The train ride to Dublin's surprising coastline

The train ride to Dublin’s surprising coastline highlights a newly expanded coastal rail trail that makes it easier to explore Dublin Bay within a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The article describes an early June Monday morning with the northbound Irish Rail largely empty as scenery transitions from city high-rises and graffiti-covered overpasses to pastureland and open sea. Dublin Bay is presented as the world’s only UNESCO capital-city biosphere reserve, recognized for coexistence between wildlife and people in a working urban landscape. Created to push visitors beyond the city center, the Dublin Coastal Trail links 16 seaside communities by rail and was launched in 2022, with an expansion this year. Covering more than 65km (40 miles), the full route can be completed in about 90 minutes, while the article notes a 45-minute ride to Balbriggan, the trail’s northernmost point. It also outlines plans to transfer to the Dart near Malahide and then explore Howth’s cliff walks and wildlife spots, including searches for harbour porpoises.