Intercity journey experiences

[Thomas Ralph]

I travelled from Sandymount to Gorey and back yesterday, with a change at Dun Laoghaire. 22000 class on the Dun Laoghaire-Gorey-Dun Laoghaire part, thankfully; I've had more than my fair share of 2800 journeys on that line.

Observations both ways

• Toilets were absolutely rank. The cleaning schedule on each of the trains showed that the last cleaning was in May.
• No catering, although I don't think it's scheduled.
• Vile children screeching and shouting.
• Although we had seat reservations, they were not honoured on either leg. The trains weren't busy (< 33% of capacity southbound and < 50% of capacity northbound), so it didn't especially matter.

Observations southbound

• Train waited outside Bray for 5-6 minutes for the DART to clear the track.
• Train was held for 10 minutes in Wicklow, about 7 minutes while waiting for the southbound train to clear the track and another 3 minutes waiting for the guy with a green flag to amble over the footbridge and wave the train out.
• Few to no announcements of stations, and definitely no "next station ___" announcements once we got to Bray.
• Did I mention the toilets? One was locked, another had an overflowing sink, and the third smelt absolutely abominable.

Observations northbound

• No ticket inspection and indeed no onboard staff besides the driver.
• Train thought it was going to Dundalk; driver killed the automated announcements halfway through the second calling of the list of stations.
• Train held for 5 minutes at Arklow to await a passenger's arrival by car, which in turn delayed the southbound train at Wicklow.
• Train doors closed very quickly at Dun Laoghaire, cue many complaints from people trying to get out, including a wheelchair passenger who was awaiting the ramp.