Plenary-led consortium welcomes approval of Dublin MetroLink Railway Order

DUBLIN, IRELAND – A consortium led by Plenary Group and also including Webuild, Hitachi Rail and Keolis has welcomed the approval of the MetroLink Railway Order.

The consortium has been working together over the past months to prepare their tender for the design, construction, delivery, and operation of a high-capacity, fully automated metro system for Dublin.

It follows the launch of the tendering process for MetroLink by the Government of Ireland, which will be administered by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).

Once complete, the MetroLink will provide a fast, frequent, zero-emissions rail link from Swords to Dublin City Centre, connecting key locations including Dublin Airport, DCU, and St. Stephen’s Green.

The project is one of the key investments set out on the National Development Plan and aligns with the Government’s sustainable transport objectives set out in Project Ireland 2040 and the Climate Action Plan. It is expected to carry up to 20,000 passengers per hour per direction at peak capacity.

Plenary, Webuild, Hitachi Rail and Keolis represent world leaders in transport infrastructure and operation, with extensive experience in the development, construction and operation of public transport systems around the world.

Plenary will act as the equity investor, financial sponsor, and lead coordinator for the consortium. With more than €50 billion in assets under management globally, Plenary brings deep expertise in long-term public-private partnership infrastructure delivery and management.

Matthew Biviano, Executive Director – Ireland at Plenary said, “We are delighted to bring together this world-class consortium in bidding for the MetroLink project. Plenary brings not only experience in funding and delivering major transport infrastructure, but also a long-term commitment to projects that deliver lasting value. We know how transformational MetroLink will be for Ireland and Dublin, and if successful in the tender, will be proud to play a central role in helping to realise this vision. This is about building a legacy, not just a rail line.”

Webuild, a global construction and engineering leader, will lead the design and delivery of the civil and structural works. With over 891 km of metro systems built and more than 120 years of experience, Webuild has delivered metro systems in dense and complex environments in more than 35 cities worldwide, like Rome, where for the complex C line it has just completed the 2 unique Museum- stations, and other archaeological stations are under construction crossing all the centre of the city. Moreover, metros have been delivered in Milan, Copenhagen, Doha and Ryad, Paris and Sydney, including airport-connected routes and underground stations in congested city centres.

Giorgio Provvidenza, Business Development Manager Ireland at Webuild said, “We look forward to bidding for Metrolink as part of this exceptional consortium. MetroLink is a project of strategic national significance. Webuild’s global expertise in delivering complex underground metro systems in major cities uniquely positions us to take on the engineering challenges of this project. We look forward to contributing to a safer, more efficient, and future-ready transport network for Dublin.”

Hitachi Rail will provide the rolling stock, advanced signalling systems, and full systems integration. A global leader in driverless rail technology, Hitachi has delivered 280 km of unattended (GoA4) metro systems across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, including Copenhagen, Milan, and Honolulu. Hitachi’s modern systems will enable Dublin MetroLink to operate safely and seamlessly.

Gennaro Romito, VP Key Initiatives at Hitachi Rail said, “Hitachi Rail will bring its cutting-edge driverless rail and digital technologies and integrated mobility solutions to this consortium bid to deliver Dublin MetroLink. As a trusted global partner in automated metro systems, we are committed to supporting a transport solution that is safe, sustainable, and transformative for Dublin.”

Keolis, the world’s leading automated metro operator, will prepare and deliver operations and maintenance of MetroLink. Keolis manages more than 500 km of driverless metro systems across eight networks worldwide, including London’s Docklands Light Railway and the Dubai Metro and is known for delivering high-performance, customer-focused operations.

Chris Wright, Business Development Director for UK & Ireland at Keolis UK said, “We are thrilled to be part of this consortium bidding for the Dublin MetroLink project. Keolis brings extensive experience in the operation of automated metro systems worldwide, and we are passionate about delivering a high-quality, customer-centric travel experience from day one. If we are successful with this tender, it will be a privilege to support Ireland’s vision for a world-class, low-emissions transport future.”

The consortium has been assembled specifically for the MetroLink project to align with TII’s vision of a sustainable, integrated and future-ready transport solution. This collective bid represents a convergence of financial strength, engineering excellence, digital innovation, and operational maturity, with each partner bringing decades of global expertise to meet the unique demands of Dublin’s growing transport needs.

The consortium’s proposal will be submitted in line with the competitive tender process.  preferred bidder is expected to be announced in 2026, with construction to commence thereafter.

The consortium is joined by a Design Joint Venture (DJV) of Arup and Egis. Bringing together decades of global metro design experience and a long-established record of contribution to Ireland’s infrastructure, the DJV will provide the Consortium with multidisciplinary design and engineering services.

Stuart Ross, Arup, Major Project Director & Andrew Doyle, Egis, Transportation Director for Ireland said, “Arup and Egis are proud to be collaborating as joint venture partners in the design aspects of the M500 Metrolink contract. Arup and Egis have both successfully delivered complex metro and rail systems across Europe and globally, connecting people sustainably in Paris, London, Copenhagen, Hong Kong and Riyadh as well as many other cities. Together we will deliver an integrated design with a commitment to sustainability, local value, innovation and technical excellence. The M500 contract is a cornerstone of the Dublin Metrolink programme, Arup and Egis together are proud to bring our combined expertise to deliver a transport system to serve communities and the city for generations.”