What is Metro Dublin?

​Metro Dublin is a new mass rapid transit development for Dublin. It is designed to meet the existing and growing demand for fast, reliable, integrated and sustainable mobility for the Greater Dublin Area. It is:

• Devised to maintain and enhance Dublin’s livability and prosperity – a once in a generation development that will facilitate the transformation of Dublin’s rail network into an international-style metro system;
• Additional to the existing Irish Rail intercity tracks and designed to serve the capital and the country by complementing the existing DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) and LUAS lines.

Metro Dublin responds to the transport growth needs of Dublin and provides long-term capacity for railway passenger movement into the middle of this century and beyond. The population of the Greater Dublin Area is expected to increase from 1.9 million in 2016 to at least 2.2 million by 2031. Metro Dublin will help to cater for the expected metropolitan population growth by providing viable additional and improved public transport options for the city’s occupants.
With international partners, Metro Dublin will deliver all phases of the Development, including feasibility studies, business case, financing, and planning application to An Bord Pleanála through to delivery of project construction, commissioning, operations and maintenance of the systems.

Geographic Extent

Metro Dublin will serve the capital and the country with a world-class integrated public transport system that will complement the existing DART and LUAS lines. The extension provides an additional 62 station stops at 53 station locations. The expansion works include 18 km of new surface lines and 46 km of tunnels and involves upgrading 29 km of existing lines – 93 km in total (operational length is shorter). All lines run on the Irish Rail gauge and are separate from the Irish Rail intercity tracks.
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Metro Dublin will integrate existing public transport services and directly serve many of Dublin’s major traffic generators, such as: Dublin Airport, St James’s Hospital (including the planned new children’s hospital), Beaumont Hospital, Croke Park, Dublin City University and Dublin Institute of Technology. It links Dublin city centre with the suburbs of: Adamstown, Ashbourne, Ballymun, Blanchardstown, Castleknock, Clondalkin, Finglas, Greencastle, Harold’s Cross, Howth Junction/Donaghmede, Malahide, Swords, Terenure, Rathfarnham and Whitehall, and connects all the foregoing with both the national rail and bus networks.

Purpose

The purpose of the Metro Dublin project is to provide a substantial improvement in public transport in the Greater Dublin Area by integrating and augmenting the existing heavy rail lines in Dublin city centre and thereby increasing passenger capacity, train frequency and interchange opportunities.
The Metro Dublin project will also constitute the cornerstone of the future transport system for the Greater Dublin Area through integration with other modes of transport, alleviating congestion in the Greater Dublin Area and enabling a modal shift from private to public transport.

The Integrated Network

The new development will comprise six major routes consisting of new and upgraded track.
It will alleviate pressure on public transport by contributing significantly to the passenger carrying capacity and usage of the public transport network in the urban area, and will offset growing strains on the urban road system, including the M50 Orbital Motorway, which was already operating at maximum capacity in 2016.

 Design and Delivery

The Metro Dublin Consortium (MDC) will oversee the delivery of the project. A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) will be established to ensure timely and efficient construction of the agreed scheme. Major works are expected to commence in 2019, subject to planning approvals, and to be completed by end 2022/3. The MDC and its SPV will work closely with the relevant state sector agencies to apply global best practice and experience to the construction and delivery of the project, and achieve optimal outcomes for the community.

Connectivity

Metro Dublin will deliver a comprehensive integrated railway network for the greater Dublin metropolitan area by providing:
·  New capacity on four new radial lines, a new south city centre loop line, a major upgrade of two existing radial lines and an upgrade of the north city loop line; each line catering for a capacity of 30,000 trips per direction per hour.

• Express train services on the new Dublin Airport / Swords radial line that will accommodate national mainline and suburban rail services.
• 62 station stops comprising 39 new underground stations, 13 new surface stations and an upgrading of 10 existing stations.
• Up grading existing surface lines 14.7 km, new parallel tracks to existing surface lines 14.3 km, new surface alignment 17.7 km, cut and covered tunnel 3.6 km, and tunnel built by tunnel boring machine 42.8 km, all running on the Irish Rail gauge with train services running on just under 92 km.
• Appropriate support infrastructure, including power plant, signalling, telecommunications systems, depots, control centres, and administration and training buildings.

Metro Dublin will also extend the connection of Dublin City with the Greater Dublin Area. It efficiently extends and integrates all existing public transport services in Dublin, it joins up the city and national railways and will contribute greatly to the viability of all public transport service.
Compared to the existing metro plans, vast additional areas are served, and patronage is significantly increased. It connects and provides new rapid transit to Dublin city centre with its suburbs of Adamstown, Ashbourne, Ballymun, Blanchardstown, Castleknock, Clondalkin, Finglas, Greencastle, Harold’s Cross, Howth Junction/ Donaghmede, Malahide, Rathfarnham, Swords, Terenure and Whitehall, and major traffic generators such as Croke Park, the Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin City University, Dublin Airport, Beaumont Hospital and the St James’s/New National Children’s Hospitals.