Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien has confirmed he is in active discussions with Iarnród Éireann about expanding late-night rail services beyond the Christmas and New Year period, signalling a potential shift in Ireland’s public transport timetable.
Currently, late-night services are operating on DART, Maynooth, Dundalk and Kildare lines to accommodate increased travel during the festive season. These services will also run later than usual following New Year’s celebrations in Dublin city centre, with some trains operating until around 2am, an extension on pre-Christmas schedules. Outside of holiday periods, however, most rail services finish by approximately 11.30pm.
Speaking in an interview with The Journal, the minister said he wants to see rail infrastructure used more intensively throughout the year. “I’ve discussed that very thing with Iarnród Éireann,” O’Brien said, noting that the Government is investing heavily in rail and wants to maximise its benefits. He added that Irish Rail has been asked to explore “options” for running trains later at night on a more regular basis.
O’Brien said recent experiences show strong public support for extended services. “I think that the late-night DARTs have been really well received, and they’re running late on New Year’s Eve as well for the first time,” he said. He emphasised that the proposal goes beyond vague consideration, stating: “It’s something I would like to see done, yeah, but I have to weigh it up with regard to how we need a safe rail network. Maintenance is critical.”
Iarnród Éireann has cautioned that overnight maintenance presents a major challenge. A spokesperson explained that most infrastructure work is carried out at night and that continuous late services would significantly reduce available maintenance windows. “It is a very narrow window as it is each night to undertake works,” the spokesperson said, adding that extended services could lead to more disruptive weekend closures. They noted that late-night trains are currently provided for particularly busy periods such as Christmas, New Year’s Eve, St Patrick’s Night and major events.
Despite these challenges, O’Brien highlighted €600 million in planned rail investment next year, aimed at improving accessibility and capacity. He also confirmed that 295 new DART carriages, recently unveiled, will enter service over the coming years. An additional 100 energy-efficient electric carriages will fully replace the original DART fleet introduced in 1984, bringing total investment to approximately €670 million.
On congestion, O’Brien ruled out new charges for motorists. “Nope, there’s not. And I won’t be bringing in congestion charges,” he said, arguing that congestion will ease as public transport options expand. This comes as Dublin ranks as the 11th-most congested city in the world, according to a newly published international report.
