23 May Plans for New Navan Railway Published
Iarnród Éireann has officially published the Emerging Preferred Route for the highly anticipated reconstituted Navan Railway line. The project is set to provide direct, high-capacity DART services between Dublin City Centre and Navan, finally reconnecting the largest town in Ireland currently without an active passenger rail network.
For Navan RFC, this major infrastructure project holds particular significance. The Emerging Preferred Route is designed to predominately follow the original CIE railway alignment (which closed in 1963) wherever possible. This disused railway corridor runs along the back of our own club grounds at Balreask Old.
The new 34-kilometre electrified route will serve as an extension of the DART+ and extend the existing rail line from M3 Parkway, with new stations proposed at Dunshaughlin, Kilmessan, Navan Central, before terminating at Navan North.
Key features of the project include:
- Frequent Services: Trains running up to every 15 minutes at peak times between Navan and Dublin’s Connolly Station.
- 60-Minute Commute: A reliable, sustainable 1-hour journey time into the city center, with capacity for up to 4,400 commuters each way per hour.
- Park & Ride: Three major park-and-ride facilities planned for Dunshaughlin, Kilmessan, and Navan North.
- Environmental Impact: Aligning with the Climate Action Plan 2025 to reduce dependency on private cars and support the future economic growth of County Meath.
While much of the line utilizes the old corridor that runs behind Balreask Old, a key revision from the 1963 footprint includes a newly designed alignment to better serve the growing commuter population of Dunshaughlin.
The First Phase of Public Consultation is officially underway and will remain open until 5:00 PM on Friday, 3rd July 2026.
The insight of residents, communities, organisations and businesses adjacent to the route is vital to shaping the final design. This is our community’s opportunity to voice any questions regarding local access, boundaries, or environmental impacts before the preferred option is finalized.
All project files, detailed maps, and digital feedback forms are available online at: www.irishrail.ie/navan-line
For members wishing to see the large-scale maps, speak directly with the Iarnród Éireann project team, or ask specific questions regarding the alignment near the club grounds or elsewhere, a series of in-person consultation events have been scheduled.
The first of these events takes place this coming Wednesday at the Solstice Arts Centre, making it the perfect immediate opportunity for members of the Navan RFC community to drop in:
- Navan: Solstice Arts Centre (C15 KWP1) Wednesday, 27th May | 2 PM – 8 PM
- Dunshaughlin: Pastoral Centre (A85 W886) Thursday, 4th June | 2 PM – 8 PM
- Navan: Navan Education Centre (C15 RK03) Tuesday, 9th June | 3 PM – 8 PM
- Kilmessan: Station House Hotel (C15 N40D) Tuesday, 16th June | 2 PM – 8 PM
- Online Public Webinar Thursday, 18th June | 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM (Register online or email navan@irishrail.ie)
Following this consultation period, all submissions will be reviewed by the design team to develop the final “Preferred Option,” which will be subject to a second round of public feedback later in the project timeline.
Because the proposed route sits right on our doorstep, all club members and the wider Navan RFC community are encouraged to engage with the public consultation process, view the maps, and attend the local information events.