Train service from Donabate to Connolly Station

[webhead]

We're currently renting in Dublin city but looking to buy a house, maybe in Donabate, since prices are much cheaper and there's a reasonably fast rail link to my work at the IFSC, varying between 16 and 28 mins to Connolly Station according to the timestables. (Are these times accurate, or are there often delays?)

Just wondering what the current situation is with trains from Donabate to Connolly in the mornings, and back in the evenings...

* Are the trains very tightly packed at peak times?
* Does it ever happen that you can't get on the train at Donabate, or at Connolly, since it's too full?
* What if you do an earlier commute (e.g. 7am or 7.30am from Donabate, return around 4pm or 4.30pm) - is that much better?

I know it's planned to extend the DART to Balbriggan, but in the current economic climate, that could be a long way off. It would presumably mean more frequent trains, though they would probably stop at all stations en route and therefore take a bit longer?

[Mr. Stupid]

Some of the trains are packed but you usually get on. What do you think you'll bring to the area? The standards are going up and up in Donabate.

[jack white]

You'll almost never get a seat in the morning as the seats are all taken long before the train reaches Donabate. But there's usually plenty of standing room so it's not particularly uncomfortable. It's a long time since I failed to get on a train due to it being too full. About 7 or 8 years ago they lengthened the trains to 8 carriages whereas it had previously been 6 carriages per train. From that moment, failing to get on was a thing of the past. Sometimes I get the 4.20 home from town and I regularly get a seat. There's no guarantee of course, but the last two carriages tend to have empty seats when it reaches Connolly. If you're on your toes, you'll get one.

I find that the trains are very rarely late and, if they are, it's usually only by about five minutes. The last time I can recall having to put up with a major delay was about two years ago when someone on the tracks caused a security incident and everything got held up.

Also, rail travel is tax deductible. If your employer signs up to the TaxSaver scheme your pass can be deducted from your wages. My annual pass cost just over 1000 euro but, as a result,I pay tax on 1000 euro less. It means all my traveling for 12 months effectively costs about 500 euro.

[Derek]

We also have the excellent 33D bus service which runs directly from Portrane to the City centre via the Port Tunnel. Slight slower than the train, you will get a seat, and its a more humane way to travel.
Down side is only one bus each way per day though.

Departs Portrane @ 07:30. Arrives in town ~8:10

Departs Custom House Quay @ 17:45, back in Village at 18:20 (or 5 minutes earlier of the traffic is light)

[Bill_Lumbergh]

You'll almost never get a seat in the morning as the seats are all taken long before the train reaches Donabate.

That's totally dependant on time. Anything after the 7.30 train is a struggle. That one and those before you'll nearly always get a seat.

I find that the trains are very rarely late and, if they are, it's usually only by about five minutes. The last time I can recall having to put up with a major delay was about two years ago when someone on the tracks caused a security incident and everything got held up.

Totally agree. The southern line has much worse stats especially between Bray and Greystones. There was a bad week a few weeks ago with delays due to someone being hit by the train and a signal fault but otherwise they're pretty reliable.

Having lived in both Bray and Donabate while commuting to the city centre, it's definitely been more stable this side of the tracks.

[webhead]

Thanks for comments - all very useful info.

[Vlad the Impaler]

You stand, but it's rarely jammers like it used to be.

Apparently the Darts are worse these days since they cut the length.

Anyway, you'll be in Connolly quicker than a Dart from Sydney Parade. All roysh?

[webhead]

Anyway, you'll be in Connolly quicker than a Dart from Sydney Parade. All roysh?

DART timetable says between 13 and 15 mins from Sydney Parade to Connolly, actually loike.

[Vlad the Impaler]

Roysh, the Connolly train at 18.40 to Donabate takes 16 mins loike. Won't even know you're on the northside man if you just drink in Malahide loike.

[EAMO888]

Train service is pretty good.

In the mornings at dbate train station can be 50/50 getting a seat but its never too mental in terms of being packed.

Coming home and I get a seat everyday from Grand Canal.

Plenty of trains in the morning, takes bout half hour to get in. Much better than the Dublin Bus.

Only thing is making sure you get the last train at night and take into account nitelink is your only man on sat/sun nights out.

Donabate is great though, renting at the mo, will defo buy......

[webhead]

What are roads out of Donabate like at peak times?

From looking at the map, there seem to be only 2 roads out of Donabate to the M1/Swords/etc. - the R126 which leads to the M1 junction, and also Turvey Avenue.

Are there blockages at peak times, for example where the main road crosses the railway line? Unless you are living in Turvey estates or Beverton, you have to cross the railway line here, so it looks like a potential bottleneck.

And from Turvey/Beverton is it better to go up Turvey Avenue?

[webhead]

Bump!

Can anyone answer my questions in the previous post? Thanks in advance.

[JohnPaulTheTenth]

Almost no blockage whatsoever since the slip road to the motorway was added.

I travle from Donabate via R126 (Hearse Road) 8ish every morning. Max half a dozen cars if the lights are red on to the roundabout.

There is virtually no traffic issue at peak hours.

The only time I see anything approaching busy is in the village itself in the evening when the trains are coming in and traffic from the station car park is joining the road. Even then it's a couple of minutes max.

I work in Swords and it's pretty much 10 minutes door to door, all year round.

[Bill_Lumbergh]

What are roads out of Donabate like at peak times?

As the previous poster said, getting out of Donabate is OK, but heading down the M1 can be 50/50 depending on the time you leave. I commute by train into town but drive once in a while. When I do, I don't leave past 7 as my experiences when the M1 hits Drumcondra when leaving after 7 have been pretty bad.

From looking at the map, there seem to be only 2 roads out of Donabate to the M1/Swords/etc. - the R126 which leads to the M1 junction, and also Turvey Avenue.

Correct.

Google maps also has a traffic layer where you can then select a time and day and see what the average traffic is like.

[Lo-cal]

Hi,

A previous poster mentioned the 33D Expresso bus service between Portrane and City Centre Monday to Friday. I used the service for the first time today and all ran smoothly. However, when I went to take the return journey this evening, I could find no reference to a return journey on the DublinBus website. The reverse direction is included in the timetables, however, when I went to check Realtime information there was no reference to the 33D leaving Custom House Quay at 17.45 as indicated on the timetable. I was about to run out the door when I discovered this so didn't note the Customer Comment line to call them so I am just wondering if anyone knows whether the 33D Expresso bus runs in the opposite direction in the evenings?

Thanks

[Derek]

Yes it still does 17:45 from outside the Customs house. The fact that DB don't publicise it more is a disappointment.

[Lo-cal]

Thanks Derek.

Yes, I telephoned DublinBus Customer Comment this morning and they confirmed same but they didn't give an explanation why it's not listed.

[mmacnamara]

Hello, thinking of buying in Donabate and found these posts from 2013. Could anyone give a general update on seat availability / general commuting from Donabate to city centre. Has it changed much over the years (since 2013 when most of these posts were posted?) Many many thanks!

[Quello Serio]

My experience (trains only) is that things have gotten worse since the 10-minute dart interval was introduced a few months ago. I get the 09:02 in the morning: sometimes there might be 1 or 2 seats if you're prepared for an undignified scramble to get to them. No problem with standing room. I believe earlier trains are badly crowded.

In the evening (18:07 train), absolutely no chance of a seat, and its very uncomfortably crowded when standing, but its rare that someone can't get on at all.

With new housing estates under construction, and "near to a train station" being an important selling point, its not going to get any better in the medium term future.

[Northwest]

Hey I moved out last April and it's very very packed in the morning.
Also in my experience it always arrives late - at Pearse. As the above poster says it has gotten worse since the timetable change.
Needless to say no seats etc.
I think if you are travelling to Connolly you might fare better as some early trains only go direct to Connolly, you would have to change for Grand Canal and Pearse.
As far as I know only there is only 1 bus that goes around 7am? But I never used it.

[mmacnamara]

thanks both for your helpful replies

[mirror]

Why are people still facing this problem day in day out , what are local representatives doing about it , obviously very little if the trains are still crammed every morning , surely this has to be a safety issue.

[Ken]

Why are people still facing this problem day in day out , what are local representatives doing about it , obviously very little if the trains are still crammed every morning , surely this has to be a safety issue.

Irish Rail claim the Northern rail line is at full capacity and they cannot add further rolling stock without a significant and costly upgrade. That, and the fact we're earmarked for a Dart upgrade means that improvement to the non-Dart service will never happen.

[mirror]

Ken , is there a date at which the Dart will be extended to Donabate because I moved into Donabate over 20 years ago and ive been listening to that story for years

[jack white]

According to this story from a few months ago we're looking at 2022/23.

https://www.independent.ie/regionals/fi ... 34938.html