This page details what the Dublin Rail Plan will mean to you, the current and potential rail commuters of the greater Dublin region. Everyone will see a significant benefit, the frequency and capacity of services will improve dramatically on every route. Punctuality and reliability will improve as bottlenecks that currently exist will be eliminated. Finally it will be possible to travel to Dublin Airport directly by rail. Long closed railway lines will be reopened and currently underused railways will be put to full use.
The whole structure of rail services around Dublin will change, fast simple frequent connections will exist between all services. It will be possible to travel from any suburban station in the greater Dublin region to any other or to Dublin Airport with at most one change. Long distance and intercity passengers also benefit with quick easy access to and from Dublin city and its suburbs. Full integration will also be provided with all current and proposed Luas services as well as proposed projects for the future such as the Dublin metro, thus providing a truly integrated transport system for Dublin, both now and in the future.
This description reflects the plan as proposed under Transport 21 and as such does no include DART to Kildare or Drogheda or the Airport Spur from Grange Rd near Portmarnock.
Have a look below at what it will mean to you:
- I live on the southside on the current DART line
- I live on the line south of Greystones
- I live on the Kildare line
- I live on the Northern line
- I live on the Maynooth line
- I live in Dunboyne
- I currently use the Dart from Howth/Malahide
- I live a long way from Dublin in Carlow/Athlone/Portarlington/Portlaoise
- What about long distance/intercity commuters using Heuston ?
- What about Navan ?
- What about Inchicore ?
- I live on the Northern line
I live on the southside on the current DART line what will this mean to me ?
This project will mean the end of long gaps between trains the currently exist to allow outer suburban trains to pass through the city centre. Iarnród Éireann propose a rush hour service of 8 trains an hour using 8 coach trains. This will do away with the current mess where gaps could be as little as 5 minutes but as large as 25 minutes. Off peak at least 4 trains an hour will be provided again one every 15 minutes, not the current situation of random 25 minute gaps between trains. Reliability and punctuality will improve significantly as services will not be fighting for space with other services through the city centre.
Services will operate between Bray/Greystones and Maynooth/Dunboyne via Pearse, Tara Street and Connolly. Passengers for Howth/Malahide/Drogheda/Kildare/Heuston/St Stephen's Green (for Luas Green Line) should change at Pearse. Passengers for Belfast, Sligo and Rosslare intercity services as well as Luas Red line can change at Connolly. Passengers can change for Metro North at Drumcondra to reach Dublin Airport, DCU and Swords
I live on the line south of Greystones what will this mean to me?
Iarnród Éireann propose 2 trains an hour from Arklow/Gorey in the morning and evening rush hours and one an hour off peak. This represents a quantum leap in service. These services will terminate in Pearse where passengers have extensive connection options as detailed above.
I live on the Kildare line what will this mean to me ?
A new DART style electric service will be provided from Hazelhatch to Balbriggan via Dublin City Centre, calling at Heuston, Christchurch, St Stephen's Green, Pearse, Spencer Dock, Howth Junction and all stations to Balbriggan. Passengers will no longer have to change at Heuston and will have a direct service to the very heart of the city. A journey time of not more than 25 minutes is expected Pearse Hazelhatch. Provision will be made to allow the operation of 12 coach trains in the future.
Currently Iarnród Éireann are working to provide 4 tracks from Clondalkin to Hazelhatch thus massively improving capacity and reducing delays to both intercity and suburban trains, new stations will be provided at Park West, Fonthill Road, Kishogue and Adamstown. Up to 6 trains an hour during the rush hour.
Passengers for intercity services and Luas Red line may change at Heuston, for Luas Green line at St Stephen's Green, at Pearse for Bray/Greystones and Maynooth and at Howth Junction for Howth. For services to Dublin Airport passengers may change at St Stephen's Green for Metro. A connection for Metro West will be provided at Fonthill Rd.
I live on the Northern line what's in it for me ?
A new DART style electric service will be provided from Balbriggan to Hazelhatch via Dublin city centre. Services will no longer call at Connolly or Tara Street instead will call at Spencer Dock, Pearse, St Stephen's Green, High Street, Heuston and all stations out to Hazelhatch. Journey time reductions are expected through the use of fast electric trains. Dundalk will see at least 2 trains an hour during the rush hour while south of Drogheda a service of 6 trains an hour is envisaged.
Passengers may change at Howth Junction for Howth. Passengers for intercity services and Luas Red line change at Heuston or Spencer Dock, for Luas Green line and Metro at St Stephen's Green and at Pearse for Bray/Greystones and Maynooth/Dunboyne.
I live on the Maynooth line what's in it for me ?
A new DART style electric service will be provided. The existing coastal (Bray Howth) DART line will be restructured such that services will run from Maynooth to Bray/Greystones via Connolly, Tara Street and Pearse. A significant improvement in frequency will bring 8 trains an hour to Clonsilla and 4 trains an hour to Maynooth. Minor reductions in journey times are also expected owing to the use of electric trains and elimination of conflicting movements at Connolly and Pearse stations. Additional stations will be provided at Porterstown, Pelletstown and Phoenix Park.
Services will operate between Bray/Greystones and Maynooth via Pearse, Tara Street and Connolly, passengers for Howth/Malahide/Drogheda/Kildare/Heuston/St Stephen's Green (for Luas Green line/Metro) should change at Pearse. Passengers for Belfast, Sligo and Rosslare intercity services as well as Luas Red line can change at Connolly. Passengers for Metro may change at Drumcondra
I live in Dunboyne what's in it for me ?
The closed Clonsilla Navan line will be reopened as far as where it intersects with the N3/Proposed M3. Stations will be provided at Hansfield and Dunboyne. The line will be electrified to DART standards and 4 trains an hour will be provided joining the existing Maynooth line at Clonsilla and running onto Bray/Greystones via Connolly, Tara Street and Pearse.
Passengers for Howth/Malahide/Drogheda/Kildare/Heuston/St Stephen's Green (for Luas Green line/Metro) should change at Pearse. Passengers for Belfast, Sligo and Rosslare intercity services as well as Luas Red line can change at Connolly. Passengers for Metro may change at Drumcondra and for Metro West at Porterstown.
I currently use the Dart from Howth/Malahide what's in it for me ?
The current limited Dart service to Malahide will be withdrawn and replaced. Malahide passengers will gain a 6 train an hour service to the city centre since Ballbriggan Hazelhatch services will call at all stations. Howth will retain direct services to the city with a improvement in frequency.
Services will no longer call at Connolly or Tara Street but instead will run through the Interconnector tunnel calling at Spencer Dock, Pearse, St Stephen's Green, High Street and Heuston. Passengers may change at Pearse for Bray, Greystones, Maynooth and Dunboyne, at St Stephen's Green for Luas Green Line/Metro and at Heuston for intercity and outer suburban services to the south west as well as Luas Red Line. Passengers can also change at Spencer Dock for the Red Luas line
I live a long way from Dublin in Carlow/Athlone/Portarlington/Portlaoise ?
A much improved level of service will be provided with 2 trains an hour in the rush hour, with 1 train an hour during the day. Trains will terminate in Heuston. Since these services will remain in the hands of diesel powered trains that are not able to use the Interconnector tunnel.
Passengers may change at either Heuston for Christchurch, St Stephen's Green (Luas Green line/Metro), Pearse for Bray/Greystones and Maynooth/Dunboyne, Spencer Dock (Luas Red line) and onwards to the Malahide, Howth and Drogheda.
What about long distance/intercity commuters using Heuston ?
Long distance and intercity passengers at Heuston can use the Interconnector tunnel to reach the heart of the city and beyond. All services call at Christchurch, St Stephen's Green, Pearse and Spencer Dock. In the rush hour 12 services an hour to Malahide, Howth and Balbriggan. A number of those trains will start at Inchicore guaranteeing capacity for intercity arrivals. This equates to a train every 5 minutes through the city centre. Potential exits for 20 trains an hour subject further works on the Northern Line.
What about Navan ?
Possibly, there was a railway line from Clonsilla to Navan, the line closed in April 1963. The intention is to open a portion of the line as far as Dunboyne and provide a DART service joining the Maynooth line at Clonsilla. A limited diesel powered service will commence in late 2010.
There are two possible routes to Navan by rail. In the short term the Navan Drogheda line currently used by Tara Mines freight trains could be used, however this is route is indirect and slow. The much shorter direct route (via Clonsilla) might be reopened but this depends on all the elements of the Dublin Rail plan proposed by Iarnród Éireann being implemented first, it further depends heavily on the outcome of a feasibility study and sufficient funding being in place. This feasibility study will be published shortly. In light of this the routing and frequency of this service will not be known for some time. Rail Users Ireland supports the direct route, as it would serve Clonee, Dunboyne and Dunshaughlin, major new suburban towns plus it provides a viable alternative to the proposed M3, more.
What about Inchicore ?
The revised plans for the interconnector tunnel proposed a 4 platform station within the Inchicore works site, with a potential for up to 20 trains per hour from Inchicore through the city centre. Journey time to St Stephen's Green would be less than 10 minutes.
The proposed Lucan Luas line will have a stop at this station allowing for maximum integration