Rail Transport in Ireland - Ireland Planned and Potential Developments - K

Rail Transport in Ireland - K

Ireland Planned and Potential Developments

Ireland Routes

Western Rail Corridor

The first stage of the reopening of the Western Rail Corridor, between Ennis and Athenry, was completed in 2009. As of 2020, the remaining stages, from Athenry to Tuam, Claremorris and Collooney, are not planned to be reopened.

Dublin-Navan Railway Line

Phase One of the Dublin-Navan railway line was completed by Iarnród Éireann in September 2010, with Dublin's Western Commuter services travelling as far as Dunboyne and the M3 Parkway railway station. Phase Two of the line, connecting M3 Parkway to Navan via Dunshaughlin and Kilmessan, was deferred following the Post-2008 Irish economic downturn.

The status of this proposal was downgraded from “implementation” to “review” in August 2019. Construction of line was included under the Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area, 2022-2042.

DART and DART Underground

A proposed tunnel, connecting Heuston Station and Pearse Station and onwards to the Northern Commuter line, referred to as the DART Underground, is not planned to see any development until sometime "after 2042".

Foynes Port

The Shannon Foynes Port Company has been seeking reinstatement of the Limerick to Foynes Railway Line, which last operated in 2000, as part of their expansion plans. The company have commissioned a design for reinstatement by Irish Rail, however no funding was in place as of 2020. A tender was published in July 2022 for the reconstruction of the line.

Dublin Metro

MetroLink is proposed to run from a stop, Estuary, near Swords north of Dublin to the Beechwood Luas stop south of the city centre, via Dublin Airport and St. Stephen's Green. Its route proposes mainly elevated tracks in the greater Swords area, with a tunnel running from north of Dublin Airport to Charlemont. As of July 2022, the project was proposed to begin construction in 2025 and that, "all going well" it could be in operation by 2035.

Luas

There have been, at various points, plans or proposals to extend Luas to Swords, Dublin Airport, Lucan, Bray, and Old Fassaroe.

There have also been proposals to create a Luas system in Cork City. These first date from when the Fianna Fáil government first considered the proposal in 2007 at the urging of coalition partners, the Green Party. They were abandoned after the recession began later in the year. Plans were revisited by the Cork City Council in 2017, and were also considered once more as part of the Fine Gael government's Ireland 2040 proposals.

Rail Transport in Ireland Operation

Ireland Major Operators: Iarnród Éireann & NIR
Ireland Ridership: 50 million (Republic of Ireland, 2019)
15 million (Northern Ireland, 2017)
Ireland System Length:
Ireland Total: 2,733 km (1,698 mi)
Ireland Electrified: 53 km (33 mi)
Ireland Freight Only: 362 km (225 mi)
Ireland Track Gauge:
Ireland Main: 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Ireland Electrification:
1500 V DC   DART in Dublin
Ireland No. Stations: 147