Rail transport in Ireland

Ireland
An Iarnród Éireann 22000 Class DMU at Colbert Station, Limerick
Operation
Major operators	Iarnród Éireann & NIR
System length
Total	2,733 km (1,698 mi)
Electrified	53 km (33 mi)
Freight only	362 km (225 mi)
Track gauge
Main	1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Electrification
1500 V DC	DART in Dublin
Features
No. stations	147
Map Active train lines in Ireland, with locations of major Airports and Ports in proximity to rail lines

Map
Active train lines in Ireland, with locations of major Airports and Ports in proximity to rail lines

Heavy Rail services in Ireland (InterCity, commuter and freight) are provided by Iarnród Éireann in the Republic of Ireland and by Northern Ireland Railways in Northern Ireland.

Most routes in the Republic radiate from Dublin. Northern Ireland has suburban routes from Belfast and two main InterCity lines, to Derry and cross-border to Dublin.

The accompanying map of the current railway network shows lines that are fully operational (in red), carrying freight only traffic (in black) and with dotted black lines those which have been "mothballed" (i.e. closed to traffic but potentially easily re-openable). Some airports are indicated but none is rail-connected, although Kerry Airport and Belfast City Airport are within walking distance of a railway station. Both the City of Derry Airport and Belfast International (Aldergrove) are near railway lines but not connected. Ports are marked, although few remain rail-connected. Larne Harbour and Rosslare Europort are ports that are still connected.

Ireland's only light rail service, the Luas, is in Dublin. No metro lines currently exist in Ireland but there is a proposed Metro North line which would serve Dublin.

The first railway in Ireland opened in 1834. At its peak in 1920, Ireland had 5,600 km (3,480 mi) of railway, now only about one third of this remains. A large area around the border area has no rail service.

Ireland's first Light rail line was opened on 30 June 2004.

Diesel traction is the sole form of motive power in both the IÉ and NIR networks, apart from the electrified Howth/Malahide-Greystones (DART) suburban route in Dublin. Apart from prototypes and a small number of shunting locomotives, the first major dieselisation programme in CIÉ commenced in the early 1950s with orders for ninety-four locomotives of two sizes (A and C classes) from Metropolitan-Vickers which were delivered from 1955, with a further twelve (B class) locomotives from Sulzer in the late 1950s.