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Development in Heuston Transportation

Iarnród Éireann has undertaken a major investment in the Heuston Station terminal area of Dublin. The €117 million project  brings capacity and safety benefits to Intercity and commuter customers using the station, through remodelling trackwork, resignalling the station area, and increasing the number of platforms from 5 to 9.

Heuston Station has, since its establishment in 1844, been an important transportation hub between Dublin, its hinterland and much of the rest of the country. The further developments at Heuston Station, in conjunction with the Kildare route project, are designed to deliver significant service improvements to rail customers using the Kildare suburban corridor, and all Intercity routes to and from Heuston Station. There are also major safety benefits associated with the project.

Record numbers of passengers are using Iarnród Éireann, Intercity and suburban services, with the Heuston-Kildare corridor extremely congested, without scope for increasing services, particularly at peak times. The old layout in Heuston is was restrictive, and delays occurred to services due to this and platform availability at the station.

The old signalling system in the Heuston area dates from the 1930s. It required significant resources to maintain in safe operation and cannot be restored. An entirely new system was installed, as recommended by IRMS.

The developments at Heuston and on the Kildare route are an integral and essential part of the investment of over €1 billion in the Irish railway network, supported by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan 2000-2006 and the European Union.

The Heuston Development cost a total of €117 million, and has delivered:

• together with the Kildare route project,  increases in Kildare route commuter capacity, as well as increasing capacity for the number of Intercity services.
• an increase in the number of platforms in Heuston from 5 to 9, with platforms lengthened for increased numbers of services
• remodeling of the trackwork at Heuston and the approaches to the station to allow for more flexible operations, and reduce delays
• resignaling  the Heuston and Inchicore cabin areas to modern computerised signalling
• a secondary concourse to improve customer comfort and facilities at Heuston