Stadler signs £548m deal for new Belfast-Dublin Enterprise fleet

A major contract to deliver a new generation of trains for the Belfast-Dublin Enterprise route has officially been signed, paving the way for a significant upgrade to cross-border rail travel between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Swiss manufacturer Stadler has secured the £548 million (€698 million) agreement to supply eight new tri-mode trainsets alongside associated infrastructure improvements for the Enterprise service.

The contract, signed at Belfast Grand Central Station, represents one of the largest rail investments on the island of Ireland in recent years and forms part of wider ambitions to modernise the key intercity corridor between Belfast and Dublin.

The programme is being jointly funded by the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive, with additional support provided through the PEACEPLUS funding programme.

Stadler’s new fleet will be based on its FLIRT platform and is expected to enter passenger service from late 2028, replacing the existing Enterprise trains which have operated on the route since the late 1990s.

Each new ten-car train will carry around 400 passengers and include upgraded standard and first-class accommodation, improved luggage space, onboard catering facilities and fully step-free interiors designed to improve accessibility.

The trains will also feature level boarding at every doorway, helping improve passenger movement and reducing station dwell times.

A key feature of the new fleet is its tri-mode propulsion system, allowing the trains to operate using battery, diesel and electric power depending on the section of route being travelled.

Under current plans, the trains will operate on battery power around Belfast, switch to diesel operation between Belfast and Drogheda, and then use overhead electric power south of Drogheda into Dublin.

The wider programme also includes infrastructure upgrades aimed at improving reliability and reducing journey times between the two cities to under two hours.

Rail operators hope the investment will eventually support up to 16 daily services in each direction while significantly improving passenger experience and operational performance.

The agreement follows several months of uncertainty after rival manufacturer CAF launched a legal challenge against the procurement process. However, the High Court in Dublin lifted the injunction in late 2025, allowing the contract to proceed.

Iarnród Éireann chief executive Mary Considine described the deal as the beginning of “a new chapter” for the Enterprise route, while Translink group chief executive Chris Conway said the investment would “transform the Enterprise experience” for passengers travelling across the island of Ireland.