Iarnród Éireann Adds Early Morning Capacity to Northern Commuter Route

Ardee & Mid Louth News | Local Transport

Iarnród Éireann, with the approval of the National Transport Authority, has confirmed that a new limited-stop morning service between Drogheda and Dublin Connolly will commence on Monday, 20th April.

The new 06:05hrs service is designed to meet record demand on the rail network, which saw 5.5 million journeys across the Northern Commuter route alone in 2025. The addition brings the total number of morning trains departing Drogheda before 9:30 AM to twelve.

New Service Schedule & Stops

The 06:05hrs departure will operate as a six-carriage train, providing a significant boost to seating capacity for early morning commuters. The service will serve the following stations:

• Drogheda: 06:05
• Balbriggan: 06:19
• Skerries: 06:25
• Rush & Lusk: 06:32
• Donabate: 06:38
• Malahide: 06:44
• Dublin Connolly: 07:09

Strategic Expansion

The service was identified following recent engagements between the Minister for Transport, Darragh O’Brien TD, and transport agencies to find immediate solutions for capacity issues ahead of the major DART+ expansion.

Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive Mary Considine noted that while massive investment is planned for 2027—including the introduction of the battery-electric DART fleet—this new service allows the company to “quickly bring real benefit to existing commuters” on one of the country’s busiest lines.

Revised Morning Peak Departures (From April 20th)

Commuters traveling from Drogheda now have an expanded range of options for reaching the city centre:

• 05:54: To Grand Canal Dock (Arrive 06:47)
• 06:05: To Connolly (Arrive 07:09) *New Service*
• 06:25: To Pearse (Arrive 07:28)
• 06:40: To Pearse (Arrive 07:48)
• 06:55: To Bray (Arrive 07:59)
• 07:05: To Bray (Arrive 08:07)

Future of the Northern Commuter

Looking ahead, the first half of 2027 will see the introduction of 130 new battery-electric DART carriages. This new fleet, coupled with charging infrastructure currently being installed at Drogheda Station, will eventually replace existing Intercity and Commuter trains on the route, further increasing capacity and frequency for Louth passengers.