Overcrowding and issues with seat reservations were the biggest complaints for Irish Rail customers this year, Dublin Live has learned.
This year saw 14,575 complaints made to the rail chiefs across a number of different topics.
The biggest problems were onboard issues, with 4165 issues sent in from passengers.
There were a staggering 1686 complaints about seat reservations while there were 872 reported issues with overcrowding.
Cleanliness, temperature of carriages and 1st Class issues were also frequently reported.
There were 588 complaints about antisocial behavious, with 309 of these being for disruptive passengers.
Shockingly, intimidation, drug use, theft and vandalism also featured on this list.
There has also been numerous ‘unofficial’ complaints on social media, with many slamming the punctuality of the service.
One person said: “Missed connections and short notice random cancellations are becoming such a characteristic of DART services.
“Time to abandon the ten minute off peak frequency for which you have neither adequate track, carriages or drivers.”
Another responded to a cancellation, saying: “These are becoming too common! I’ve been late for work too many times because of it.”
Official figures from Irish Rail showed that the majority of services operated with less than a 10 minute delay throughout the year.
DART services, which run from Malahide/Howth to Bray/Greystones, were measured against five minute delay maximum and showed a 91.9% punctuality issue.
The least punctual service was from Cork, with an 84.3% rating.
These were followed by services from Galway, Westport, Belfast and Sligo.
Services from Heuston Station were 96.32% on time.
The rail service are also planning to expand their fleet under Project Ireland 2040, with more than 600 new carriages planned to deal with growing demand.
A spokesman said: “We will invest in trains, infrastructure, stations and customer service as part of the National Development Plan 2018-2027.
“Investment will also support the national Climate Action Plan, and includes up to 640 new train carriages, with up to 600 electric or battery electric carriages, investment in track, signalling and level crossings to increase frequency and improve journey times and new stations, upgraded existing stations, including improved accessibility and car park facilities.”
Irish Rail have been contacted for further comment.
