Southbound Dart to Bray - doesn't always stop at Sandymount?

.H. · 29-01-2013 10:09PM #1

Please can someone help me out regarding the Dart? I've been living in Dublin for a couple of months now and recently got a job in Sandymount. I'm based in Dublin 1 and have actually walked down most mornings and got the Dart back, but this morning I decided to get the Dart from Connolly down to Sandymount. I hopped on a train headed for Bray, which most literature seems to suggest is the one that stops at Sandymount. It stopped at every stop between Connolly and sandymount, but then bypassed Sandymount! I had to hop off at the next station and catch a Northbound train back one stop. As I got off, I saw another Bray-bound train go straight through - so my main question is, which train do I need to get from Connolly to Sandymount, and if some Bray trains do stop there and others don't, is there some easy way of identifying them?

I have to say, Dublin public transport makes a lot less sense than any other city I've been to in the developed world!

Thanks in advance for your help

January · 29-01-2013 10:55PM

Seems, there's a few that skip a few stations...

Timetable here - http://www.irishrail.ie/media/IarnrodEireannDARTTimetable2013-PDFWEB1.pdf

Looks like the 8.37am and the 8.41am from Connolly skip Sandymount.

TheBandicoot · 29-01-2013 11:01PM

As Janurary's link shows, commuter trains from Maynooth/Longford and Drogheda/Dundalk are semi-fast and serve a selection of stops on the southside.

.H. wrote: »

if some Bray trains do stop there and others don't, is there some easy way of identifying them?

It should be obvious- the diesel commuter trains don't stop there, the ones that aren't DARTs. If you can't tell the difference, get glasses and have your ears tested. You can also look at the scolling destination display at the station or on the train itself which will both tell you the stops it serves instead of "all stations to Bray".

sharpish · 29-01-2013 11:35PM

TheBandicoot wrote: »

As Janurary's link shows, commuter trains from Maynooth/Longford and Drogheda/Dundalk are semi-fast and serve a selection of stops on the southside.

It should be obvious- the diesel commuter trains don't stop there, the ones that aren't DARTs. If you can't tell the difference, get glasses and have your ears tested. You can also look at the scolling destination display at the station or on the train itself which will both tell you the stops it serves instead of "all stations to Bray".

A train is a train to most people and non locals, it's a fair question by the orginal poster.

@.H. all the darts stop at sandymount darts being the dark green trains, but some long distance commuter trains pass through the city center and do a limited stop service to Bray these are painted a different colour light green and make a ton more noise than the electric powered darts.

hope this helps

Hilly Bill · 29-01-2013 11:36PM

January wrote: »

Seems, there's a few that skip a few stations...

Timetable here - http://www.irishrail.ie/media/IarnrodEireannDARTTimetable2013-PDFWEB1.pdf

Looks like the 8.37am and the 8.41am from Connolly skip Sandymount.

They are not the Dart. The Big green electric trains that says either Bray or Graystones stop in Sandymount. And coming back they will say either Howth or Malahide and will serve all stops to them stations.
The 8.41 is the one from Maynooth. Before anyone boards a train they should make sure that the train actually stops at their intended destination.

Victor · 30-01-2013 01:34AM

TheBandicoot wrote: »

If you can't tell the difference, get glasses and have your ears tested.

Welcome to boards.ie

Play nice.

Moderator

toastedpickles · 30-01-2013 01:41AM

.H. wrote: »

I have to say, Dublin public transport makes a lot less sense than any other city I've been to in the developed world!

Wait till you get a Dublin bus so :P

But yeah I'd stick with the green trains to be honest, or if you have an android or iphone you can download an app for it called next train ireland...or something along them lines

Cookie_Monster · 30-01-2013 01:44AM

sharpish wrote: »

A train is a train to most people and non locals, it's a fair question by the orginal poster.

ah come on, between checking the displays and seeing a totally different colour and shape train you'd think it would be workout-able. I mean you don't expect every train in Connoly to go to the same place now do you?

@ OP I can only assume it wasn't actually a DART you got?

.H. · 30-01-2013 02:49AM

Thanks to those of you who were helpful rather than rude :P

I guess it wasn't a Dart I got then - was in a rush and saw Bray on it, I got it from the platform that said it was for Darts at Connolly, I just (wrongly) assumed that it was a Dart train at that platform as I ran up on to the platform and boarded it - guess I was wrong! Thanks for your advice, I will make sure it's actually a Dart train next time.

I did find that timetable, but it seems to not be of much use - I don't want to have to decide whether the train sitting at the platform is an 8.17AM or an 8.21AM train (or whatever) - by the time I've figured that out it'll be gone!

P.S. I have used the buses, which has been OK, apart from drivers charging me different amounts on different occasions for the exact same journey - oh, and the time I waited almost half an hour at a stop in the pouring rain in Drumcondra, only to have the number 4 bus that I and about 8 others at the stop were waiting for just drive past like we didn't exist! Also cannot get my head around the Leap card not allowing you to take two buses in quick succession without being charged twice, which seems to be the way in other cities I've been to that use a smart card system (DC, London). I am aware that that functionality will come at some stage from what I've read, but in the meantime it's a bit frustrating!

MrJoeSoap · 30-01-2013 02:53AM

From experience, there isn't a whole lot of difference between getting off at Sandymount and getting off at Sydney Parade. Probably faster walking than changing platforms and waiting for a train back.

.H. · 30-01-2013 12:36PM

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

From experience, there isn't a whole lot of difference between getting off at Sandymount and getting off at Sydney Parade. Probably faster walking than changing platforms and waiting for a train back.

I'll try to avoid having to do that in future as where I work is just round the corner from the Sandymount stop and I'm not familiar with the area any further South yet - thanks for your tip though!

By the way, it wasn't my intention to stumble in here as a foreigner and criticise Dublin's public transport, so apologies if it sounded that way - having spent years of my life in rural England, I am thankful for any kind of structured public transport network, heh. It's just always confusing getting used to a new system, especially under time pressure, whereas obviously those of you who have a working knowledge of it know its quirks and how to work with them effectively.

Hilly Bill · 30-01-2013 02:13PM

A look at the timetable will show you which trains stop at sandymount. You can get one in connolly for all trains leaving connolly. Its easy enough to follow and if you are not sure then ask someone . I dont think anyone was rude to you on here.

.H. · 30-01-2013 03:20PM

Hilly Bill wrote: »

A look at the timetable will show you which trains stop at sandymount. You can get one in connolly for all trains leaving connolly. Its easy enough to follow and if you are not sure then ask someone . I dont think anyone was rude to you on here.

I was only semi-joking about the rude thing, hard to make it come across in text form I guess... my feeble attempt was the sticky-out-tongue face.

The timetables are close to useless, given the frequency with which trains arrive and depart at that time of morning, with trains going to identical destinations but skipping certain stops leaving only minutes apart. I will jsut avoid the commuter trains from now on and only take Darts headed for Bray/Greystones, if they really do always stop at Sandymount.

schemingbohemia · 30-01-2013 03:33PM

.H. wrote: »

I was only semi-joking about the rude thing, hard to make it come across in text form I guess... my feeble attempt was the sticky-out-tongue face.

The timetables are close to useless, given the frequency with which trains arrive and depart at that time of morning, with trains going to identical destinations but skipping certain stops leaving only minutes apart. I will jsut avoid the commuter trains from now on and only take Darts headed for Bray/Greystones, if they really do always stop at Sandymount.

Are you actually sure you've used public transport in other cities?

In London many of the tube lines (Northern, Piccadilly etc) have differing destinations and routings, if you don't look at the display signs you'll end up in the wrong place (same happens with some of the DC lines too).

It's unfair of you to blame Irish Rail for your own mistake, you got on a different type of train, you didn't check the display to see exactly where it stopped, all your fault no-one else's.

Perhaps you should change the title to "All DARTS stop at Sandymount but other trains that are not DARTS do not, I must remember to actually look and check in future".

Welcome to boards.

.H. · 30-01-2013 04:00PM

schemingbohemia wrote: »

It's unfair of you to blame Irish Rail for your own mistake

If you read back, you'll see I actually held my hands up and said I made a mistake in post #9 - mea culpa. I am not blaming Dublin for this mistake, it was mine and I now know what I did wrong and won't make the mistake again in future, so thank you all.

For what it's worth, I do think the general system and services here are less integrated and less intuitive than most other cities I've been to. I've never got on the wrong train and missed a stop on any other rail or bus network. That included several years in London and 3 months living and commuting in Washington, so contrary to your condescending implication - yes, I have used public transport before.

Reading around on the internet, my general opinion of Dublin transport being somewhat behind other similar networks in major world cities seems to be fairly commonly supported by locals and foreigners alike who have experienced similar difficulties and confusions, so I don't think I'm a lone voice of dissent exactly or that I have been hugely unfair on Dublin! I can see a lot of room for improvement overall, but once again - this particular instance was definitely more my own fault for not knowing the difference between a Dart headed for Bray and a commuter train headed for Bray.

dublinstevie · 30-01-2013 04:31PM

.H. wrote: »

Thanks to those of you who were helpful rather than rude :P

I guess it wasn't a Dart I got then - was in a rush and saw Bray on it, I got it from the platform that said it was for Darts at Connolly, I just (wrongly) assumed that it was a Dart train at that platform as I ran up on to the platform and boarded it - guess I was wrong! Thanks for your advice, I will make sure it's actually a Dart train next time.

I did find that timetable, but it seems to not be of much use - I don't want to have to decide whether the train sitting at the platform is an 8.17AM or an 8.21AM train (or whatever) - by the time I've figured that out it'll be gone!

P.S. I have used the buses, which has been OK, apart from drivers charging me different amounts on different occasions for the exact same journey - oh, and the time I waited almost half an hour at a stop in the pouring rain in Drumcondra, only to have the number 4 bus that I and about 8 others at the stop were waiting for just drive past like we didn't exist! Also cannot get my head around the Leap card not allowing you to take two buses in quick succession without being charged twice, which seems to be the way in other cities I've been to that use a smart card system (DC, London). I am aware that that functionality will come at some stage from what I've read, but in the meantime it's a bit frustrating!

The 4 doernt serve drumcondra

Hilly Bill · 30-01-2013 07:26PM

to be fair, the timetable is ok. Even without it you just need to look at the screens to find out which train you want. The confusion lies with the person that rushes for the train at the last minute and gets on the wrong one. Nothing irish rail can do about them.

.H. · 30-01-2013 07:26PM

dublinstevie wrote: »

The 4 doernt serve drumcondra

I got it about 6 times from a stop on Botanic Road down to the edge of Ballsbridge. Perhaps Botanic Road isn't technically Drumcondra, but I was living a 3 minute walk from the stop and the address I was at was Drumcondra.

Victor · 31-01-2013 09:22PM

dublinstevie wrote: »

The 4 doernt serve drumcondra

Some people associate Whitworth Road, Botanic Avenue, Iona Road, Lindsay Road and hte roads that join them more with Drumcondra than Phibsborough / Glasnevin.

Technically, Drumcondra townland doesn't extend south of the Tolka. http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,716227,737155,6,7 I'm not sure where the township boundary was, but I suspect it included all of Glasnevin.

.H. · 31-01-2013 09:35PM

Victor wrote: »

Some people associate Whitworth Road, Botanic Avenue, Iona Road, Lindsay Road and hte roads that join them more with Drumcondra than Phibsborough / Glasnevin.

Technically, Drumcondra townland doesn't extend south of the Tolka. http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,716227,737155,6,7 I'm not sure where the township boundary was, but I suspect it included all of Glasnevin.

So technically speaking, even Drumcondra station itself isn't in Drumcondra? Hehe. I was living just off Iona Road and all the addresses round that way seem to be referred to as Drumcondra by those that live there. Not disputing what you're saying, just strikes me as a little strange! Thanks for your information - I am interested in the history and landscape of the city, so it's all good to know.

Southbound Dart to Bray - doesn't always stop at Sandymount?

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