IRELAND: Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the National Transport Authority have awarded KeolisAmey the next contract to operate and maintain the capital’s tram network. Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien said the deal ‘supports the next phase of Luas development’ as ‘a cornerstone of Dublin’s transport system for many years to come’.
The €1·3bn contract signed on March 12 starts on September 1 2026 when the current contract with Transdev ends. It will run for seven years, with an option to extend for a further six years.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland CEO Lorcan O’Connor said ‘Luas is the most successful transport infrastructure of our time, carrying 55 million passenger journeys in 2025 alone’. Thanking Transdev for its ’dedication in operating Luas for over 20 years’, he said the outgoing operator has ’helped shape the reliable, accessible service that is now synonymous with the city, allowing people to travel to where they live, work and socialise sustainably and with ease’.
Plans include an enhanced timetable with additional peak services from 2027, and progressing with the 3·9 km Finglas extension to Charlestown. O’Connor said ‘we are procuring much needed new trams to increase capacity and are prioritising the delivery of Luas extensions. Luas Finglas is ready to progress to the next stage once funding is secured, with further plans in development for Lucan and Poolbeg.’
Innovation and best practice
KeolisAmey is a 65:35 joint venture of France-based international transport operator Keolis, which is owned 70:30 by SNCF and Canadian pension fund Caisse de depot et de placement du Québec, and UK-based infrastructure engineering company Amey. The joint venture operates and maintains the Docklands Light Railway light metro in London, and Manchester’s Metrolink tram network.
‘We will bring innovation and best practice from across our existing tram and light rail operations with Amey, as well as experience from our many networks around the world’, said Alistair Gordon, CEO of Keolis UK & Ireland. Plans include a deep clean of Luas stops, remote monitoring to prevent failures, and the introduction of proven service delivery, operations and maintenance processes used elsewhere.
Amey CEO Andy Milner said ‘this partnership allows us to bring Amey’s full life-cycle engineering and asset management expertise to one of Europe’s most recognisable tram systems. Alongside our partners at Keolis – who bring decades of global operational experience in light rail – we are focused on strengthening the resilience of the network through smart maintenance, data-led insight and robust operations.’
