Sydney Parade train station
DART · Paráid Sydney · Dublin
About Sydney Parade
Sydney Parade opened on 1 January 1835 as a halt on the Dublin and Kingstown Railway, and was upgraded to a full station in 1852 with shelters, stone platforms and a footbridge. The name honours Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea — the spelling of the station and the spelling of the man have never quite matched. In Irish it is Paráid Sydney.
It closed on 12 September 1960 and stayed shut for nearly twelve years, reopening on 6 June 1972, and it was electrified in 1984 when the DART began. Today it serves the southern end of Dublin 4, St Vincent’s Hospital at Elm Park and the RTÉ studios at Montrose in Donnybrook, which gives it a steady flow of people at hours when a purely residential station would be empty. There is level access to both platforms and a level crossing, code XR-004, at the northern end. The information office opens at various times on weekdays and not at all at weekends. Sandymount is the call towards the city, Booterstown the one out along the bay.
First and last trains from Sydney Parade
Departures from this station in the NTA’s published timetable for a representative week. A day type with no departures is shown as no service rather than filled in from another day.
From Sydney Parade: DART towards Bray (Daly), about one train every 10 minutes at the busiest times (99 departures on a weekday) and DART towards Howth, about one train every 10 minutes at the busiest times (98 departures on a weekday).
Some of the 197 weekday departures are worked by trains that continue as InterCity services beyond the commuter zone. They run to Rosslare.
Next stops from Sydney Parade
Running times to the adjoining stops, from the operators’ own timetables.
| Line | Next stop | Time |
|---|---|---|
| DART | Booterstown | 2 min |
| DART | Sandymount | 2 min |
Connections and interchange
- Iarnód Éireann timetables for the routes serving this station are published on its own station page.
Facilities
From Iarnód Éireann’s own station record. A facility that the operator does not list is left out rather than marked as absent.
Open for all services
Station Staffing Hours
Monday to Friday: 05:45 - 15:21
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
Station Booking Office
This station does not have a booking office. Tickets can be purchased from the ticket vending machine or a leap card can be used in applicable locations.
What is near Sydney Parade
The Merrion is about 280 m from the platforms, and beyond it the station’s reach is defined by three institutions rather than by shops: St Vincent’s Hospital is roughly five minutes’ walk, the RTÉ studios about fifteen, and the seafront around ten. Otherwise this is a quiet corner of Dublin 4, with housing on both sides of the line and no car park or bicycle parking at the station itself.
| Place | Straight-line distance from the station |
|---|---|
| The Merrion | 280 m |
| Dusquene University at St. Michael's | 350 m |
Named places from OpenStreetMap within 400 m of the station. The distance is a straight line, not a walking route.
Frequently asked questions
Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea. The name came to the station by way of the avenue it stands on, and the two spellings have diverged along the way — the station is Sydney, the man was Sidney.
It closed on 12 September 1960 and did not reopen until 6 June 1972, part of a wider retreat of suburban services in those years. It was electrified in 1984 with the launch of the DART and has been open continuously since.