A tender has been announced for the supply of trains for the international route between Dublin and Belfast, as reported by the railway portal Railway Supply.

Tender for the Supply of Trains

Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann, IÉ) and Northern Irish Rail (Iarnród Thuaisceart Éireann, ITÉ) have launched a competition to procure eight hybrid trains to replace the existing diesel-powered Enterprise trains that operate on the border between Belfast and Dublin.

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The plan includes the signing of an eight-year framework agreement, within which a contract for maintenance and the supply of spare parts for up to 15 years will be established. The total cost of this procurement is estimated at 650 million euros.

The new trains, with a length of up to 200 meters, are scheduled to enter service with an hourly interval between them in 2028-2029 on the existing 1600mm gauge line between Dublin and Belfast. The travel time between the final destinations is not expected to exceed two hours.

Initially, the new trains will use a hybrid power system, combining a diesel engine and rechargeable batteries, which will be charged from the existing overhead contact lines with a voltage of 1.5 kV on the Dublin – Malahide section.

In the coming years, plans include completing the electrification of the Malahide – Drogheda section. In the future, a transition to power supply from overhead lines and batteries is possible, which will allow for a complete phase-out of diesel engines.

Applications for participation in the tender will be accepted until November 6, 2023.

Photo: Iarnród Éireann

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