Why MetroLink?
The Need for MetroLink
The Greater Dublin Area is experiencing continued population and employment growth, creating increasing demand for reliable public transport. MetroLink is being developed to provide a high-capacity, high-frequency metro service along one of Dublin's busiest travel corridors, connecting communities, businesses, educational institutions, healthcare facilities and Dublin Airport.
MetroLink will help meet current and future transport needs by providing a fast, reliable and fully segregated public transport service, improving connectivity across the region and supporting sustainable growth. The project is aligned with national, regional and local transport and planning strategies, including Project Ireland 2040, the National Development Plan and the Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy.
MetroLink will also deliver significant economic, social and environmental benefits, supporting housing delivery, sustainable growth, improved connectivity and national climate objectives.
Benefits of MetroLink
MetroLink will deliver lasting benefits for people, communities, businesses and the wider economy. More than a new transport system, MetroLink will support sustainable growth, improve connectivity, reduce congestion and help shape the future development of Dublin.
Housing & Compact Growth:
MetroLink will play an important role in meeting Dublin's future housing needs by supporting sustainable growth along one of the city's key development corridors.
- Supporting the delivery of new homes across the city and surrounding areas.
- Creating opportunities for development around public transport hubs, making it easier for people to live close to reliable transport.
- Helping achieve national goals for sustainable and compact growth.
- Providing the transport capacity needed to support a population of around 90,000 people along the MetroLink corridor.
- Enabling largescale development in key growth areas such as Swords and Lissenhall.
Congestion, Capacity & Climate:
As Dublin continues to grow, MetroLink will provide the transport capacity needed to keep the city moving. By delivering a high-capacity public transport service, MetroLink will:
- Reduce pressure on busy roads and public transport networks
- Give people a reliable alternative to car travel
- Improve transport capacity to meet future demand
- Support climate goals by encouraging more sustainable travel choices and reducing transport related emissions
With the capacity to carry up to 20,000 passengers per hour in each direction, MetroLink will provide the equivalent capacity of approximately 500 additional buses every hour.
Connectivity & Productivity
MetroLink will transform how people travel across Dublin and beyond, connecting communities at a local, regional, national and international level.
Key benefits include:
- Faster and more reliable journeys across the Dublin metropolitan area.
- Improved access to jobs, education and services.
- A direct high-capacity rail connection to Dublin Airport, serving approximately 28 million passengers each year.
- Capacity to carry up to 20,000 passengers per hour in each direction during peak periods.
- Support for economic productivity by improving access and reducing journey times.
Social Inclusion, Accessibility & Health
MetroLink is designed to be accessible for everyone, making it easier to reach jobs, education, healthcare and leisure opportunities.
The project will:
- Improve access to opportunities for communities across the corridor.
- Help reduce inequality and support greater social inclusion.
- Reduce the stress and uncertainty associated with overcrowded or delayed services.
- Provide step-free access, clear signage, inclusive facilities and safety-focused station design.
MetroLink will also improve access to key services and amenities:
- 22% more people will be able to reach healthcare services within a 30-minute public transport journey.
- 10% more people will be able to access further education facilities within 30 minutes.
- 44% more people will be able to reach sports and leisure facilities within a 30-minute journey.
- Access to parks and playgrounds will improve by 39%.
Communities & Placemaking
MetroLink is more than a transport project. It is a city-shaping project that will influence where people choose to live, where businesses choose to locate and how public spaces are designed.
Placemaking is about creating places where people want to live, work, socialise and spend time. By improving connectivity and accessibility, MetroLink will support thriving communities, stronger local economies and more vibrant public spaces.
MetroLink is the most significant placemaking project Dublin has seen since the delivery of Luas. Its station design, public realm improvements and landscaping will help create a strong sense of place while enhancing the areas in which people live and work.
MetroLink is also a key component of the Government's transport-oriented development strategy, supporting the concentration of future housing and employment growth around high-quality public transport infrastructure.
Across the route, MetroLink will deliver benefits tailored to local communities:
- Northwood: Unlocking housing potential and supporting the creation of new communities.
- Dublin Airport: Providing seamless connectivity for passengers and employees.
- Ballymun: Supporting the next phase of regeneration and helping the area evolve as a vibrant urban centre.
- O'Connell Street: Acting as a catalyst for regeneration in the heart of Dublin city centre.
Economic Benefits
MetroLink is widely regarded as essential infrastructure for Dublin's long-term economic and sustainable development.
The system is expected to carry approximately 53 million passengers annually, significantly expanding Ireland's public transport capacity.
Road congestion imposes substantial economic costs through lost productivity, unreliable journey times and increased business costs. By providing a fast, reliable and high-capacity alternative to car travel, MetroLink will help address these challenges while supporting future economic growth.
Sustainability
MetroLink will support Ireland's transition to a more sustainable transport network by providing an attractive alternative for people. As part of an integrated public transport system alongside Luas, DART+, BusConnects and Irish Rail services, MetroLink will help reduce transport-related emissions and contribute to national climate objectives.
By encouraging greater use of public transport, MetroLink will help create a more connected, liveable and sustainable Greater Dublin Area for future generations.
Building a Greener Future with MetroLink
MetroLink will provide a reliable, high-capacity public transport connection across Dublin, helping to reduce dependency on private vehicles, ease congestion, improve air quality and support Ireland's transition to a lower-carbon future.
It will connect people efficiently while minimising our environmental footprint, building a responsible pathway for generations to come.
MetroLink will provide a greener way to move around the city by reducing traffic congestion, air pollution, and carbon emissions.
During construction, we commit to ensuring that every stage of the process is built on the foundations of environmental responsibility and community care.
Our sustainability strategy is built around three core pillars: Environment, Community Commitment, and Socio-Economic Impact.
Our Environmental Promise
We are actively working to minimise our carbon footprint and reduce waste throughout the life of the project.
- Industry Leading Sustainability Standards: We are designing and building MetroLink to meet the rigorous BREEAM Infrastructure standards, with a target of a "Very Good" rating and an aspiration to reach "Excellent".
- Managing Carbon: We use dedicated carbon management tools to measure, monitor, and report carbon performance throughout design and construction, helping us identify opportunities to reduce emissions. We encourage our partners to adopt the highest international standards for carbon management.
- Waste Reduction: We are committed to a circular economy. Our goal is to divert 95% of our construction and demolition waste from landfills. We are targeting 98% recyclability for all rail materials, including our trains and rail systems.
Building Responsibly
We know that building major infrastructure in a city requires care and consideration for our neighbours and for our environment.
- Considerate Construction: MetroLink requires all contractors to adhere to the Considerate Constructors Scheme, while project teams actively monitor performance to ensure these standards are maintained.
- Environment & Wellbeing: We have developed comprehensive plans to manage noise, vibration, and air quality, especially in sensitive urban areas.
- Certified Management: All project partners must achieve and maintain ISO14001 certification, an international standard for effective environmental management.
Investing in Our Community
MetroLink is designed to create lasting social value and ensure a diverse, inclusive workforce.
- Diversity & Inclusion: We require our contractors to have robust Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) plans. We actively monitor and report on diversity metrics to ensure our workforce reflects the community we serve.
- Social Value: Our sustainability plan is informed by local needs. We track and report our work to ensure that we are delivering real benefits to the communities along the MetroLink alignment.
Published: 17/09/2026
