Cork/Dublin train journeys up half a million
Demand on the Cork/Dublin train route sored by almost 15% last year with over four million journeys recorded.
Passenger journeys on Iarnród Éireann’s flagship Cork/Dublin Intercity route went from 3.52 million in 2024 to 4.04 million in 2025 in what was a record year all round for the rail service.
This increase smashes the previous record on the route, a pre-Covid high of 3.66 million in 2019.
On the Cork to Cobh/Midleton commuter services, journeys reduced marginally from 2.2 million in 2024 to 2.1 million last year.
However, the totals were impacted by works taking place to expand the network under the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme, with the new platform 6 in Kent Station now open, and the twin-tracking of Glounthaune to Midleton set to be completed later this year.
In total across Ireland, journeys on the Iarnród Éireann network, including Intercity, commuter and DART services, recorded a new highest ever total of 55.04 million journeys, up from 2024’s previous record of 50.7 million.
Commenting on last year’s figures, Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive Mary Considine said they represent an appetite amongst commuters for high-quality and high-capacity public transport.
She said: “As passenger volumes continue to grow in 2026, all of us charged with delivering public transport in Ireland must continue to expand our services to meet the demand which exists today and to help more commuters switch to public transport.
“Our ongoing and planned investment programmes – in our network, in new trains and in our stations – are crucial to enabling that switch, right across the country,” added Ms Considine.
Iarnród Éireann hopes its investment programmes will allow for more housing to be developed along its rail network.
Ms Considine continued: “The development of further investment programmes and projects under the All-Island Strategic Rail Review means rail as the backbone of Ireland’s sustainable transport network is a vision we are on the way to realising.”
As well as the existing projects under the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme, Iarnród Éireann confirmed that it is continuing to develop the next elements of the programme, including the delivery of eight new stations, electrification, and a new depot. Planning applications for Kilbarry and Dunkettle Stations are expected in the coming weeks.
“None of this – from welcoming record passenger numbers today, to building the railway of the future – is achievable without the Iarnród Éireann team of over 5,200 colleagues, and I thank them for their continued efforts and commitment to delivering safe, customer-focused services every single day,” concluded Ms Considine.