Publication

Supporting your journey

From: Department of Transport
Published on: 4 August 2023
Last updated on: 19 May 2026

Growing the rail network
Making it affordable
Making better, sustainable connections
Safe walking and cycling routes

Budget 2026 provided for a more than 40% increase in the allocation for operation of State-subsidised Public Service Obligation public transport services, and nearly €1 million invested each day in dedicated infrastructure for walking and cycling.

Greenway and ‘Safe Routes to Schools’ projects will ensure that sustainable, active travel becomes embedded as part of our everyday lives.

This investment will create a more connected, greener and cleaner transport network for all.

Growing the rail network

DART+ Programme

In the Dublin region, DART+ is the most significant expansion of the electrified commuter rail system since the introduction of the original DART service in 1984. This project will bring electrified DART commuter trains West as far as Maynooth and M3 Parkway, Southwest to Hazelhatch and Celbridge, and North to Drogheda, doubling the rail city centre capacity from circa 26,000 to 52,000 passengers per direction per hour, and tripling the electrified network, from circa 50km on the existing DART line today to 150km. The DART+ programme includes the following projects in and around the Greater Dublin Area:

DART+ West will involve the extension of DART services from the City Centre to the M3 Parkway and Maynooth, and the construction of a new depot and city centre enhancements. Conditional planning approval was granted by An Coimisiún Pleanála in July 2024. Statutory approval for its design was received on the 18thJuly 2024. Following a Judicial Review process, it became operative in June 2025. The project is progressing, with preparations underway to advertise for contractors to deliver the detailed design and construction phases. Early enabling works are expected to commence in 2026.
DART+ South West will involve the extension of DART services from the City Centre to Hazelhatch, including four-tracking from Park West to Heuston. Planning approval was granted by An Coimisiún Pleanála for this project in November 2024.
DART+ Coastal North will extend DART overhead electrified wires to Drogheda. A planning application was lodged with An Coimisiún Pleanála in July 2024.
DART+ Coastal South will improve DART services on the existing DART line south of Dublin city, with the current focus on enhancing services between Bray and Greystones.
DART+ Fleet a further 100 new energy-efficient DART carriages were ordered in 2025. These will fully replace the original fleet in service since the DART first opened in 1984. This added to two previous carriage orders, bringing the number of DART carriages ordered to 285, made up of 57 five-carriage 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.

Procurement for DART+ South West and West is also progressing with pre-qualification questionnaires (PQQ) notices for Design and Build works recently advertised.

Cork Area Commuter Rail

The Cork Area Commuter Rail programme is a transformative improvement programme for the Cork Rail Network. It will ultimately deliver increased train capacity and frequency, new stations and low-emission trains, providing more connected communities and a more sustainable transport network.

Phase 1 of the works is already underway with the support of EU Recovery and Resilience Facility funding, including the opening of a new through platform at Kent Station in April 2025, as well as double-tracking between Glounthane and Midleton, and network-wide resignalling which are scheduled to be completed next year.

The first of two public consultations on the Emerging Preferred Option for Phase 2 of the programme took place from 18th June to 23rd July 2025. This included proposals for eight new stations, three station upgrades, a new depot, and full electrification of the Cork rail network.

Station Improvement Works

In addition to the works at Kent Station being carried out as part of the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme, works also underway to enhance rail stations across the country, including:

Limerick:

Planning permission for a new station at Moyross was received from Limerick City & County Council in November 2025. Advance works were completed in December 2025 with the procurement phase of this project commencing in Spring of 2026. This will also involve upgrading to a double-track between Limerick to Limerick Junction.

Galway:

Work is ongoing in the redevelopment of Ceannt Station which will deliver an integrated transport hub in the heart of Galway City Centre increasing the number of platforms from two to five, supporting significantly expanded rail services while also providing capacity for future growth, and is on schedule for completion in 2026.

A new project will see a one-kilometre section of double track at Oranmore Station, and a new second 185-metre-long platform constructed also. The works will allow a doubling of train services calling at the station, to every 30 minutes in each direction. Planning permission for this additional train platform and a passing loop was granted in February and works on this project should commence in early 2026.

Waterford:

As part of the Waterford North Quays project, a new Plunkett station is currently under construction. Waterford’s state of the art Sustainable Transport Hub, which has attracted €126m EU Urban Regeneration Development Funding is unique in Ireland and will put Waterford at the forefront of integrated city centre transport infrastructure. The North Quays will be connected by an integrated sustainable transport network of Greenway and Blueway trails connecting the heart of the City Centre and beyond.

Dublin

Kishogue Station was opened in August 2024. The Station is located on the Portlaoise commuter line between Adamstown and Clondalkin Fonthill stations and will serve the Clonburris area which is planned for significant housing development. It is currently served by Portlaoise commuter services and will be served by DART+ South West when it is completed.

Woodbrook DART station was opened on 10th August 2025, serving existing and new communities in the Woodbrook-Shanganagh area. The station will provide access to frequent public transport for a growing population in the area.

Rail Freight

The Foynes Line Reinstatement Project encompasses necessary rehabilitation works on 42km of the currently disused, Limerick to Shannon Foynes Port railway line, to safely reinstate the line for operational rail freight transport. Works are currently underway, and it is anticipated that the route will be commissioned for freight services in the first half of 2026.

Iarnród Éireann also announced the purchase of 100 new freight wagons in May 2025. These wagons will replace end of life rolling stock and will enable the movement of rail freight at faster speeds across the rail network. This purchase acts in support of our goals to increase the modal share of rail freight.

All-Island Strategic Rail Review

The All-Island Strategic Rail Review was undertaken by the Department of Transport in co-operation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. The Review’s Final Report was published in July 2024.

The Review's Final Report sets out 32 strategic recommendations to enhance and expand the rail system in Ireland and Northern Ireland up to 2050, aligning with net carbon zero commitments in both jurisdictions. The recommendations seek to transform the quality of the rail system to the benefit of passengers and wider society on the island, through additional track capacity, electrification, increased speeds, higher service frequencies and new routes.

Assisted by the European Investment Bank (EIB) Advisory Services, the Department of Transport, the Department for Infrastructure, and agencies north and south, are working to progress the Report’s recommendations in the years ahead.

As part of this work, the Rail Project Prioritisation Strategy was published in December 2025 and outlines how to best sequence and optimise the recommendations of the All-Island Strategic Rail Review. It specifies short-term rail infrastructure investments including a series of new track passing loops and platforms to boost the rail network’s resilience and capacity. Work on these projects will start in 2026, for full delivery by 2030.

The Strategy also identifies Major Projects to be progressed for the longer-run, involving intercity electrification and significant capacity upgrades on the rail network. These Major Projects include “FourNorth”, to add track capacity on the busy Northern line north of Connolly station; electrification and line speed improvements on the Dublin-Cork and Dublin-Belfast routes; and new/reinstated lines such as Portadown to Derry~Londonderry and Letterkenny.

Enterprise Fleet Replacement Programme

The Enterprise rail service is the only cross-border rail service on the island of Ireland. It is a well-known symbol of North-South cooperation and provides an important public transport link operating between Belfast and Dublin. The current Enterprise rail fleet will reach the end of its standard design life in 2027, after which it requires replacement.

Iarnród Éireann and Translink Northern Ireland Railways successfully applied for funding of €165m for the project under the PEACEPLUS cross-border EU programme, which is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body, a North South Implementation Body established under the Good Friday Agreement. The balance of funding for the project will be provided jointly through the Department of Transport and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland on a 50:50 basis.

In May 2026 a contract for a new fleet of eight state-of-the-art Intercity trains for the Belfast-Dublin Enterprise service was signed.

This major €698m / £548m cross border investment means new fleet and infrastructure, enhanced passenger facilities, reduced emissions, more rail services and accessibility for all.

The Dublin-Belfast Economic Corridor is home to over 2 million people. The new Enterprise Fleet will support the region to become even more connected and sustainable in years ahead.

Due for delivery late 2028, the new Intercity trains with around 400 seats have been purpose designed for the Enterprise route and will deliver a major step change in comfort and customer experience.

This project builds on the introduction of the hourly Enterprise service in October 2024, which is supported by the Shared Island Fund. The Enterprise Fleet Replacement Programme will enable a substantial increase in public transport services, to support a significant increase in rail passengers on the Dublin-Belfast corridor, with annual passenger numbers on the Enterprise service expected to reach 2.5 million in 2032.

Making it affordable

Ticketing offers

Find out about the latest public transport ticketing journeys and plan your journey:

Plan your journey.

Cycling schemes

Cycle to Work

The Cycle to Work scheme aims to encourage you to cycle to and from work.

Cargo bikes and e-bikes are included as part of the scheme.

Bike rental schemes

Bike rental schemes are a great way of getting around our cities. Bike stations are located at various locations throughout the cities to provide a sustainable and convenient means of transport:

Several private companies also offer shared bike services in different parts of the country, including both push bikes and e-bikes.

Electric Vehicle (EV) grants

Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI) is a dedicated office within Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and leads the delivery of Ireland’s national EV recharging infrastructure.

Working with local authorities, industry and government, ZEVI is supporting the rollout of reliable, accessible and high-powered charging infrastructure across the national road network.

There is a generous range of Supports and Schemes for Zero Emission Vehicles available to help drivers’ transition to electric with some grants available through SEAI.

These include incentives include:

a purchase grant for battery electric vehicles (BEVs)
a home charging scheme
an apartment charging scheme
benefit-in-kind tax relief for BEVs
VRT relief of up to €5,000 for BEVs
a low rate of annual motor tax.

From a business perspective there are also supports available including:

a grant for taxi drivers to make the switch to an EV
a fleet assessment grant to help businesses explore the transition to EVs
a grant for HDVs to bridge the gap between a zero emission vehicle and a fossil fuel vehicle.

Making better, sustainable connections

Improving bus services

Rural bus services

We are improving bus services across Ireland. Since October 2021, over 180 new or enhanced services added to the TFI Network through the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan.

The Plan aims to increase access for people living in rural Ireland. Over 30 new or enhanced TFI services were added to the TFI Public Transport Network in 2025 and in 2024 the Plan gave 192,100 more people access to new and enhanced bus services whilst adding 97,000 weekly kilometres to the TFI Public Transport Network.

Urban bus services

BusConnects will be delivered in all of Ireland’s five cities by the end of the decade. This programme will significantly enhance the quality of public transport in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford and also include the parallel development of high-quality cycle lanes.

BusConnects includes eight initiatives:

Redesigning the bus network
Building new bus corridors and cycle lanes
Implementing a state-of-the-art ticketing system
Implementing a cashless payment system
Simpler fare structure
New bus stops and shelters
New Park & Ride sites in key locations
Transitioning to a new zero emissions bus fleet

For more on BusConnects initiatives in each city:

Safe walking and cycling routes

In 2026, €360 million in Government funding has been allocated for Active Travel and Greenways. This investment is dedicated to the development of walking and cycling projects that offer safe, sustainable and healthy transport options to communities around the country. Since 2020, over 1000km of walking, wheeling, and cycling has been delivered.

Cycling strategy

CycleConnects

CycleConnects: Ireland’s Cycle Network aims to improve sustainable travel by providing the potential for more trips on a safe, accessible and convenient cycle network, connecting more people to more places within our towns and cities.

The public consultation on CycleConnects is now complete and further information on the proposal and submissions is available.

National Cycle Network

The National Cycle Network (NCN) will inform the establishment of a coordinated network that brings existing and proposed cycle routes together, linking urban centres across the country.

The National Cycle Network Plan (NCN) plan was published in January 2024. The plan sets out a network of 3.500km of safe, high quality cycle route4s which will link over 200 cities, towns, and villages across the country.

The NCN will be implemented on a phased basis, with approximately 1,000km of the network to be delivered by the end of 2030.

Cycle Right Programme

The Cycle Right Programme is designed to give school children the skills to confidently and safely cycle using both the cycling infrastructure and the road network. Over 115,000 children have completed this programme since it started in 2017.

Other cycling schemes

Cycle Friendly Employer Scheme

Greenways

There are 350km of Greenways in Ireland, funded by the Department of Transport. This year, €67 million has been allocated to Transport Infrastructure Ireland and local authorities nationwide to develop new Greenway projects.

Greenways are routes which exceed 20km in length, although shorter distances may be funded to link existing Greenways to longer, more strategic routes.

Find out more about Greenways in Ireland:

Safe Routes to School

The Safe Routes to School programme is designed to encourage as many pupils and students as possible in primary and secondary schools to walk and cycle. The programme aims to deliver safe walking, scooting and cycling infrastructure on key routes to schools, provide front of school treatments and provide bike parking.

There are currently 526 schools actively engaged on the programme at various levels of delivery.

Hear from children in Limerick and Dublin about how Safe Routes to School has benefitted their school:

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