4 February 2019
By Mary Bermingham
mary@TheCork.ie
Strong Growth recorded on Cork/Midleton Cork/Cobh remains stable
A total of 3.46 million passenger journeys were recorded on the Dublin/Cork rail line in 2018, the highest ever figures recorded on the route. This represents a 10% increase on 2017. Strong growth was also recorded on the Cork/Midleton route with passenger numbers growing 5.8% from 413,000 in 2017 to 437,000 in 2018. Cork/Cobh numbers remained steady with 908,000 passenger journeys being made in 2018.
The Cork Dublin service continues to be Iarnród Éireann’s flagship Intercity service, with 31 services a day operating. With improved journey times and major traffic congestion caused by roadworks on the M7, more people are opting to take the train when travelling between the two cities. Economic improvements, greater numbers of people in employment, and record tourist numbers have all contributed to the increase in journeys. The Cork Midleton Line performed particularly strongly and will celebrate 10 years of operation later this year.
Work has commenced at Limerick Junction to provide an additional platform, which will significantly improve journey times for Cork/Kerry and Limerick Customers and provide much greater operational flexibility. This work will be completed this year.
Nationally, Iarnrod Éireann recorded its highest ever number of passenger journeys in 2018, with over 47.9 million passenger journeys made across DART, Commuter and Intercity services. This represents a 5.4% growth on the previous year.
Commenting on the figures, Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann, Jim Meade said:
“Recording the highest ever passenger journeys is a high point for us as an organisation, but more importantly it gives us the chance to thank all of our customers, who have voted with their feet in choosing to travel with us. Throughout 2019, I and my colleagues commit to providing a sustainable and reliable service for the people of Cork”
