One of the city’s newest transport links is nearly ready to take on passengers.
The 13.7 million Euro upgrade of a rail tunnel under the Phoenix Park is almost done.
It runs from just behind Heuston Station, under the Wellington Monument, out past Garda Headquarters and goes up to join the Maynooth line near Glasnevin.
From late Autumn, you’ll be able to get on a train in Kildare town and travel all the way to Grand Canal Dock
While it’ll be the first time daily passenger trains will use the tunnel, Irish Rail’s Barry Kenny says it’s used every day by other services:
"We operate freight trains, we also transfer trains between maintenance depots through it and we would have match specials. It is usable as a rail line but in terms of the intensity of usage, we had to upgrade the tunnel, we had to work on embankments and station improvements in the likes of Drumcondra and Tara Street."
Once the work is finished, Barry says they’ll look for input from the public on the new timetable:
"Some services will continue to serve Heuston from Kildare line and some will come around to the Connolly to Grand Canal Dock section. So we want to make sure that there's a good balance of services that people who use the existing services aren't discommoded but that we give those new options and new connections".
Works on upgrading rail signals around the city, which would allow this new link to begin, are also due to finish shortly.
A changeover is planned for Sunday July 17th..
