The DART is 40!

23 July 2024

“Railing in the years” as Minister unveils special wrapped DART to mark iconic service’s anniversary

Tuesday 23rd July. Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail today unveiled a special-livery DART to mark the 40th anniversary of the iconic Dublin rail service, featuring some of the momentous events in Dublin and Irish life over the past four decades.

From Bosco to Brexit, and the Millennium milk bottle to Marriage Equality, the images and words – curated by the Little Museum of Dublin - have been designed to engage all DART customers whether travelling on the service from day one, or embarking on inaugural journey.

On 23rd July 1984, the DART service began operating, and since that date, it has become one of the country’s greatest public transport success stories.   It is an icon of Dublin and has played a crucial role in the life of Dubliners over the 40 years, with almost 670 million passenger journeys made.

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan TD joined Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive Jim Meade, NTA Chief Executive Anne Graham, and DART staff past and present to unveil the specially designed DART carriages at Grand Canal Dock Station today, with the 40th anniversary also being marked by:

• The release of an exclusive short film, written by  Roddy Doyle, featuring his “Two Pints” characters braving the southside on their day out by DART
• A nostalgic video series launched by Iarnród Éireann featuring some of the people who built, commissioned and operated the DART in the early 1980s
• A customer giveaway on social media of DART 40th anniversary pins and exclusive tote bags designed from the famous moquette of the original DART seating 
• DART 40th anniversary stakeholder conference is planned for October, to coincide with the unveiling of the first of the new DART+ fleet, being delivered by manufacturers Alstom.  The conference will review forty years of DART, and look ahead to the next chapter, with the DART+ Programme set for delivery 
• Dublin Festival of History will host an event reflecting on the history of the DART this October

Minister Ryan said:

“It’s hard to believe that the DART is 40 years old, and yet it seems as if it has been here forever, hugging our majestic Dublin Bay, from Howth to Bray originally, and now from Malahide and onto Greystones also. Generations of Dubliners have grown up with the DART. it’s been the backdrop for so many celebrated books, films, music videos, stories of Dublin life and people, both fictional and real.”

“When it was first proposed DART was labelled a “Rolls Royce” solution – way above the spec we needed for the city. It’s just as well Iarnród Eireann and all those involved in developing DART didn’t listen to the naysayers back then. In the beginning DART was carrying about 25,000 passengers a day. Now, that number is closer to 90,000, and growing, which is why it is equally exciting that we are planning its expansion – North to Drogheda, West to Maynooth and South to Wicklow Town. Dubliners and visitors to our city love the DART, and I look forward to it continuing to be part of our life stories for decades to come.”

Jim Meade, Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann said

“It is a privilege to celebrate the 40th anniversary in the DART with colleagues who helped build the DART and operate it in its early days; with those who manage and maintain it and its infrastructure today; and with those charged with developing the DART+ Programme which will treble the size of our DART network".

"I would argue that DART is the country’s greatest public transport success story: in the hugely challenging economic era that was early 1980s Ireland, it won the argument that investment in high-quality, high-frequency public transport will be supported by the communities it serves, and paved the way for further rail, light rail and bus expansion in our capital and around the country. We look forward to its continued success and growth, as we ensure rail is the backbone of Ireland’s sustainable transport network for the future.”

Ann Graham, CEO  of the NTA said:

“As we mark 40 years of the DART, we celebrate a service which has been transformative for the people of Dublin and the surrounding areas, with almost 670 million journeys made over its lifetime".

"Looking to the future, the DART+ Programme is set to double the network's capacity and triple its reach, supported by the arrival of 185 new carriages. This significant investment in transport infrastructure will ensure DART's legacy continues, further enhancing sustainable mobility and access to reliable and efficient public transport.”

DART Facts and Figures 

• Since the DART began in 1984, almost 670 million passenger journeys have been made on the service
• DART trains operate 2.44 million kilometres annually, more than three round-trips to the moon
• The DART fleet remained at its original size of 80 carriages from 1984 to 1999.  Today, a total of 144 carriages operate the service – this includes the entire original fleet (except for four carriages destroyed in a fire at Fairview Depot in 2001).  Marking the ambition of the DART+ Programme, 185 new DART carriages are now on order to allow the service to expand
• When DART began, 25,000 journeys were made daily on the service.  Now up to 90,000 journeys are made daily
• There are 31 DART stations on the network.  Originally, there were 25: the DART was extended to Greystones and Portmarnock and Malahide in 2000.  New stations opened at Clontarf Road (1997), Grand Canal Dock (2001) and Clongriffin (2010).  A 32nd station will open in 2025 at Woodbrook, between Shankill and Bray
• The electricity used to power the DART each year would provide the annual electricity requirement for over 6,250 Irish homes, the equivalent of the town of Malahide. 20% of the energy used is recovered through regenerative braking.

DART and Dublin 

DART is an iconic symbol of Dublin.  It: 

• has featured in the work of Roddy Doyle 
• has inspired poetry by the late Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney ("Dublin 4", specially written for Poet's Corner on DART) 
• has appeared in Conversations with Friends, Fair City and other TV programmes
• has been part of Dustin the Turkey's political campaigns: bringing the DART to Dingle! 
• it is the only public transport Ross O'Carroll Kelly uses! 
• has inspired the infamous DORT accent 
• inspired the Irish language crime novel “Dúnmharú ar an DART” by Ruaidhrí Ó Báille 

DART – The Future 

With 40 years under its belt, DART is set to embark on a new phase of expansion under the DART+ Programme. 

The DART+ Programme is a transformative plan which hwill ensure train travel is at the heart of Ireland’s sustainable transport network.  Funded by the Department of Transport through the National Transport Authority, under Project Ireland 2040, the DART+ Programme is an investment that will double the capacity of the Greater Dublin Area network, and treble the size of the DART network.  It will facilitate sustainable mobility and development to enhance quality of life in our capital and its surrounding counties Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow. 

Three out of four core infrastructure projects under the DART+ Programme are at planning stage, with Railway Order applications submitted to An Bord Pleanála.  Additionally, 185 new carriages are on order for DART+, the first of which will arrive this Autumn, entering service in early 2026.  

DART+ Programme Status update