Dublin Trams | 2023 | Ireland

Luas (pronounced /ˈluːəs/ [ˈl̪ˠuəsˠ]; Irish for “speed”) is a tram system in Dublin, Ireland. There are two main lines: the Green Line, which began operating on 30 June 2004, and the Red Line which opened on 26 September 2004. Since then, both lines have been extended and split into different branches further out of the city. Further, since 2017 the two lines intersect and connect within Dublin city centre. The system now has 67 stations and 42.5 kilometres (26.4 mi) of revenue track, which in 2018 carried 41.8 million passengers, an increase of 11.2% compared to 2017.

Luas is operated by Transdev, under tender from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). (Prior to the later RPA merger with the National Roads Authority to form TII, the tender was originally under the defunct Railway Procurement Agency jurisdiction). The Luas was a major part of the National Transport Authority’s strategy (2000–2016). Four extensions to the existing Luas lines have been completed. Construction of a 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) extension to the Green line to the North city centre and Broombridge, which links both Green and Red lines, began in June 2013 and opened to passengers in December 2017. This is the extension route previously known officially as BXD.

Infrastructure

The network currently comprises two lines:

Red Line – The Point or Connolly to Saggart or Tallaght (each route is approximately 20.7 kilometres (12.9 mi) long, but the total track length is longer since the Belgard-Tallaght and Belgard-Saggart sections are separate parts of the Red Line)
Green Line – Broombridge via Sandyford to Bride’s Glen, 24.5 kilometres (15.2 mi)
The Red Line runs east–west through Dublin’s Northside, then crosses the River Liffey and travels southwest to the heavily populated suburb of Tallaght, and then on through the Citywest campus to terminate at Saggart.

Track and rolling stock

The silver Alstom Citadis trams, manufactured in La Rochelle, France, reach a top speed of 70 km/h (43 mph) on off-street sections, but travel at a slower speed on-street where conflicts with other vehicles and pedestrians can occur. The 26 initial Red Line ‘3000’ Class trams were 30-metre (98 ft 5 in) long Citadis 301 configurations with a capacity of 256. The 14 initial Green Line ‘4000 Class’ trams, each 40-metre (131 ft 3 in) long Citadis 401 configurations, have a capacity of 358 including two wheelchairs. Starting in 2007, all the Red line trams were upgraded to 40 metres (131 ft 3 in) by inserting two more articulated sections, with the last one converted by June 2008. Both configurations of tramcars are fully compatible with both the Red and the Green Lines.

26 new 43-metre Citadis 402 trams, numbered as the ‘5000 Class’, were ordered for delivery in early 2009. These are 100% low-floor configuration and solely operate on the Green Line, with the 4000 Class trams cascaded to the Red Line after the entire 5000 Class had been introduced.

7, 55-metre (180 ft 5 in) Citadis 502 variants were procured for use on the St. Stephen’s Green – Broombridge line. They were brought into service between January and June 2018. These are numbered as members of the 5000 Class. Between 2019 and 2021, all existing 5000 Class units of the Citadis 402 standard have been lengthened to match the Citadis 502 standard with minor differences. 8 further new 502 units were ordered for delivery during 2020, with the first of those entering service in July 2020.