Heavy Rail Census for 2014

The National Transport Authority today (October 6th, 2014) published its Heavy Rail Census for the year 2014 – which records information on all passenger boardings and alightings (every station, every service) on November 13, 2014 – a snapshot of rail usage on a “representative” day unaffected by traditional holiday periods, and when all places of work and education are in full session.

The results are presented alongside data collected the previous two years – in November 2013 and November 2012 – and begin to show trends in rail travel around the country. Prior to 2012, Census details were collected at Greater Dublin Area (GDA) stations (Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow) only.

The main findings from the 2014 Census are:

• Just over 124,000 journeys were taken across some 677 services on census day (Nov 13, 2014)
• 44% of all journeys were taken on the DART
• A further third of all rail journeys were taken on Commuter services, and 23% on InterCity services
• As in 2013, some 83% of all journeys were taken in the Greater Dublin Area
• For the third year running, the busiest train in the country on rail census day – with 1,405 passengers – was the 08:00 DART from Greystones to Malahide.
• The 10 busiest stations in Ireland accounted for nearly half (47%) of all passenger movements on the national network
• Connolly, Pearse, Heuston and Tara remain the busiest stations in the country
• Kent station, in Cork City, was the only station outside the Greater Dublin Area to feature in the top ten list of busiest stations

A summary Report of the Heavy Rail Census 2014 is available to download online,

Full results are available to download in the Heavy Rail Census Full Report 2014.

The Heavy Rail Census Summary is the latest in a series of Statistical Bulletins published by the Authority. Earlier Bulletins (http://www.nationaltransport.ie/publications/statistics/bulletins/) are available online.