Next Generation Luas O&M Contract Awarded to Keolis and Amey Joint Venture
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and the National Transport Authority (NTA) formally announces the award of the next generation Luas Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Contract to successful bidder KeolisAmey to operate and maintain Luas in Dublin.
The contract, which is valued at approximately €1.3bn, was signed on 12 March 2026 and services are expected to commence under the new contract from 1 September 2026. The Contract is for an initial term of seven years, with an option to extend for a further six years.
The new contract provides for several additional elements including an enhanced timetable with additional services at peak times to be introduced in 2027.
Over the coming months, the current Luas operator Transdev will facilitate the transition to KeolisAmey as the current O&M contract awarded in 2019 will come to an end.
TII has confirmed that it expects the vast majority of Luas staff will opt to transfer to KeolisAmey in accordance with the Transfer of Undertakings Regulations Law governing transfer regulations.
KeolisAmey have good experience operating similar contracts in other jurisdictions including the Docklands Light Railway in London since 2014, where they were recently awarded a new eight-year contract for the service. They also run Manchester’s Metrolink light rail network.
Speaking on the contract announcement, Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien said:
“This contract represents an important step in delivering the Government’s ongoing programme to strengthen and expand sustainable public transport across Dublin. The Luas plays a vital role in the daily life of the city, supporting economic activity, connecting communities and providing a reliable alternative to car travel as we work towards our climate targets.
“This long-term operations and maintenance contract will ensure the Luas network continues to run safely, efficiently and to the highest standards, while delivering greater capacity and a better overall experience for passengers.
“Importantly, this contract also supports the next phase of Luas development, including the planned extension to Finglas, which will bring fast, high capacity public transport to even more communities. It provides the stable foundation needed for the continued growth of the Luas network and ensures it remains a cornerstone of Dublin’s transport system for many years to come.
I wish the new operators the best of luck.”
Anne Shaw, CEO of National Transport Ireland commented:
“This new contract is an important step in the continued development of the Luas as a high-capacity, sustainable and reliable public transport service for Dublin. With the planned future extension to Finglas and the rollout of new trams that will increase capacity, this next phase will help meet growing demand and make it easier for people to choose public transport. We look forward to working with Transport Infrastructure Ireland and KeolisAmey to ensure passengers continue to receive a safe, frequent and high-quality service as Luas continues to develop in the years ahead.”
Lorcan O’Connor, CEO at Transport Infrastructure Ireland added:
“Luas is the most successful transport infrastructure of our time, carrying 55 million passenger journeys in 2025 alone. I wish to thank all at Transdev Light Rail Dublin and their parent company Transdev Group for their dedication in operating Luas for over 20 years. They have 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.
“I am very pleased to be able to award this new contract to an experienced team in Keolis Amey as we enter a new and exciting phase for Luas. 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.”
Date Published: 12.03.2026
Ends
NOTE TO EDITOR
The KeolisAmey joint venture is 65:35 between Keolis, an international transport operator and a world leader in shared mobility, and Amey, a leading provider of full life-cycle, engineering, operations and decarbonisation solutions.
This is a continuation of a successful partnership in light rail joint ventures which started in December 2014 when KeolisAmey won the contract to operate and maintain the Docklands Light Railway in London, UK. Since then, KeolisAmey retained the DLR contract in 2024, and have also run the Manchester Metrolink tram network since 2017.
Keolis is one of the world’s largest public transport company, with turnover of nearly €8bn. Keolis is the world’s leading operator of trams and automatic metro systems, with more than 45 years' expertise and more than 25 reference networks in tram operations and maintenance globally.
For more information, please visit Keolis website: www.keolis.com
Amey is a leading provider of full life-cycle engineering, operations and decarbonisation solutions, for transport infrastructure and complex facilities, with an annual turnover of €2.2bn Euros. Amey combine expertise in Consulting & Design, Advisory & Analytics, Transport Infrastructure and Complex Facilities to design, manage, and maintain clients’ assets throughout their lifetime.
For more information, please visit the Amey website: www.amey.co.uk
CONTACT
Transport Infrastructure Ireland
lightrail@tii.ie