Iarnród Éireann has announced a major rail infrastructure programme aimed at expanding capacity on one of Ireland’s busiest railway corridors.
The FourNorth project will increase the number of tracks between Dublin Connolly and Malahide from two to four, in a programme expected to cost hundreds of millions of euro.
The route has long been identified as a major bottleneck for the rail network. Delays during peak travel periods can spread across other services, affecting passengers well beyond the immediate corridor.
Iarnród Éireann said the project will create additional capacity for more trains and help improve the reliability of timetables.
The upgraded railway is expected to support more frequent services and improve connections between north Dublin, Meath, Louth and Belfast.
FourNorth is being jointly funded by Ireland’s Department of Transport and the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility Transport programme.
The final route and design have not yet been decided. A public consultation is scheduled to take place later this year, giving communities, passengers, businesses and local authorities an opportunity to provide feedback on the proposals.
Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive Mary Considine said the programme would involve more than simply adding railway tracks.
“FourNorth is about more than new tracks,” she said. “It is about building a resilient, high-capacity rail corridor that supports everyday journeys, strengthens regional connections and helps deliver a sustainable transport future for Ireland, making space today for the needs of tomorrow.”
Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien said the government was already investing in the Northern Line to address congestion.
Passing loops and turnback facilities are planned at Mosney, Skerries, Malahide and Clongriffin over the coming years. The projects are being supported by funding from the European Union and the Shared Island Fund.
“These investments will improve journey times and reliability for Enterprise and DART passengers,” O’Brien said.
The FourNorth programme is expected to form part of wider efforts to modernise Ireland’s rail network as passenger numbers continue to grow.
By increasing the number of tracks on the Dublin-Malahide section, the project aims to separate different types of rail services and provide greater flexibility for passenger and regional trains.
The public consultation will be a key stage in determining how the project progresses, with the final design expected to reflect technical requirements as well as feedback from communities and transport users along the route.
