Ireland’s busiest railway line is to be expanded from two to four tracks over a 14-kilometre stretch between Dublin Connolly station and Malahide. The FourNorth project is estimated to cost over EUR 1 billion and involves the extensive refurbishment of ten stations.
The public rail operator Irish Rail is preparing to increase capacity on the Dublin Connolly–Malahide corridor, one of the most congested sections of the Irish network.
The project, known as FourNorth, involves the construction of two additional railway tracks along a 14 km section. The exact configuration will be determined following a public consultation scheduled for later this year.
The investment is estimated, in an initial assessment, at over EUR 1 billion. Irish Rail points out, however, that a more precise cost can only be determined once the design work has progressed further.
Ten stations will be refurbished
The construction of the two additional tracks will require extensive modernisation of ten stations along the route.
The works could also affect gardens, land or other private property located near the existing infrastructure. Irish Rail will contact owners who may be affected once more detailed plans have been finalised.
Preparing for the investment will require extensive design, consultation and authorisation procedures, and works are expected to continue into the early 2030s.
More commuter trains and a faster Enterprise service
FourNorth must create additional capacity for a range of rail services.
The project will enable: The limitations of the current infrastructure have become apparent following the introduction of an hourly service on the Dublin–Belfast route. This change has caused bottlenecks and delays, as all services must share the same two tracks.
- faster Enterprise international trains between Dublin and Belfast;
- improved commuter services on the Northern Line;
- the expansion of DART electric train services;
- the reduction of conflicts between passenger and freight trains.
The initial problems have largely been rectified, but the section remains vulnerable to disruption: even a minor deviation from the timetable can cause a cascade of delays.
“FourNorth is about more than just building new lines. It is about creating a resilient, high-capacity rail corridor to support daily commutes and regional connections,” said Mary Considine, Chief Executive of Irish Rail.
Full funding has not yet been secured
The expansion of the corridor to four tracks was also recommended in the All-Island Strategic Rail Review, published in 2024.
The document estimated costs of between EUR 700 million and EUR 1 billion, at 2021 prices, for the Dublin–Clongriffin section alone, which accounts for approximately two-thirds of the route currently under consideration.
The preliminary stages of the project are being funded by the Irish Department of Transport and through the European Connecting Europe Facility programme. However, the sources of funding for the full completion of the works have not yet been determined.
Irish Rail will prepare a preliminary economic feasibility study, following which both the costs and the funding mechanisms will be determined.
Interim works ahead of the EUR 1 billion project
Pending the construction of the two additional tracks, the authorities will carry out several measures to reduce congestion.
The Irish Minister for Transport, Darragh O’Brien, has announced the construction of passing loops and facilities that will allow trains to turn back at Mosney, Skerries, Malahide and Clongriffin.
This work should provide greater operational flexibility and minimise the impact of delays ahead of the completion of the FourNorth project.
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