokesperson for Iarnród Éireann welcomed the stabilisation of passenger numbers after several years of decreases.
“After a number of years of decline in passenger numbers it is encouraging to see growth once again on the DART and a stabilisation of passenger numbers on Commuter and Intercity Services,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
The company said the strong second half of the year bodes well for passenger growth in 2013.
Two new Iarnród Éireann stations – one at Oranmore Parkway in Galway and one in Hansfield in west Dublin – are set to open this year.
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If DART travelers are on the increase why are the DARTs getting shorter!?!?
If passenger numbers are up overall, why are fares not dropping?
If traffic is increasing how do they justify the fare increases?
Traffic decreased on average… It increased in the dart area… plus there was a rise in fuel cost… plus the suvbention from the government coffers was cut….
Energy costs keep increasing, they don’t run on air.
That sounds like the reply I got from Irish Rail verbatim , when I queried them on fare increases
And?
jen works for cie
Still a crap service, never on time.
New motorways……. JJ Kavanagh charging €20 per run from down the country to Dublin/airport ….. But its €50 return for the train ! Make it appeal money wise we might get on the train.
If the private bus operator jj kavanagh was to work non profitable routes and make a loss then on average he would need to up the prices of his profitable routes….
what country are you tlking about john
@jen…are you working now…….what time is the next train to………
I wish the cops would take sniffer dogs onto the buses every once in a while. Why the hell do junkies get free travel passes to visit methadone clinics? Can they not use couriers to deliver to HSE in their area? Busaras is also the begging headquarters in Ireland. Also that building is so dated and tired, surely they could brighten it up. Has to be one of the most used public spaces in Ireland but has never left the 80s. How tourists that go through there must laugh. Rant over.
It’s no wonder that Commuter numbers are down – a €300 increase on an annual ticket, delays every second day explained by “signal faults” and a far cheaper, more comfortable service offered by private coaches.
Some of the train times are stupid. If you live in Kerry & work in Cork city or a student, your train choice is to either arrive early or late. First train arrives in Cork at 7:05, next one arrives at 9:25, which is too late for work/meetings/lectures. Can’t they just have one arriving at 8:30am? and have more passengers?
another first world issue I’m guessing…
Sorry, but we don’t all live in Dublin richie. Btw, this thread is about transport. If you want a more serious topic, I suggest you click on the abortion link or the Indian rape case instead.
Same in Sligo. First train arrives in Sligo at 10:15am, leaves at 5pm or 7pm. I live 25 miles from Sligo beside a train station and its of no use to me or other commuters whatsoever. I would gladly get the train every morning and save on petrol and parking costs!
Many more people would be served & using the rail network, but it doesn’t even connect to half of the country, which is a complete disgrace.
During boom times, we should have extended our rail network instead of building unneeded estates.
Intercity Services cost too much especially if there are more than one travelling- car becomes more economical. A more creative fare structure can achieve much higher seat occupancy. Also snacks menu is appalling and way overpriced.
I used to take the train from Thurles to Tralee and back again weekly. I avoided certain trains because i knew I would end up standing for maybe an hour or so because there would be no seats.The last time I took the train I was around 8 months pregnant (twins so i was massive), when changing in Mallow, there was massive crowds waiting for the Kerry train, I assumed that a train had broken down earlier and they would add a few extra carraiges, but no there was something going on in Kilarney. Rather than add enough carriages to easily accomadate all the passengers, they added one. Rather than ensuring that people were not using seats as storage they ignored it! I stood for the whole journey as far as Kilarney,as did many other passengers, and a few older people too. The only person to offer me his seat was a man of maybe 80!
I had been a regular passenger up and down, had spent a few grand on train tickets over the time Id been travelling up and down. I will never ever us Irish Rail again. They are overpriced, a lot of the staff are rude, and I expect if I pay money to have seating, the place to be reasonably clean, but unless the trains have been to Dublin, they are filthy
Irish rail should of built a link to Dublin airport, that would have been a very profitable route and increased passengers.
Irish Rail did propose extending DART to airport but I haven’t heard anymore since http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0902/1224303348824.html
I’d well believe a pregnant woman was left standing on a train ,I have to avoid public transport to save myself getting in arguments with self important suited and booted junior execs ,the feeling of self entitlement is the only thing growing in Ireland me thinks.you can glue your face to your I phone for as long as you like ,and you know you’re being an a55 just remember every now and then someone is going to pick you up on your selfishness * steps off soapbox*
DoT have created a paradox (Pigou–Knight–Downs) they need to reduce fares and discourage drivers from travelling central this ‘should’ be basic transport management to them!!
Still no TaxSaver tickets available on Leap card… they don’t exactly encourage commuters.
Given the 10 years it took to get Leap Card and that the TaxSaver scheme was introduced in 1999, you’d think they would have it by now.
And no travelcards either, daily,weekly or monthly.
Wish they would link bray with luas
The dart is faster from Bray than the luas would be, there’s a shuttle bus that takes you to cherrywood
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