LUAS Network + Future Expansion

Frank Grimes · 04-09-2025 05:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123782596#Comment_123782596

Not this time, but I have seen it two or three times over the years and they were moving very slowly. This was on the Red Line so it's not like they move quickly on that in the best of circumstances.

AngryLips · 08-09-2025 08:27AM

Anyone any idea why the Luas real-time information boards are still showing The Point as destination for existing tram services even though all trams are currently terminating at Connolly? Are they stupid?

loyatemu · 08-09-2025 10:23AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123795124#Comment_123795124

I had to tell some tourists waiting at the Point stop that the service wasn't running. Whilst there's a message scrolling on the information boards, it's tiny and it doesn't specifically say the service is cancelled or the stop closed. They need to put big posters up on the closed stops, not everyone is a local.

bk · 08-09-2025 11:30AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123795416#Comment_123795416

There is a replacement bus service, but it is operating from different location. As you say there should be big signs up directing people to the closest replacement bus stop.

Skyte · 08-09-2025 12:12PM

There is a big sign plastered on the wall where you sit saying the stations closed, but it does kind of blend in, I did also notice a staff member there the first few days atleast, are they not there anymore?

Woah · 08-09-2025 05:23PM

With the kylemore dart station being announced today and saying it will be Luas compatible I wonder will that route now emerge as the preferred route for the Lucan luas? It would make sense although linking up with the existing red line at the bottom of Kylemore would effect capacity etc. I imagine

CatInABox · 08-09-2025 06:19PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123796715#Comment_123796715

Almost certainly. Two of the routes already looked at in the feasibility study go down that road, so the route is pretty much certain already.

In terms of capacity, it probably won't affect it too much to be honest. The line in that location (Blackhorse and Drinmagh stops) would have capacity to spare, whereas further into the city the capacity collapses because it's more shared with traffic.

Woah · 08-09-2025 06:25PM

So do you recon it will branch off elsewhere after drimnagh onto new lines? I agree around Jervis etc I can't imagine supporting 2 lines

CatInABox · 08-09-2025 09:17PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123796885#Comment_123796885

Ah, one of them splits after Fatima, and continues basically straight to join up with the Green Line at SSG. The other line splits at Drinmagh, and heads out the canal until it gets near Charlemont, where it kinda turns up and circles back around.

The second line looks far more likely, just FYI, as it appears to be in the low res map from the Luas 2050 doc, and not the SSG one.

Of course, it could still all change, they're only in the preferred route stage now, but to be honest, I'd eat my hat if they aren't going with the line down the canal to Charlemont, future Metrolink station.

murphaph · 09-09-2025 01:05PM

IMO the majority of passengers heading eastbound on Lucan Luas will alight at Kylemore Park and take the DART into the city. Red Line users will wish they could do the same lol. Eventually the Red Line may well be be re-oriented to take passengers from Tallaght and Sagart as quickly as possible (these are the nice, fast bits of the Red Line after all) to Kylemore Park, terminating there rather than going all the way into the city centre. The Lucan Luas would continue on into the city on the Red Line alignment and/or a new alignment south of the river for anyone needing to reach points along there.

riddlinrussell · 09-09-2025 02:31PM

I think the case is made stronger for a metro-lite luas west around the M50 when DART+ is complete, rather than convolution of the red line operating patterns.

spillit67 · 09-09-2025 03:54PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123798802#Comment_123798802

I think it is more likely that the Red Line and the Lucan line interchange (the Luas 2050 mock up had them sharing track which I hate) which gives people coming in from that direction an option to get to the south core quicker.

I have my doubts that there’ll be enough “turn up and go” DART SW services from Kylemore that would lead to demand for a Red Line detour (that’d be 4-5 mins I reckon) and termination there vs. just continuing on the Red Line (and having an interchange with Lucan Luas if you want to get somewhere else in the core). Outside of the availability of services which would induce demand, it’s 28 mins from Kylemore to Bus Áras Luas at the moment via the Red Line (where in between you could connect to Metro Link at O’Connell Street or DART Coastal at Connolly). Your detour would be 5 mins to Kylemore DART, 3 min interchange and onwards of c. 15 mins via DART SW to either Connolly or Spencer Dock (I’d have thought that’s optimistic, it currently takes 21 mins to Connolly from Park West and that’s before stations are added). I don’t think this would be viewed as competitive to result in termination of services at Kylemore DART, particularly as Spencer Dock station (where a chunk of these services end) isn’t as desirable as OCS or Connolly. The Red Line itself is slow but would provide the exact same connections with less hassle.

The Lucan Luas and DART+ are more like half baked solutions to the issue of Red Line capacity and overall E-W city centre connectivity vs. DART+ Tunnel but you can see how it will improve things.

spillit67 · 09-09-2025 04:15PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123797291#Comment_123797291

I’d also be shocked if that line doesn’t eventually get to GCD DART.

OisinCooke · 09-09-2025 05:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123797291#Comment_123797291

I’d personally favour a route directly to SSG (and beyond) far more than a loop down along the canal to Charlemont. It’s a much more attractive route, serving lots more desirable destinations than along the canal where there is not nearly as much attractive catchment. The south city core needs a new line through it, and I’d be very disappointed if they didn’t recognise this with the Lucan plans. Any ideas on when we’ll actually get an emerging preferred route?

AngryLips · 10-09-2025 10:10AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123799381#Comment_123799381

Yea let's not forget that promised service patterns are not the delivered service patterns in most cases. I still remember when Luas was being built it was billed at offering 3 minute frequencies, but I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've observed such frequencies as an occasional user of the service.

spillit67 · 10-09-2025 10:44AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123799633#Comment_123799633

My take is that is that the DART+ Tunnel will do that inner core.

The Canal is still very useful as is core imo. Heuston-Charlemount-Grand Canal Dock are very desirable destinations actually. You pick up many of the bus spines (as well as other Luas/DART/MetroLink) along it and it allows more connectivity.

LXFlyer · 10-09-2025 10:47AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123802106#Comment_123802106

The Green Line certainly does operate at 3 min frequency between Sandyford and Parnell during the height of the morning peak.

Kermit.de.frog · 20-09-2025 12:45AM

Any chance we could ban having gaudy advertising plastered all over Luas trams?

OisinCooke · 21-09-2025 01:22PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123832836#Comment_123832836

I disagree, I actually quite like it, the two all-red ones on the Green Line (Vodafone and Coca Cola) and the all-black Uber/Aer Lingus one all look quite attractive. The two all-red ones would have been better placed on the Red Line but I still have no issue with full length tram adverts at all, in fact it adds a bit of colour and interest to the morning commute.

In fact even the look of having coloured trams based on the line’s own colour might be an interesting idea, especially if different lines start to share sections of track in the future. Imagine those all-red trams on the Red Line… maybe a bit much on every tram but still I have no issue with colourful advertisements on the sides of trams as things stand.

CatInABox · 21-09-2025 01:40PM

Dinner mind advertising on public transport, but the wraps that go over the windows drive me insane. Really makes the inside such a depressing looking place.

Sam Russell · 22-09-2025 10:42PM

The buses painted green with custard at the front helps passengers waiting know whether the bus is coming or not. Trams have info boards at all stops which tell whether the tram is due or not.

I would prefer the trams without the wrap.

CatInABox · 23-09-2025 09:30AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123837059#Comment_123837059

I must have been hungry when I wrote this…..

I think most people realised I meant "don't".

Ciaran · 25-09-2025 05:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123842482#Comment_123842482

I read it in a Scottish accent.

murphaph · 06-10-2025 06:25PM

Assuming the (former) N11 corridor is used to provide a parallel alternative to the green line so it can be upgraded to metro, what route would you envisage it taking?

The dual carriageway providing a highly segregate alignment is too goo to waste IMO. It's one of the few radial Luas lines I would enthusiastically support.

p_haugh · 06-10-2025 06:51PM

At minimum it would go out to UCD. It could take the Eastern Bypass alignment up to link in with the metro at Sandyford and then continue on the existing alignment south of there, or continue on the N11 until somewhere like Brewery Road. The Eastern Bypass alignment would be a lot cleaner in terms of available space, however.

spillit67 · 06-10-2025 07:10PM

Based on the various fantasy maps, it looks like they wouldn’t use the Eastern Bypass for this. It looked more like the Inner South Circle could end up using that and potentially terminate at Blackrock (although Booterstown might make sense).

The other one from the Dublin Transport 2042 looked fairly similar.

As far as Brewery Road and up from there would probably make the most sense based on that. Surprising to me though as they could surely cut out a lot of cost by using the Eastern Bypass.

murphaph · 06-10-2025 07:20PM

I think they definitely need to go as far as Brewery Road and cut across to the depot there at the earliest. In theory they could keep going down the N11 to Bray in time I suppose.

I think it would be a shame not to upgrade the entirety of the Green Line to metro, even south of the Sandyford Depot (which would remain in use for trams). The vast majority of it is grade separated and is suitable for metro upgrade (with some "tweaks").

spillit67 · 06-10-2025 08:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123883750#Comment_123883750

Bray will connect via Cherrywood on the old alignment. Hard to justify going further than Brewery Road I think.

murphaph · 07-10-2025 08:30AM

I didn't realise they wanted to use the old alignment into Bray. It joins the DSER north of Bray. In my crayon world it makes sense to convert the entrirety of the existing green line to metro, upgrading structures as necessary. Yes, there are pinch points south of the depot that were sadly not built in a metro-friendly way but much of it was, with fairly generous grade separation for a tram line. If it's possible to get back onto the old alignment at Cherrywood, I wonder would the powers that be not "simply" consider using that for metro to Woodbrook and providing DART-Metro interchange there.

If that was to happen, the "new" green line down the N11 could continue down the N11 all the way to Bray but serve the west and south of the town. Interchange with metro could be provided at Shankill where the two alignments would cross.

The N11 dual carriageway is simply too good an option not to put light rail on. I would however like to see them take their time and provide flyovers and underpasses so the trams aren't stuck at lights. The red line's mistakes should not be repeated. You'd get close to metro level capacity that way and indeed, with that level of grade separation one could contemplate automated running along the N11 corridor. A driver would only need to board to guide the tram through city streets. and possibly at the Bray end through those residential areas. There would be no real need for drivers to sit in the tram all the way along the N11 corridor if it was grade separated.

riddlinrussell · 07-10-2025 08:38AM

Well you'd probably still have a driver sitting in it, more in the vein of the DLR support staff for that section, otherwise you're introducing a delay for driver change at the change from automated running to driver operated…

LUAS Network + Future Expansion

Comments