DART Rail Services Resume After Overhead Line Damage Disrupts Dublin Commute
DART rail services have resumed operations following significant disruption on Thursday, March 5th, 2026, caused by damage to overhead line equipment. The disruption, which began with a suspension of services between Pearse and Dún Laoghaire stations at 9:00 PM, expanded to include cancellations between Connolly and Dún Laoghaire, impacting evening peak services.
Overhead Line Damage and Repair Efforts
The issue stemmed from sagging overhead wires, causing damage when a DART train’s connecting arm pulled away part of the system, according to Barry Kenny, Head of Corporate Communications at Iarnród Éireann The Journal. Overnight works were completed to repair the damage, allowing services to resume on Friday, March 6th, 2026.
Impact on Friday Morning Commute
Although services have resumed, reduced capacity was reported on several lines during the Friday morning commute. Affected services included:
- 6:54 AM Greystones to Malahide
- 8:30 AM Malahide to Greystones
- 10:04 AM Greystones to Howth
- 5:30 AM Dundalk to Grand Canal Dock
- 7:55 AM Drogheda to Dún Laoghaire
The 6:59 AM service from Connolly to Bray was cancelled due to operational issues related to the previous day’s damage Irish Rail.
Alternative Transportation
During the disruption, bus transfers were in operation to mitigate the impact on commuters. Southbound passengers were provided with a bus transfer between Dublin Connolly and Bray, while a second bus transfer operated between Dún Laoghaire and Dublin Connolly The Journal. Leapcards were accepted on all TFI transport in the affected area.
Looking Ahead
Iarnród Éireann stated that while trains are moving, some services will continue to operate with reduced capacity as train sets are repositioned. The company is reviewing the cause of the overhead line damage to prevent similar incidents in the future.