Commuters from Maynooth and Dunboyne into Dublin are facing a major headache, as the long-awaited MetroLink project will bring significant rail disruptions that could last nearly 2 years.
The €10 billion transport project — finally given the green light last week, 25 years after it was first proposed — will link Swords to Charlemont via a mostly underground line spanning 18.8 kilometres and 16 stations. Operations are expected to begin in the mid-2030s.
But before Dublin gets its long-promised metro, some of the city’s busiest western commuter routes will face serious short-term pain. According to planning documents, partial closures will be required on both the Western Commuter Line and the South Western Commuter Line — covering routes from Maynooth and M3 Parkway near Dunboyne to Connolly and Docklands. The disruption stems from construction work at Glasnevin, where existing tracks will be lowered by two metres to facilitate the new interchange. This will force the western line through the area to close for almost two years. Trains from the M3 Parkway will no longer be able to reach the Docklands, instead terminating at Broombridge during the closure. Meanwhile, services from Maynooth to Connolly, and trains using the Phoenix Park Tunnel, will terminate at Heuston Station. The South Western Line will face a shorter five-month disruption, though a longer section of the line will be affected overall.
Niall Haverty, inspector for An Coimisiún Pleanála, acknowledged that construction at Glasnevin would have a “significant negative impact” on rail operations, but said the long-term benefits would ultimately outweigh the temporary pain.
“This is intended to be an interchange station between the MetroLink and the heavy rail network,” Mr Haverty noted, adding it was “somewhat surprising” that Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and Irish Rail “have not reached an agreed position” on how the interchange would be built or operated prior to the project’s submission.
In its formal submission, Irish Rail warned the works would cause “significant disruptive impact” to passenger, freight, and maintenance services, arguing that “the closure period is excessive and that a shorter closure period should be feasible.” The operator also raised concerns about clashes with its Dart+ programme, which plans to electrify and upgrade the same lines. Those works, Irish Rail said, “may be completed or under way prior to MetroLink construction commencing.”
Transport Infrastructure Ireland confirmed that the 21-month disruption represents a “worst-case impact,” adding that efforts are ongoing to reduce the closure period and minimise commuter disruption.
During the works, “any alternative transport arrangements required, with options within our own network, and with bus and Luas services” will be “considered and determined, in consultation with the NTA.” Once complete, the MetroLink will provide a high-capacity, fully electric service connecting Swords, Dublin Airport, Glasnevin, and Charlemont, with key interchanges at Tara Street and Glasnevin. The line aims to ease congestion, reduce emissions, and slash commute times across the capital.
For now, though, the focus for many commuters is simple: nearly two years of disruption, detours, and timetable changes — all in the name of Dublin’s biggest transport upgrade in a generation.
