Alstom has secured contracts worth approximately €95 million with Iarnród Éireann to install the European Train Control System (ETCS) on up to 176 existing rail vehicles, strengthening Ireland’s long-term railway modernisation programme and creating a significant engineering delivery commitment.

Signed in Dublin on 13 October 2026, the contracts cover the design, manufacture, installation, testing, commissioning and maintenance of ETCS Level 1 onboard equipment. The programme forms part of Ireland’s Train Protection System National Rollout Programme, which aims to progressively establish ETCS as the country’s principal train protection technology. Alstom’s official announcement confirms the contract value and scope.

The procurement covers a broad mix of existing rolling stock, including Class 22000 InterCity Railcars, Classes 29000, 2800 and 2600, Class 8500 DART trains, Class 201 locomotives and Mark 4 Driving Van Trailers. An option is also included for Class 071 locomotives. This variety makes the programme a complex integration project, requiring equipment to be adapted and validated across different train types rather than installed through a single standard process.

Delivery will begin with prototype vehicles for each fleet type, followed by wider installation, system integration, testing, safety assessment and authorisation for passenger service. The work will take place at dedicated facilities in Dublin, with Alstom drawing on its international signalling expertise. For procurement teams and the wider rail supply chain, the programme highlights the importance of specialist technical capability, testing resources and long-term maintenance support in major transport contracts.

The award builds on earlier ETCS deployment in Ireland, including approximately 120 kilometres of trackside infrastructure between Dundalk and Greystones and the certification of the first Irish train equipped with the technology. The retrofit programme is separate from Alstom’s DART+ rolling-stock contracts, under which new trains are being supplied with ETCS fitted as standard. Meanwhile, Iarnród Éireann is progressing a separate trackside national rollout procurement, with the contract award targeted for mid-2027, according to Global Railway Review’s coverage.

For the sector, the lesson is direct: Ireland’s rail modernisation programme is creating a substantial pipeline for signalling, engineering and specialist infrastructure delivery. Alstom’s €95 million award provides a clear step forward for the existing fleet, while the planned trackside procurement could open further opportunities for qualified suppliers as the national rollout progresses.

Source: Railway PRO / Alstom / Global Railway Review