Capacity at peak time

[Thomas Ralph]

During the summer there was a couple of weeks when the 07:50 Bray to Howth was operating using 4-car trains, which was quite busy but not unbearable. Since then it was 6-car 8100 sets, which were fine.

However, last Friday and today the 4-car trains are back, and with schools back in they are absolutely and utterly packed. When I get on at Sandymount it is often impossible to step into most of the carriages. On top of that the train is so short that people have to go way up the platform, causing it to have to wait over a minute at each station and generating a delay.

Is there any point in complaining to IÉ, and if so should I phone, email or write?

[Mark Gleeson]

You could complain but really if the last response we got from the DART office is anything to go by it will be lame

The geniuses decided to withdraw a further set for refurbishment last week, that be 8133/8333 without a corresponding return of a refurbished set to service

You can complain, be interesting to see the outcome

The roster calls for a 6 car set

Phone first since you can vent some anger and then in writting

[Thomas Ralph]

Well, today it was four 8500s and two 8100s, so I'll say nothing for now.

[Lucy_Lu]

Most of businesses are back today as well as the schools. I took the DART today on Glenageary at 8:27 a.m. going to Malahide. As the previous poster was sa ying, the DART was way too short and it was already packed by Dun Laoghaire station.

Being winter the heating was on but at full blast... Picture this: DART was jammers on each carriage, heating blasting and NO window opened! I witnessed 2 people fainting just this morning because there was no air!

I believe this is a health and safety issue. I wonder if DART drivers could be aware of how hot it gets in the carriages when the DART is so packed!!! And also, why is a shorter DART functioning at that time of the morning and on a day like today???

Trains are also very badly designed - even the "new" ones which have heaters under the seats and basically burn you when you sit down!!!

[Mark Gleeson]

This will somewhat explain the missing coaches http://www.railusers.ie/campaigns/whereismydart/, currently 30 coaches out of service

There is no 8:27 from Glenageary, there is a 8:23 and a 8:28. Sounds like you got a late running 8:23 it doesn't matter how many coaches that train is always crazy if its even a minute late, the 8:28 which I commuted on from Seapoint for 4 years is normally fine only a handful standing, It best really to wait the few minutes to get the 8:28, it will arrive in Pearse 2 minutes after the train ahead.

Both trains are rostered to be 6 coaches in length

The heating is thermostatically controlled, the days of the freezing and boiling on the original German coaches are now a thing of the past they now have a thermostat. For everyone who complains about it being too warm when the heating is on, you will get someone who complains when the heating is not switched on so its a no win situation. Getting on a empty train in Greystones with no heating is horrible on winters morning

Windows are there to be opened

[Mark Hennessy]

Originally Posted by Lucy_Lu

Trains are also very badly designed - even the "new" ones which have heaters under the seats and basically burn you when you sit down!!!

Hi Lucy Lu, welcome to the forum.

I have actually noticed this point too, ironically it becomes more obvious on a less crowded DART but is very annoying.

As for the crowding, it is as Mark already pointed out due to carriages going missing in Germany due to poor management from senior IE people.

DART users are not alone in this, as folks from Drogheda and Maynooth suffer appalling over-crowding also.