Ireland’s most important international gateway is flying ahead — but the ground infrastructure is stuck in a holding pattern.

Dublin Airport is booming. Over 34 million passengers passed through its terminals in 2024, with forecasts climbing to 40 million by 2030. That’s not just a success story for the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) — it’s a testament to Ireland’s growing role in global travel and trade. But there’s one glaring problem: Dublin Airport remains the only airport in Europe’s top 28 without a rail link.

The Only Major Airport in Europe Without a Train Station

From Paris to Porto, Amsterdam to Athens, Europe’s busiest airports are all connected by rail — except Dublin.

This isn’t just an inconvenience. It’s a strategic blind spot:

• Congestion on the M1 and surrounding roads is worsening.

• Car dependency is increasing emissions and travel times.

• Tourists, investors, and workers face friction right at the border of the Irish economy.

For a capital city with global ambitions — and an airport on the rise — this is a critical infrastructure gap. The aviation side is world-class. The surface access? Still stuck in the past.

Metro Dublin: The Missing Link Between the Capital and the Sky

Metro Dublin is a ready-to-deliver, 95km urban rail network, planned across six lines by 2032. It’s built on the proven success of systems like Madrid’s Metro Sur — combining high-frequency, clean, and fully integrated urban mobility. At the heart of the network: a direct rail link to Dublin Airport.

This isn’t just about convenience. It’s about:

• National competitiveness

• Climate policy

• Workforce mobility

• Resilient urban growth

Metro Dublin will allow passengers, workers, and cargo to bypass gridlock and connect directly with the city centre, major employment zones, and regional rail.

This Is How Ireland Grows

Ireland has spent decades building up Dublin Airport. Now it’s time to connect it properly. A rail link is no longer a luxury. It’s basic economic infrastructure for a 21st-century nation:

• It supports tourism and trade.

• It reduces carbon emissions.

• It unlocks housing and labour mobility across the wider region.

• It positions Dublin as a serious capital city on the global map.

The DAA has delivered on airside growth. Now transport policy must match that momentum.

Metro Dublin Is Not a Concept. It’s a Plan.

This isn’t a wish list — Metro Dublin is under design, supported by international experts, and privately advanced to accelerate delivery. It is aligned with national policy, European climate goals, and Ireland’s need for smart, scalable infrastructure.

95km of rail. 6 high-capacity lines. Fully operational by 2032. All it needs now is the will to build it.

Let’s Stop Apologising for the Gap — and Start Closing It

Every year we delay rail access to Dublin Airport is a year we concede ground — to congestion, to pollution, and to lost potential. The good news? The solution is ready. Metro Dublin is the missing link between Ireland and the world. It’s time to deliver it.