Northside DART services will not run on the day of the Dublin Marathon

"Seems like ridiculously bad planning".

As 25,000 runners prepare to descend on Dublin city with spectators also expected to turn out in their thousands, many northsiders will have to seek alternative travel methods as the DART will be out of action north of Connolly on the morning of the Dublin Marathon. In a post on Twitter yesterday morning, Irish Rail announced that DART services will not operate between Connolly and Belfast on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th October, impacting not just the bank holiday weekend but the Dublin Marathon also. The Irish Rail website reads:

"Engineering works will take place Saturday 28th to Monday 30th October between Connolly/Drogheda & Belfast/Newry. Service alterations will be in place including bus transfers affecting DART, Northern Commuters and Enterprise services. Customers are advised to check our Journey Planner prior to travel".

?Engineering Work Sat 28th & Sun 29th October ❌DART/Commuter/Enterprise services will not operate between Connolly and Belfast Mon 30th October ❌DART/Commuter/Enterprise services will not operate between Connolly and Drogheda ℹ️ For further info https://t.co/o5iOcUHYA2 -CL

— Iarnród Éireann (@IrishRail) October 25, 2023

In a follow up tweet, Irish Rail added that "Due to the scale/complexity of these works, daytime line closure is unavoidable". In a statement to Today FM, Jane Cregan from Irish Rail agreed that the timing for the works isn't ideal.

"We do agree that there is some inconvenience to those attending the marathon and we apologise for that. "But unfortunately, we have to balance what's happening during a bank holiday weekend, as opposed to what might be happening on a regular weekend, or also, during the week - we would never do works".

Dubliners have been sounding off below Irish Rail's Twitter announcement, with one user writing: "The @dublinmarathon has been organised on the same weekend (last weekend in Oct) every year for years so seems ridiculously bad planning. There is no way this would happen in any other major city on a marathon weekend." Another said: "Feel sorry for the thousands who planned to travel into the city to take part in and also support the Dublin City marathon, not the best planning". Information on service alterations and bus transfers is available via the Irish Rail website. Header image via Getty  READ NEXT:  - Highly anticipated new Dublin restaurant from industry experts to open next month