As part of a wider investment of €173.9 million in Ireland, Alstom has signed a deal worth €160 million with Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) for a further 100 new energy-efficient carriages for the Greater Dublin Area. The additional five-carriage electric multiple unit (EMU) X’trapolis train sets will fully replace the original fleet in service since the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART) network first opened in 1984.
This contract follows two previous orders in recent years for new Iarnród Éireann 90000 Class trains, and brings the total investment in new electric and battery-electric-powered trains for Ireland to approximately €670 million. The new order will supersede the original 8100 Class rolling stock – used on the largely coastal line from Greystones to Malahide and Howth – increading the number of Alstom cars ordered for DART+ to 285, made up of 57 five-carriage X’trapolis trains.
The first order was for 95 new DART carriages, which will enter service mainly on the busy line from Dublin to Drogheda from the first half of 2027. The second order of 90 DART carriages will enter service from 2028. includes associated maintenance services over a period of 10 years. Alongside the new trains, the third order also includes associated maintenance services over a period of up to 15 years.
All three orders form part of a framework agreement which provides for up to 750 electric and battery-electric carriages for Ireland over a ten-year period. Furthermore, 155 out of the 185 carriages from the first two orders will form battery-electric multiple unit (BEMU) services, with recharging facilities – also being provided by Alstom – available at Drogheda railway station.
“This order for 100 new X’trapolis EMU carriages is another exciting step for Ireland’s ambitious DART+ Programme – retiring the original 1984 fleet and introducing a modern and higher capacity electric train across Greater Dublin,” said Piers Wood, managing director Ireland at Alstom.
He added: “Together with the battery electric units already on order, our trains will offer more reliable and lower emission services, and deliver a transformation in accessibility and onboard information for passengers. We’re proud to partner with Iarnród Éireann, the Department of Transport and the National Transport Authority to help double rail capacity for the DART and advance Ireland’s wider decarbonisation goals.”
The new order with Alstom has been placed by Iarnród Éireann through the National Transport Authority (NTA) and funded by the Department of Transport.
“This order of new DART carriages is the latest demonstration of the Government’s commitment to public transport and to rail in particular. It forms part of our NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for transport, which will see over €10 billion of investment in public transport infrastructure, in addition to €2 billion allocated to commence construction of MetroLink from the Infrastructure Climate and Nature Fund, over the period 2026 to 2030. The rollout of these carriages will help ensure that we continue to provide a sustainable and reliable DART service in the years ahead, as we work to expand the DART network under the DART+ Programme,” said Darragh O’Brien, Minister for Transport.
At least 23 million passenger journeys will have been made on existing DART services from Greystones to Malahide and Howth in 2025, the highest number ever seen. Across Dublin’s commuter services – Drogheda, Maynooth and M3 Parkway, Kildare and Wicklow – a further 16 million passenger journeys are forecast, also the highest ever. The full DART+ Programme, encompassing new fleet and infrastructure works under DART+ West, South West, Coastal North and Coastal South, will double the capacity of rail services in the Greater Dublin Area.
“This is a crucial order for the continued development of rail services in the Greater Dublin Area. The longevity of the original DART is a testament to our Iarnród Éireann colleagues, who have managed and maintained the fleet, and also to the durability of electricity-powered trains. This has created a service that is iconic to its customers and the communities it serves. These new modern fleets will deliver real improvements in customer experience for all DART users across the expanded network under the DART+ Programme, and include major accessibility benefits,” said Mary Considine, Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann.
The new Alstom X’trapolis trains will increase the capacity and sustainability of rail services, and offer benefits to passengers including significant accessibility improvements; increased bicycle storage; device charging; and enhanced security through CCTV. This will help to transform public transport for Ireland in the years ahead.
“NTA welcomes this order for new DART trains which will complete the replacement of the original DART fleet. Since its introduction in 1984, DART has been transformational in changing travel behaviours and is now relied upon for travel by tens of thousands of people every day. These new trains will ensure DART continues to deliver sustainable transport along the corridor, improving the efficiency of the service and improving the reliability, accessibility and comfort of DART users,” said Anne Shaw, Chief Executive of the National Transport Authority.
Currently being manufactured at Alstom’s Chorzów facility near Katowice in Poland, the new fleet will consist of five-carriage X’trapolis train sets (equivalent in length to the four-carriage train sets in the current DART fleet), providing high capacity with wide gangways between carriages. This will allow customers to freely circulate throughout the full length of 5-carriage trains, creating a more open and spacious environment and enhancing security. A ten-carriage X’trapolis train, made up of two five-carriage 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.
The X’trapolis trains for DART+ are part of Alstom’s Adessia commuter rail portfolio, designed to support urban ecosystems all over the world to grow sustainably. The wide range of solutions also includes Adessia Stream B and Steam H trains for non-electrified lines, using battery energy supply and hydrogen power respectively for electrical traction.
Image credit: Alstom
