Ireland’s first new train station in eight years opened today at Pelletstown Station in Dublin.
It is the first new opening on the Iarnród Éireann network since Galway's Oranmore station opened in 2013.
The station in Dublin 7 will serve the communities of Ashington and Royal Canal Park, with 94 daily trains on weekdays and a journey time of as little as 12 minutes from the city centre.
It is situated between Ashtown and Broombridge stations on the Dublin to Maynooth and M3 Parkway line.
Opening the station, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said it will provide improved public transport options for residents in the area, reducing reliance on cars and creating a more sustainable commuting option.
“This new station will greatly benefit the communities of Ashington and Royal Canal Park by providing much-needed public transport options as well as cutting journey times in and out of the city,” he said.
“Making it easier for people to choose public transport and combine their cycling, walking and rail journeys will help us reach our climate goals.”
Next steps
Mr Ryan was joined by the Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, who said the next step under the DART West project would be the electrification of the rail line “which will mean more frequent services for residents and fewer emissions.”
Pelletstown station was built following an investment of €10.5 million, funded by the National Transport Authority (NTA) and levies collected by Dublin City Council from the development at Royal Canal Park.
Jim Meade, chief executive of Iarnród Éireann, congratulated those who worked to build the station “while working through the challenges of Covid-19.”
“We warmly welcome our new customers from the surrounding communities to our Maynooth and M3 Parkway to Dublin commuter services, and we look forward to playing a positive role in the life of these communities for generations to come,” he said.
The new station has two platforms, with a footbridge and accessible ramp access between the platforms and to the railway.
A second footbridge and accessible ramp has also been built over the Royal Canal, connecting its two neighbouring communities and eliminating a 20-minute walk between Ashington and Royal Canal Park.
The footbridges will also provide a new pedestrian and cycle access point to the Canal Greenway, promoting cycling and walking, as well as the opportunity to combine these with train travel.
Customers at all stations on the Maynooth and M3 Parkway to Dublin lines are asked to check times before travel, as there will be minor amendments to departures times on a number of services throughout the day. Full details are available at www.irishrail.ie.
