Submitted by Simon, who says:

With the new map for the Luas tram system in Dublin being so uninspiring, I decided to try create an integrated map for Dublin’s Dart, Luas and commuter rail.  It’s a pretty indulgent map – in that I treat the Luas (tram) lines perhaps too similarly to the heavy rail lines, and the system isn’t quite complex enough to warrant a Vignelli style approach (neither do I apply his principles as rigidly as a die hard fan might!)

Even so, it’s nice to see Dublin’s transport network looking all-grown-up. I’d love to hear what you and fellow enthusiasts think, so I can continue improving the map. 

Transit Maps says:

Let’s just start by saying that this is infinitely better than the tepid Luas map (reviewed here) – a bright, bold, confident diagram that positively jumps off the page. I particularly like the way that the Central Zone area completes a neat diamond shape when combined with the yellow commuter rail lines… lovely! 

The treatment of zones is actually excellent throughout: minimalistic, but easily understandable. It’s so clean, in fact, that the little jog in the outer zone edge to the left edge of the map actually looks a little too complex compared to the simplicity of the rest of the map, though I can see why it has to be that way if the two sets of lines are to end level with each other.

I don’t have a problem with the differentiation of the modes – the dark dots for tram stations versus white dots for heavy rail does the job nicely for me. Also, the indication of short walks at interchanges is a nice touch, and certainly better than the confusing way the Luas map attempts to show this.

The typeface – FF Kava Pro, by the look of things? – has a lovely calligraphic feel to it (and I love the ampersand!), though I think that it’s perhaps a little too condensed for good legibility. I’d also argue that the Park & Ride symbols are both too small and too light in colour to be useful.

Our rating: Really quite lovely, though I think the type legibility could be a deal breaker in a real world application. Three-and-a-half stars.