Belfast–Dublin line

Dublin-Belfast Main Line
Enterprise De Dietrich DVT 9003 at Adelaide (Northern Ireland)
Overview
Other name(s)	The Great Northern Main Line Dublin Line Belfast Line
Native name	Líne iarnróid Bhaile Átha Cliath - Béal Feirste
Status	Operational
Locale	Ireland
Termini	Belfast Grand Central Dublin Connolly
Connecting lines	Belfast-Bangor line Belfast-Larne line Belfast-Derry~Londonderry line Dublin-Rosslare line Dublin Sligo line Dublin-Cork line Luas
Former connections	Lisburn–Antrim line
Stations	34
Service
Type	Commuter rail Regional rail Heavy rail Freight rail
System	Iarnród Éireann NI Railways
Services	Dublin Connolly – Belfast Grand Central Dublin Connolly – Drogheda MacBride/Dundalk Clarke Belfast Grand Central – Lisburn Belfast Grand Central – Portadown Belfast Grand Central – Newry Portadown – Newry (morning only) DART Malahide/Howth – Bray (– Greystones)
Operator(s)	Iarnród Éireann NI Railways
Depot(s)	Adelaide Depot (Translink) Drogheda (Iarnród Éireann) Fairview DART depot (Iarnród Éireann)
Rolling stock	071 Class 201 Class 8100 Class 8500 Class 8510 Class 8520 Class 3000 Class "C3K" 4000 Class "C4K" 22000 Class "ICR" 29000 Class "CxK" De Dietrich Stock
History
Opened	1876
Technical
Line length	181 kilometres (112 mi)
Number of tracks	Double track
Track gauge	1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Irish gauge
Electrification	1,500 V DC overhead line (south of Malahide)
Operating speed	90 mph (140 km/h)
Route map (Click to expand) Year closed Great Victoria Street 2024 Belfast Grand Central Westlink / Central Junction to Lanyon Place Adelaide Depot Adelaide Balmoral Finaghy M1 Dunmurry Derriaghy Lambeg Hilden Lisburn Knockmore 2005 Lisburn-Antrim line 2003 Banbridge, Lisburn & Belfast Jn Rly to Banbridge 1956 Maze 1974 Broomhedge Halt 1973 Damhead 1973 Moira M1 Pritchard's Bridge 1844 Lurgan Goodyear Halt 1983 Seagoe 1842 River Bann Portadown to Dungannon, Omagh and Londonderry 1965 to Armagh, Clones and Cavan 1957 Tanderagee 1965 Banbridge Jn Rly to Banbridge 1955 Scarva Acton Crossing 1954 Poyntzpass Augheranter Crossing 1954 Knockarney Crossing 1965 Newry and Armagh Railway to Armagh 1955 Goraghwood 1965 to Warrenpoint 1965 Mullaghglass 1901 Bessbrook and Newry Tramway Craigmore Viaduct Newry MacNeill's Egyptian Arch Wellington Inn 1852 Adavoyle 1933 Northern Ireland Ireland border Mt. Pleasant 1965 M1 Castletown River Dundalk Clarke Dundalk Junct. station 1894 ← to Clones and Enniskillen│to Greenore → 1957/1952 Dundalk Railway Works 1958 Castlebellingham 1976 to Ardee 1975 Dromin Junction 1975 Dunleer 1984 Newfoundwell Boyne Viaduct Drogheda MacBride Oldcastle branch line (freight only) Bettystown 1847 Laytown Laytown Viaduct Mosney 2000 Gormanston Balbriggan Ardgillan 1867 Skerries Skerries Golf Club Halt 1960 Baldongan 1847 Rush and Lusk Rogerstown Viaduct Donabate Broadmeadow viaduct Malahide Portmarnock Clongriffin Baldoyle 1852 to Howth Howth Junction & Donaghmede Kilbarrack Raheny Harmonstown Killester Clontarf 1956 Clontarf Road Fairview DART depot River Tolka North Wall Yard to Alexandra Road Western Commuter & Sligo Line Docklands The Royal Canal Dublin Connolly Luas Red Line to Tallaght and Saggart Loopline Bridge Trans-Dublin Line & Rosslare Line = Northern Commuter = Newry/Portadown Line

The Dublin-Belfast Line or The Great Northern Main Line (Dublin line by NI Railways and Belfast line by Iarnród Éireann) is a 112-mile (181 km) semi-electrified railway connecting Belfast Grand Central in Northern Ireland to Dublin Connolly in the Republic of Ireland. The key towns and cities of Skerries, Drogheda, Dundalk, Newry, Portadown, Lurgan, and Lisburn are situated along the line. The Dublin-Belfast Line is the busiest railway route on the island of Ireland, carrying a mixture of intercity rail, regional rail, commuter rail traffic and freight traffic. It is uniquely significant as the only railway line that crosses the Republic of Ireland–United Kingdom border.

History

Early Development

The construction of the Dublin–Belfast line was undertaken by three separate railway companies:

• Ulster Railway: Incorporated in by the Ulster Railway Act 1836, the Ulster Railway began construction in March 1837. By August 1839, It had completed the initial 7-mile stretch between Belfast Station (changing to Belfast Victoria Street, later renamed Belfast Great Victoria Street) and Lisburn. The line progressively extended to Lurgan 1841 and then Portadown by 1842 and further to Clones by 1863. Initially built to a broad gauge, the Ulster Railway later converted to the Irish standard gauge of 5 feet 3 inches to ensure compatibility with other lines.
• Dublin and Drogheda Railway (D&D): Authorised by Dublin and Drogheda Railway Act 1836 & 1840 established the route between Dublin and Drogheda. Initially the line opened on 24 May 1844 from Drogheda to Dublin Royal Canal later changing to Dublin Station (Later Amiens street then Connolly) on the 29 November 1844.
• Dublin and Belfast Junction Railway (D&B Jct): Incorporated in 1845, the Dublin and Belfast Junction Railway aimed to bridge the gap between the D&D at Drogheda and the Ulster Railway at Portadown. The line opened in stages between 1849 and 1853, with the completion of the Boyne Viaduct in 1855 marking the final connection. This connection completed the direct line between Dublin and Belfast.

Amalgamation and Formation of the Great Northern Railway (Ireland)

In 1875, the Dublin and Drogheda Railway and the Dublin and Belfast Junction Railway merged to form the Northern Railway of Ireland. A year later, this entity combined with the Ulster Railway and the Irish North Western Railway, resulting in the creation of the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) (GNRI) in 1876. This consolidation streamlined operations and management across the network.

The partition of Ireland in 1922 meant that the Irish border passed between Goraghwood and Dundalk, causing delays as trains were required to stop at stations on either side of the border for customs examinations. This disruption was eased in 1947 with the opening of facilities for customs checks at Amiens Street station in Dublin and Great Victoria Street station in Belfast though this only helped its recently introduced enterprise Express.

At the same time, the GNRI made its Belfast–Dublin services non-stop with the launch of the Enterprise Express. The GNRI was nationalised by the governments of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in 1953 as the Great Northern Railway Board, but in 1958 this was split between the Ulster Transport Authority and Córas Iompair Éireann. This led to a running down of rail services in Northern Ireland, leaving only some Belfast commuter lines, the northern route to Derry and the link to Dublin. In 1970 the newly formed NI Railways bought new locomotives and rolling stock for the Belfast–Dublin Enterprise service as well as new diesel multiple units for local services.

Previous Developments

New Enterprise Trains (1997)

In 1997, a set of new De Dietrich Stock coaches were purchased jointly by Northern Ireland Railways and Iarnród Éireann to operate a revamped Enterprise service along with the new Class 201 locomotives.

National Development Plan (2000)

In 2000, the government of the Republic of Ireland developed a National Development Plan, which has seen major investment in infrastructure. Almost the entire railway network, including the Belfast–Dublin line as far as the border, has been upgraded to continuous welded rail, while signalling is controlled using the Centralised Traffic Control system located at Dublin Connolly station.

Translink Developments (2006)

Translink announced in March 2006 that planning permission was sought from Newry and Mourne District Council to construct a new railway station to the east of the existing station at Newry. Platform improvement and extension is proposed, as are replacement canopies, a track maintenance building and a new 'Park and Ride' facility. Alongside this, a major upgrade is currently taking place to refurbish all the stations on this line with the exception of Bangor, Lanyon Place and Great Victoria Street. This project is estimated to cost £7 million.

Hourly Enterprise Service (2024)

On Tuesday, 29th October 2024, the new hourly Enterprise train service launched, connecting Belfast Grand Central Station and Dublin's Connolly Station. This development was made possible by €25 million in funding from the Irish government's Shared Island Fund and the Department of Transport. The opening of Belfast Grand Central Station also contributed to this significant expansion. Now, the service operates fifteen times in each direction from Monday to Saturday and eight times each way on Sundays.

Current developments

DART+ Coastal North (2021)

The DART North project includes several key upgrades to enhance rail connectivity and service quality. To start, the electrified rail network will extend from Malahide to Drogheda, covering approximately 37 kilometres. This involves installing overhead electrification equipment (OHLE) similar to the current DART network. Additionally, new train stabling facilities and other necessary rail infrastructure improvements at key locations such as Drogheda MacBride, Malahide, Clongriffin, and Howth Junction & Donaghmede Stations will increase the number of trains running and improve service frequency. Accessibility at Howth Junction & Donaghmede Station will receive significant enhancements to improve the overall customer experience. Upgraded signalling systems and telecommunications along the route will ensure safe and efficient train operations. By transitioning from diesel to electric trains, the project aims to reduce the carbon footprint and support sustainable development in line with government policies.

New Enterprise Trains (2027)

In 2027, the Enterprise train service between Belfast and Dublin will introduce new trains, replacing the existing fleet. Funded by €165 million from the PEACEPLUS Programme, the new trains will reduce journey times to under two hours, improve accessibility, and enhance passenger experience. The eight new trains will be designed for sustainability, supporting net zero carbon emissions goals.

FourNorth

It was announced in October 2024 Irish Rail planned to upgrade the line between Connolly and Malahide to have four tracks as recommended by the All-Island Strategic Rail Review. A public consultation is to take place in late 2026 while passing loops are installed along the line in the meantime with EU funding.

Proposed developments

High-speed rail proposal (2020)

In 2020 the Irish Government confirmed it will be launching a study into an approximately 500 km (310 mi) high-speed railway from Belfast via Dublin to Cork and Limerick, which could cost around €15 billion.

All Ireland Rail review (2024)

The All-Island Strategic Rail Review proposes several significant developments to enhance rail connectivity across Ireland. Portadown is set to become a major interchange, with plans to restore the railway line from Derry~Londonderry to Portadown, thereby improving connectivity in the northwest region. A new intercity station is proposed for Craigavon, aiming to serve as a key hub in the region and support regional development. A new high-speed spur line from Newry is proposed via Banbridge to Belfast Grand Central. In the Dublin area, the review suggests constructing a spur from Clongriffin to Dublin Airport, providing direct rail access to Ireland's busiest airport. Additionally, there are plans to quadruple track from Clongriffin to Connolly and build a spur between Clongriffin and Drogheda along the M1 to increase capacity and service frequency. These initiatives are part of a broader €37/£32 billion plan to transform the islands rail network by 2050, focusing on electrification, speed enhancements, and expanded services to promote sustainable travel and regional development.

Popular culture

The Dublin–Belfast railway line has been featured in various cultural works, reflecting its significance in connecting two major cities on the island of Ireland. In literature, the line is depicted in novels such as "The Journey Home" by Dermot Bolger, where it symbolizes the protagonist's return to Dublin. The route has also been released as a commercial add on for Microsoft Train Simulator by Making Tracks. It was released in two sections, part one covering Belfast Central (Now Lanyon Place) to Dundalk Clarke, with part two covering the section from Dundalk Clarke to Dublin Tara street. It is set during the 2000s.

Gallery

• 
  Craigmore Viaduct in Bessbrook near Newry.
• 
  Craigmore Viaduct with the Mournes in the background, seen from Bessbrook near Newry station.
• 
  NIR 201 Class Loco 8208 heading the ex Dublin Connolly Enterprise south of Poyntzpass 2019
• 
  Class 3000 terminating at Lisburn station after working the Belfast Commuter service 2021
• 
  Dundalk Central signal cabin
• 
  Viaduct over the River Bann near Portadown.
• 
  The exGatwick Express rolling stock on the line at Goodyear near Seagoe.
• 
  220 passing Laytown Station 2005
• 
  The 11.20 hrs service from Dublin Connolly to Belfast gathers speed at Clontarf Road Station, powered today by Translink / NIR engine 8208. 2019
• 
  Northern Ireland Railways General Motors class 111, 8112, passing Clontarf Road Dart Station, beside DART 8603, 2022
• 
  Train departing, Finaghy station Belfast 2008
• 
  Southbound DART train arrives at Clongriffin 2010

Sources

• Fullerton, A. (1846). The Parliamentary Gazetter of Ireland, 1844-45. Vol. 2. Dublin, London and Edinburgh: A. Fullerton & Co.
• Hajducki, S. Maxwell (1974). A Railway Atlas of Ireland. Newton Abbott: David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-5167-2.
• McCutcheon, Alan (1969). Ireland. Railway History in Pictures. Vol. 1. Newton Abbott: David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-4651-2.
• McQuillan, Jack (26 August 2005). "Building the Boyne Viaduct". The Argus. Independent News and Media.

External links

• Dublin-Belfast Enterprise Timetable
• Northern Commuter Timetable
• Portadown Line Timetable