DART celebrates 40th birthday

On Monday 23rd July 1984, as Frankie’s Two Tribes topped the charts, and the Karate Kid premiered in cinemas, the Dublin Area Rapid Transit, affectionately known as the DART, embarked on its inaugural journey from Bray to Howth. Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Dublin’s iconic rail service, Iarnród Éireann today unveiled a specially wrapped DART, showcasing a vibrant timeline of some of the key moments and events that have defined Dublin and Irish life over the past four decades.

 Curated by the Little Museum of Dublin, the special collection of images which dresses both the exterior and  interior of the carriages, features everything from Bosco to Brexit and the Millennium milk bottle to Marriage Equality. Designed to evoke a sense of nostalgia for the generations of Dubliners who have used the service since its inception, this unique creative is sure to grab the attention of those embarking on their first journey.

 Celebrated author and screenwriter Roddy Doyle contributed to the commemorative festivities with the release of an exclusive short film – following his beloved “Two Pints” characters on an adventurous “DORT” journey to the southside. Created especially for the 40th anniversary, this film pays homage to Doyle’s deep connection with the DART, with scenes from the screen adaptation of his first novel, The Commitments, shot at Kilbarrack DART station in the early ’90s.Since its launch, the DART has become one of Ireland’s greatest public transport success stories. A steadfast companion through the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it has facilitated nearly 670 million passenger journeys over its 40 years, featured in countless Irish pop culture moments, and travels over 2.4 million km annually – that’s more than three round-trips to the moon.

 Railing in the Years

• 1984: DART begins operation
• 2000: Extension to Greystones, Portmarnock and Malahide brings greater connectivity. First of four orders of new DART carriage enters service, continuing up to 2005
• 2001: Dublin’s thirtieth DART station opened at Grand Canal Dock
• 2003 – 2005: DART Upgrade Programme increases DART capacity by 33% through longer platforms and associated works, and transforms station accessibility for mobility-impaired customers
• 2005 – 2008: Original DART fleet from 1984 receives a full mid-life makeover, including passenger information systems to improve customer experience
• 2014: 500 million DART journeys milestone passed!
• 2020: Launch of the new DART+ programme, set to treble the size of the DART network, expanding services to additional communities on lines to Drogheda, Maynooth/M3 Parkway and Hazelhatch
• 2024: DART celebrates 40th Anniversary
• 2025: Opening of Woodbrook between Shankill and Bray, set to bring the total number of stations to 32
• 2026: First of 185 new DART+ carriages to enter service in early 2026, on Drogheda commuter line

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan TD, Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive Jim Meade, NTA Chief Executive Anne Graham, and past and present DART staff joined 80’s icon and wrap star Bosco to unveil the special carriages at Grand Canal Dock Station, where Roddy’s exclusive work was also screened.

 Minister for Transport Eamon 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.”

Anne Graham, CEO of the National Transport Authority commented on the occasion saying: “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.”