IRISH RAIL (IE) has awarded a €173.9m contract to Alstom for another 100 EMU cars for operation on the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (Dart) Greystones - Malahide/Howth cross-city network. The trains will replace the original fleet in service since Dart first opened in 1984.

This latest order follows two previous orders for new Dart EMUs and brings the total government investment to approximately €670m for 285 five-car trains.

The first batch of 95 cars on order will enter service mainly on the busy line from Dublin north to Drogheda from the first half of 2027. The second order of 90 cars will enter service from 2028.

The new trains will increase capacity as part of the Dart+ investment programme, introduced in response to record passenger demand. At least 23 million passenger journeys will have been made on existing Dart services in 2025, which IE says is the highest number ever recorded.

The new trains will have improved accessibility. increased bicycle storage, mobile device charging, and enhanced security through CCTV.

Cross-border fleet

Earlier this month, IE and Translink, Northern Ireland, awarded a joint contract to Stadler for eight electro-diesel Flirt trains to replace the locomotive-hauled trains currently operating the Enterprise service linking Dublin with Belfast. The contract includes a 15-year maintenance agreement, which can be extended for another 15 years, plus the supply of driving simulators.

The trains will be able to operate under 1.5kV dc electrification in the Dublin area and diesel traction north to Belfast as well as under battery power for short distances. Two diesel engines will be fitted in a power car at one end of the trains. The trains will have eight traction motors powering four bogies.

Delivery is expected to start in 2028, with the trains entering service in 2030

Stadler was selected as the supplier of the new fleet in September, but the award of the contract was delayed when CAF was granted an injunction following a legal challenge. The injunction was lifted by the High Court in Dublin last month.

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