First of new DART+ trains unveiled

13 November 2024

Regulatory approval and testing process to immediately begin, with trains entering service from early 2026 – 185 new carriages on order, with up to 750 possible

Iarnród Éireann has unveiled the first five-carriage train of the new DART+ Fleet, at Inchicore Works in Dublin.

The new DART fleet which will enable Iarnród Éireann to improve the customer experience across the Greater Dublin Area, including capacity, accessibility and customer information.

The five-carriage train is the first of 185 carriages already on order from rail manufacturer Alstom, and entering service from early 2026 onwards.  The trains were purchased in two orders as part of a framework agreement which provides for up to 750 electric/battery electric carriages over a ten-year period

The fleet orders, funded by the National Transport Authority (NTA) under Project Ireland 2040, are part of the wider DART+ Programme.  DART+ is a series of infrastructure projects which, together with train orders, will double the capacity and treble the electrification of the Greater Dublin Area’s rail network.  The DART+ Programme is a key element of the NTA Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy, 2022-2042. DART+ will facilitate sustainable mobility and development to enhance quality of life in our capital and its surrounding counties, through a series of fleet and infrastructure projects. The DART+ Programme is being delivered by Iarnród Éireann on behalf of NTA.    

Including the first train, a total of 155 out of the 185 carriages on order are battery-electric which deliver more capacity for commuters in advance of electrification of the lines on which they will operate, with the balance of 30 being electric-only.  The first trains will operate on the Drogheda to Dublin Commuter route, with recharging facilities under construction at Drogheda Station.

The arrival of the new fleet, from Alstom’s Chorzów facility near Katowice in Poland, marks a significant milestone in Iarnród Éireann’s journey to become the backbone of the sustainable transport network in Ireland.

The carriages are the first part of the largest and most sustainable public transport fleet order in Irish history and, once operational, will further improve network accessibility and customer experience by offering:

• Independent access with low-floor height doorway being equipped with an automatic retractable step, offering the potential for unassisted level access from suitable platforms, aligned with platform enhancements.
• Wide gangways between carriages creating an open and spacious environment. 

• Improved facilities for wheelchair users, families and cyclists, with dedicated wheelchair and family spaces.

• Transformed customer information systems on-board including large, high-resolution onboard displays with real-time updates, door illumination and additional features designed for the needs of sensory impaired customers including inductive hearing loops.

• An advanced on-board CCTV system with cameras throughout every carriage, to enhance safety and security for customers and employees 

As the first train in a brand new fleet on the Iarnród Éireann network, the carriages will now begin a rigorous regulatory approval, and testing and commissioning process, at Inchicore Works and on the Greater Dublin Area rail network, before entering service in early 2026.

Each 10-carriage train, made up of two of these five car train sets joined, will be the longest train size operable by the new fleet on current infrastructure, and will have capacity for at least 1,100 customers.

More carriages will arrive steadily over the coming months, with each set undergoing the testing and commissioning process.