Irish Rail unveils first look at much-anticipated new DART+ train

Images of the new train are available now and it looks like quite the revamp.

Releasing images of the new train to the public, the operators have said that the fleet will enable Irish Rail to "improve the customer experience across the Greater Dublin Area".

This includes in matters relating to capacity, accessibility and customer information.

The five-carriage train is the first of 185 carriages already on order from rail manufacturer Alstom.

The trains were purchased in two orders as part of a framework agreement providing up to 750 electric/battery electric carriages over ten years.

Funded by the National Transport Authority (NTA) under Project Ireland 2040, the fleet orders are part of the wider DART+ Programme.

The latter is a series of infrastructure projects which, together with train orders, will double the capacity and treble the electrification of the Greater Dublin Area’s rail network.

Irish Rail and the NTA promise that DART+ will "facilitate sustainable mobility and development to enhance the quality of life in our capital and its surrounding counties".

"Including the first train, a total of 155 out of the 185 carriages on order are battery-electric which deliver more capacity for commuters in advance of electrification of the lines on which they will operate, with the balance of 30 being electric-only," Irish Rail said in a statement.

"The first trains will operate on the Drogheda to Dublin Commuter route, with recharging facilities under construction at Drogheda Station."

Irish Rail also said that the carriages are the first part of the "largest and most sustainable public transport fleet order in Irish history".

They added that the fleet, once operational, will further improve network accessibility and customer experience by offering:

• Independent access with low-floor height doorway being equipped with an automatic retractable step, offering the potential for unassisted level access from suitable platforms, aligned with platform enhancements.
• Wide gangways between carriages creating an open and spacious environment.
• Improved facilities for wheelchair users, families and cyclists, with dedicated wheelchair and family spaces.
  Transformed customer information systems on-board including large, high-resolution onboard displays with real-time updates, door illumination and additional features designed for the needs of sensory-impaired customers including inductive hearing loops.
• An advanced on-board CCTV system with cameras throughout every carriage, to enhance safety and security for customers and employees.

The carriages will now begin a regulatory approval and testing and commissioning process at Inchicore Works and on the Greater Dublin Area rail network.

This is before entering service in early 2026.

Each 10-carriage train, made up of two of these five-car train sets joined, will be the longest train size operable by the new fleet on current infrastructure.

They will have the capacity for at least 1,100 customers.

Irish Rail have said more carriages will arrive steadily over the coming months, with each set undergoing the testing and commissioning process.

You can read more about the new DART+ train at Irish Rail's website right here.

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