10-08-2025
‘It's badly needed and will definitely help' – Commuters welcome new Dart station Woodbrook in south Dublin
The station is located between Shankill and Bray and is the 147th station opened on the Irish Rail network and the first new station in 15 years. It will serve the growing communities of Woodbrook and Shanganagh, including new housing developments nearby.
Many local residents and commuters from the Dublin area gathered in front of Woodbrook station for a family-friendly event on Sunday afternoon, which included face painting, an ice cream van, and food.
James Eivers, who moved to the area last February, said the new station was 'long-awaited' and will make his commute to work easier.
"It's amazing. It's badly needed, and it'll definitely help,' he told the Irish Independent, adding the new station is within eight minutes' walking distance from his house.
"It'll make it a lot easier for me to get into the city centre. I work in town, so the commute is going to be at least 10 minutes quicker for me, so it's great,' he added.
Mr Eivers said this development will give him and other residents 'better access into the city centre'.
The new station provides access across the railway tracks via a new pedestrian bridge with ramps for accessibility as well as stepped access.
Saoirse Smith, who is a wheelchair user and has cerebral palsy, praised the development as a 'great stepping stone'.
'It's great in terms of access. It's a great improvement,' she said.
'There needs to be more stations like this because if we could do away with the lifts and have permanent ramps, there'd be so much handier, less stress and hassle.
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'So I think this is a great step in moving forward in terms of accessibility for people like myself,' she added.
Ms Smith, who lives in Clontarf but is staying in Shankill with her fiancé, said the new station will be 'beneficial for everybody'.
'It'll just make everything a lot easier for everyone. Accessibility doesn't just mean for disability, it means for everybody. So I think this is a great stepping stone.'
Meanwhile, Zoe Wilson from Cabra, who was at the event with her four-month-old daughter, appreciated the new ramp at the station.
"It's lovely, it's really nice. I like the big ramp instead of the lift. Easier with buggies. They've done a good job,' she said.
Derry O'Leary, who lives in the area and is a member of the nearby Woodbrook Golf Club, said the station is going to be 'handy' for him.
'It's another extra station, it's great. I play golf here, so it's handy for me anyway. We will use it, I use the bus and the train a lot,' he added.
Speaking at the launch, Transport Minister, Darragh O'Brien, said it's a 'significant day for this area'.
"It's an example of what we want to do across our rail network, investing in new capacity and investing in new infrastructure,' he said.
'Our ambition [over the next five years] is to double the capacity on our Dart, to deliver MetroLink, to proceed with the work into Cork commuter rail, the work in Galway, and right away across the country,' he added.
