Irish rail capacity relief pushed towards end of 2027 as battery-electric trains await service
The first battery-electric trains are expected on the Dublin–Drogheda route by the end of 2027, delaying plans to free existing trains for busier services elsewhere.
Iarnród Éireann’s first battery-electric trains for the Dublin–Drogheda route are now expected to enter service by the end of 2027, The Irish Times reported on 19 October. Minister of State Seán Canney said rail capacity problems would not ease before the first order enters service, leaving passengers waiting longer for the trains it is intended to free for use elsewhere.
The reported timetable is later than the second quarter of 2027, the estimate given in October 2025. The Irish Times said Iarnród Éireann gave it the revised ‘by end 2027’ timeframe this week; the exact day of that update was not specified.
How the Dublin–Drogheda trains could ease crowding
The first order described by The Irish Times consists of 11 five-carriage trains. They are intended to replace existing intercity and commuter trains on the Dublin–Drogheda route. Moving those trains to other services could allow longer trains or additional departures, but Iarnród Éireann and the National Transport Authority have yet to decide which routes will receive them.
The pressure on capacity is growing. Almost 22 million rail journeys, excluding Luas trips, were made between 1 January and 24 May 2026, up 13 per cent on the same period in 2025, The Irish Times reported, citing Central Statistics Office figures. That increase makes the timing of additional carriages consequential for passengers on crowded services.
Redeployment will also depend on the railway’s physical limits. The Dublin–Rosslare line has short platforms and is single-track, constraints that can make longer trains and extra services difficult, The Irish Times reported. Receiving freed carriages therefore would not, by itself, establish when a particular route could run more capacity.
Train orders and the published timetable
Iarnród Éireann said it has ordered 285 carriages from Alstom, according to The Irish Times. Of those, 100 are intended to replace the original 1984 DART fleet, leaving 185 to provide new capacity. The first Dublin–Drogheda deployment is one step in that wider fleet programme.
Iarnród Éireann’s fleet webpage describes a first order of 95 new DART carriages, mainly for Dublin–Drogheda, and still gives the first half of 2027 as its entry-to-service timeframe. The page does not show when that timetable was updated, so it is unclear whether it reflects the later timeframe the railway gave The Irish Times.
A second train order is expected to allow DART services to reach Wicklow around 2029, The Irish Times reported, citing a commitment received by TD Malcolm Byrne. That is a separate planned expansion from the first battery-electric deployment and the possible redistribution of existing trains in 2027.
Read in depth: World
Anders Fernstedt describes life outside a £210 million London mansion
The Swedish man has lived on the portico of an unoccupied Knightsbridge house for more than three years, relying on local businesses and a nearby charity.
Singapore haze cuts trade at outdoor restaurants and earnings for buskers
Restaurants and performers describe fewer customers and shorter outdoor sessions as Singapore’s air quality remains unhealthy, according to CNA interviews and an official advisory.
Sources and context
- No rail overcrowding relief until new battery-electric trains enter service at end of 2027The Irish Times
- Investment in New TrainsIarnród Éireann
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.