Dublin MetroLink project cost rises to €17.5 billion

The Dublin MetroLink project, described as the largest single infrastructure project in Ireland since the 1920s, is now projected to cost up to €17.5 billion and take at least a decade to complete. This represents a significant increase from 2022 estimates, which placed the cost at approximately €9.5 billion with an operational date in the early 2030s.

Following Cabinet approval to move to the tender stage, enabling works are scheduled to begin in early 2027, with major construction and tunneling expected to follow. The project aims to provide 19km of mostly underground railway connecting Swords/Estuary to Charlemont, with stations serving Dublin Airport, Dublin City University, and several major hospitals.

The new system is designed to accommodate up to 20,000 passengers per direction per hour using 64-meter trains running every three minutes during peak times. Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien stated the upgrade would support the delivery of approximately 77,000 new homes along the route and up to 200,000 homes across the Greater Dublin Area.