Plans for a metro line running north–south across Dublin from Estuary in Swords via the airport and city centre to Charlemont (interchange with light rail) have been given planning permission by An Coimisiún Pleanála, the statutory body that decides on appeals from planning decisions made by local authorities in Ireland. The original application for a railway order was made in 2022. The 18.8km MetroLink line will have 16 stations, all but four underground, and should attract 53M passengers/year. However construction is unlikely to start until 2027 and could take eight years to complete. Final costs are not yet known, but EUR 23bn has been estimated. Two consortia have indicated they will bid to build the line. A statuary body to deliver the project will be established shortly.
