150 new carriages will transform rail network by 2008

Iarnód Éireann has ordered 30 new train carriages at a cost of €62m to be used on the Sligo and Rosslare lines.

They are due to come into operation within two years and are part of Iarnód Eireann’s transformation of the Intercity fleet.

A further 120 carriages for the national fleet will come on stream in 2007 and 2008 and will mean higher standards of comfort and frequency of services for consumers.

The new initiative means that new trains are now on order for every route on the national network.

Spokesman Barry Kenny said Ireland is going from a situation where we have the oldest fleet in Europe to having the most modern fleet by 2008.