Investment in New Trains

In order to support the expansion in rail services planned under the National Development Plan 2021 to 2030, part of Project Ireland 2040, and to cater for growing demand, Iarnród Éireann is progressing two major fleet orders.

Up to 750 Electric / Battery-electric Hybrid Vehicles

In order to support the infrastructural capacity increases delivered by the DART+ Programme, additional rolling stock will be required.

Iarnród Éireann, supported by the NTA, awarded French supplier Alstom the contract to deliver the largest and most sustainable fleet in Irish public transport history in December 2021, for up to 750 electric / battery-electric powered vehicles over a 10-year timescale.

Two orders totalling 185 carriages have been placed to date, comprising six sets of five-carriage conventional electric trains and thirty-one sets of five-carriage battery-electric trains. While purely electrically powered trains are expected to make up the majority of the train orders, these orders will allow Iarnród Éireann to deliver frequency and capacity increases across the network while electrification is being progressed, both in the Greater Dublin Area and potentially in the Cork Commuter area.

As well as the capacity increases that will be delivered through the DART+ Programme and the new DART+ Fleet in the Greater Dublin Area, Intercity carriages currently in use on Commuter services will be cascaded upon arrival of the new electrically-powered trainsets to enhance and strengthen other rail services.

Subsequent orders are intended to be placed in line with the delivery of the DART+ Programme, and in line with requirements for replacement of the original DART fleet (dating from 1984) later in the decade.

Ultimately, the overall order will see the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) total rail fleet and up to 80 percent of all heavy rail journeys in Ireland, set for a potentially emissions-free future.

The DART+ Programme is a revolutionary €2 billion investment under Project Ireland 2040 set to double the capacity and treble the electrification of the Greater Dublin Area network, bringing DART travel with all its benefits to new and existing communities.

You can learn more about the overall DART+ Programme and the new DART+ Fleet on www.dartplus.ie.

New DART Fleet 

The Department of Transport has funded a third order of new DART carriages. These additional 100 DART carriages will fully replace the original fleet in service since the DART first opened in 1984. This follows two previous orders in recent years for new DART trains, and brings the total Government investment in new electric-powered DART trains to approximately €670 million.

This order for 100 carriages is an investment of €173.9 million, to replace the original DART carriages used on the largely coastal line from Greystones to Malahide/Howth. It complements two previous carriage orders, bringing the number of DART carriages ordered to 285, made up of 57 five-carriage trains. The first order was for 95 new DART carriages, which will enter service mainly on the busy line from Dublin to Drogheda from the first half of 2027. The second order of 90 DART carriages will enter service from 2028.

All of these carriages will provide additional capacity for the Greater Dublin Area rail network as part of the DART+ Programme, in response to record passenger demand. These new trains will increase the capacity and sustainability of rail services, and offer benefits to passengers including significant accessibility improvements; increased bicycle storage; device charging; and enhanced security through CCTV. This will help to transform public transport in the years ahead.

You can learn more about the overall DART+ Programme and the new DART+ Fleet on www.dartplus.ie.

New Enterprise Fleet

Swiss manufacturer Stadler has officially been awarded the contract for a new fleet of eight state-of-the-art Intercity trains for the Belfast-Dublin Enterprise service.

This major €698m / £548m cross border investment for new fleet and associated infrastructure, is jointly funded by the Northern Ireland Executive, Department for Infrastructure and the Government of Ireland, Department of Transport, and supported with €165m through PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). PEACEPLUS is co-funded by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the European Union, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland Executive.

Due for delivery late 2028, the new Intercity trains – based on Stadler’s proven FLIRT platform - have been purpose designed for the Enterprise route and will deliver a major step change in comfort and customer experience. With around 400 seats, the fleet features include: 

• Accessibility has been prioritised through step free interiors and 100% unaided boarding at every exterior door, making this among the most accessible Intercity fleets in Europe; 
• Enhanced customer facilities including modern digital information systems, power sockets and USB charging points, improved luggage and bike storage; 
• A premium Enterprise Plus section, and a spacious dining and bar area.

The new Enterprise fleet will also be Ireland’s first tri mode trains, capable of operating on electric, diesel, and battery power. This will reduce emissions, enable quieter journeys, and ensure seamless operation as the Belfast–Dublin line transitions toward full electrification.

With improved acceleration and performance of the fleet and associated infrastructure development, this project will support a target express journey time of under two hours.

The trains will also support expansion to up to 16 services per direction daily, strengthening long-term cross-border economic, cultural and social connectivity.

41 New Railcars

In October 2019, the Government approved an order for 41 new railcars. These are additional 22000-class railcar carriages bringing the overall size of this fleet to 275 railcars.

This represented an investment of €150 million.

The new railcars began entering service on the Commuter and Intercity network in February 2024, and all were in service by the end of 2024.