New Battery-Electric Train Carriages Will Provide Major Boost to Passenger Capacity on Northern Commuter Train Line – Joe O’Brien TD

30th November, 2022

Joe O’Brien TD has today welcomed the securing of cabinet approval for Iarnród Éireann to order 90 new battery-electric train carriages, at a total cost of circa €179m. It is estimated this will increase the number of people who can access a frequent, high-capacity rail service from about 250,000 at present to 600,000 in the future.

The new carriages will facilitate the DART+ Coastal North Programme – extending from Dublin City Centre to Drogheda

“The purchase of battery-electric trains forms part of this Government and the Green Party’s commitment to investing in and expanding sustainable transport across Ireland. These new battery electric trains, which are now on order, will significantly enhance capacity and frequency of rail services in Fingal when they are entered into service in 2026, and their arrival will coincide with the further development of the Dart+ scheme in our area.

“I know that capacity on the line is a significant issue for commuters so it’s very positive to see concrete moves toward addressing this.

“This Government is continuing to do more to transform our rail and public transport systems than any other in decades. We are doing this because the scale of change we need to make is beyond compare – to provide better, more frequent and more accessible transport choices to many more people and to meet our emissions targets.”

The carriages will be delivered from Alstrom to the Irish rail system in 2026 and will consist of 18 modern 5-carriage Battery-Electric Multiple Units (BEMUs). This is in addition to the 95 new electric and battery-electric DART carriages already approved by the Government last December, for delivery in 2025.