Rail Transport in Ireland - Ireland All Island Strategic Rail Review - M

Rail Transport in Ireland - M

Ireland All Island Strategic Rail Review

A public consultation for a cross-border review of the railway network was launched jointly by the Irish Minister for Transport and Northern Irish Minister for Infrastructure in November 2021, with over 8,000 responses to the consultation. A draft report of the review was published on the 25th of July 2023.

Ireland Rolling Stock

In 2017, increasing demand led Iarnród Éireann to issue tenders for the refurbishment of 10 2700 class sets, which had been held in storage for 6 years with the intention of planned use around Limerick from early 2019. The displaced trains are intended for use in the Greater Dublin Area.

As of early 2018, Iarnród Éireann proposed to place an order for new DART stock capable of running off diesel or electric.

As of 2018, NI Railways had plans to invest in a third wave of new trains to meet growing demand.

As of 2018, a campaign was underway to preserve four 80 Class vehicles at the Downpatrick and County Down Railway, with hopes of bringing them to the heritage railway by the end of 2018. Also in 2018, one of the two Cavan and Leitrim Railway steam locomotives, No. 3 ''Lady Edith'', was proposed to be repatriated by the West Clare Railway (from the New Jersey Museum of Transportation).

Rail Transport in Ireland Operation

Ireland Major Operators: Iarnród Éireann & NIR
Ireland Ridership: 50 million (Republic of Ireland, 2019)
15 million (Northern Ireland, 2017)
Ireland System Length:
Ireland Total: 2,733 km (1,698 mi)
Ireland Electrified: 53 km (33 mi)
Ireland Freight Only: 362 km (225 mi)
Ireland Track Gauge:
Ireland Main: 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Ireland Electrification:
1500 V DC   DART in Dublin
Ireland No. Stations: 147