Overview
The Dublin–Wicklow line is the coast run: it leaves the city and spends much of its length within sight of the Irish Sea before turning inland for County Wicklow. Iarnród Éireann runs it as two kinds of service on largely the same tracks. The DART, the electrified Dublin Area Rapid Transit, comes down from Howth and Malahide through the city and finishes at Greystones. Beyond Greystones, trains on the Rosslare route carry on through Wicklow town to Arklow and the southeast.
For the cliff views, take a southbound train from Bray to Greystones and sit on the left. The line rounds Bray Head above the sea. For Wicklow town, Rathdrum or Arklow, choose a train on the Rosslare route and check the stops for that departure.
Choose the right train
Use the Iarnród Éireann timetables and Journey Planner. A train to Bray will not necessarily continue to Greystones, and the Wicklow town service is a separate journey. Allow time for the return if you get off at a smaller station.
The route and its stops
The line’s strength is that it links real destinations without a long journey. Heading south from the city stations:
- Bray – a seaside town with a long Victorian promenade and walking trails over Bray Head. The station is a few minutes from both the main street and the beach.
- Greystones – the southern terminus of the DART, with South Beach, a marina and a walkable town centre.
- Rathdrum – up in the wooded hills of central Wicklow, and the handiest stop for Avondale Forest Park and the village of Avoca. Avoca’s own station closed in 1964, so Rathdrum is as close as the train gets.
- Arklow – a port town where the line runs inland, with onward links towards Glendalough and the mountain valleys.
- Wicklow Town – the end of the coastal stretch, with the town centre and the Wicklow Mountains beyond.
Bray–Greystones Cliff Walk (Closed)
Route Closure Warning: The lower Bray–Greystones Cliff Walk is closed as a through route for safety reasons following severe landslides. Do not attempt a through-walk between the towns along the cliff path; barriers are in place and the route is hazardous. Check the council’s cliff-walk update before setting out, and follow posted barriers.
Take the train to link the two towns. For cliff-top walking around Bray, use the signed Bray Head Loop, also covered on our Bray Head Loop page, or the De Buitléar Way on Bray Head.
A bit of history
The first railway from Dublin to Kingstown, now Dún Laoghaire, opened in 1834. The Dublin & Wicklow Railway opened the line to Bray on 10 July 1854, and reached Wicklow at Murrough in November 1855. The local-authority library history describes the later extension through Greystones and Wicklow. Building along a soft, eroding coast was the hard part, and it still is – the sea has forced reroutes and constant sea-wall work ever since.
Views and wildlife
The scenic payoff is the stretch south of Bray. Sit on the seaward side – on your left heading south – for the cliffs and the open water; on a clear day you may catch porpoises or dolphins offshore and seabirds working the cliff edges. It’s a short section, but it’s the reason people put visitors on this train rather than a bus.
Tickets and practical tips
- Fares – buy tickets through the Irish Rail Journey Planner, or use a Leap Card for pay-as-you-go. The Visitor Leap Card covers eligible DART and Dublin commuter services. Check the fare for your full journey before travelling beyond the covered area.
- Wicklow station – has paid parking. Wicklow station has its own accessibility and parking information, so check current charges and facilities there.
- Accessibility – for step-free access, contact Irish Rail about your actual train and stations. Wicklow station lists level access to platform one and a footbridge to platform two.
- Dogs, Wi-Fi and refreshments – rules and facilities vary by train, so check with Irish Rail before travelling.
- Service updates – coastal defence and track works can affect trains, particularly at weekends, so check Irish Rail’s service notices before travelling.
Getting to the line
From the city centre, southbound trains leave Connolly, Tara Street and Pearse. From Dublin Airport, take a bus or coach into the city centre and pick up a southbound DART there. Pair the train with the local bus network to reach the inland valleys the line itself doesn’t touch.