All-island rail review sets out €37 billion plan to improve services

A review of railway provision across the island of Ireland has proposed several new routes, including direct links to three airports.

The final report of the All-Island Strategic Rail Review contains a total of 32 recommendations aimed at enhancing the network across the next 25 years while also making train travel quicker and more environmentally friendly.

The report estimates the capital cost of implementing all the recommendations by 2050 would be between €35 to €37 billion in 2023 prices.

However, it claims that the economic benefit to society generated by the improvements would cover that bill.

The review was committed to as part of the 2020 New Decade, New Approach agreement that ended a long period without devolved government in Northern Ireland.

With the draft report having been published last year, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan and Stormont’s Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd jointly published the final version on Wednesday.

The recommendations include:

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