The rail lines from the city centre to Hazelhatch are to be electrified, creating a high-frequency, DART-like service.
The project is called Dart+ South-West
Benefits include:
- Maximum number of trains each way nearly doubles from 12 per hour to 23 per hour.
- Improvements in capacity through the Phoenix Park tunnel, with an additional 7 trains per hour in each direction at peak time.
- Quadruples peak-hour capacity from 5000 to 20000 people, each way.
- New train stations at Heuston West (near the Phoenix Park tunnel entrance) and Glasnevin (interchange with the proposed Metrolink underground route).
There is a similar project to electrify the Maynooth line called Dart+ West.
Hazelhatch will be the last DART stop on the outbound line. Electrification will go all the way to Heuston Station, through the Phoenix Park tunnel and onwards to the city centre stations.
November 2024
An Board Pleanála has granted the Railway Order (the equivalent of a combined CPO and planning permission request) for DART+ Southwest. Construction is expected to begin in 2026.
July 2024
An Board Pleanála has granted the Railway Order for DART+ West (the Maynooth line). However, the depot west of Maynooth was not granted permission due to flooding concerns.
May 2023
An Bord Pleanála statutory consultation for the Hazelhatch line has been completed.
March 2023
A Railway Order has been submitted to An Bord Pleanála for the Hazelhatch line.
Two rounds of public consultation were held in 2021 with further stakeholder engagement in 2022.
When will we see the new DART+ timetables come into effect?
Commercial service is targeted to begin in 2029.