Rail services between Lansdowne Road and Dalkey have been suspended due to damage to overhead power lines, with disruption expected to continue through the evening rush hour.
In a statement released this afternoon, Iarnród Éireann confirmed that the issue had originated in Blackrock, saying: “Rail services between Lansdowne Road and Dalkey are currently suspended due to damage to overhead lines.”
Dublin Bus will be accepting rail tickets for affected DART customers, according to the company. Commuter delays are also expected on connected routes.
“Dublin Bus are accepting rail tickets for DART customers affected,” the statement continued. “Bus transfers are in operation between Dublin Connolly and Bray for Dublin / Rosslare Europort services.”
The company added that repairs are underway, but gave no estimate for full service restoration.
“We are working to rectify the damage, but do not currently have a time for services to be restored,” Iarnród Éireann said. “Disruption is expected to continue throughout the evening peak.”
The company apologised to customers for the inconvenience.
“Iarnród Éireann apologises to customers for the inconvenience caused,” it stated.
In an alert issued on social media shortly after 6pm, the company described the incident as a “major disruption to DART services” and confirmed that services were “suspended between Lansdowne Road and Dalkey until further notice” due to “an issue with the overhead lines at Blackrock.”
Rail infrastructure in the Dublin area has faced recurring problems in recent years, particularly with overhead line equipment (OHLE), which supplies electric power to DART services. Similar issues caused temporary shutdowns on the southern coastal line in March of this year.
The affected stretch includes key commuter stations such as Blackrock, Dún Laoghaire, and Dalkey, serving thousands of passengers daily during peak hours.
Irish Rail’s track worker safety manual states that the overhead line equipment (OHLE) used to power the DART operates at 1,500 volts of direct current and is classified as “extremely dangerous.”
The manual advises workers to “always consider the OHLE to be ‘live’,” warning that any contact with it “may result in death or serious injury.”
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