Heathrow to Dublin Quicker Than Trim to Dublin – Rail Link Needed Now

Apr 18, 2025

Aontú Councillor Dave Boyne has slammed the state of Meath’s transport infrastructure, highlighting the absurdity that it’s quicker to fly from London’s Heathrow Airport to Dublin than it is to drive from Trim to the capital. Highlighting the daily struggle faced by commuters, Boyne says the time has come for serious investment in a modern rail link that connects Navan to Dublin for passenger rail services.

Boyne, who is employed as an engineer on the Hornsea 3 offshore windfarm, regularly travels between the UK and Ireland. “A flight from Heathrow to Dublin takes less than an hour, gate to gate. Meanwhile, a commuter from Trim can easily spend 90 minutes or more sitting in traffic trying to get into the city,” said Boyne. “It’s not just frustrating — it’s insulting. We are 50 kilometres away and yet it can feel like another country when it comes to travel times.”

Boyne is calling for the long-promised Navan to Dublin railway line to be delivered. “We had railway transport to all major towns 100 years ago, in far poorer times—how can we not deliver it now? It’s not a pipe dream, it’s basic infrastructure that any functioning country should provide.”

“Even if they put on a passenger service from Navan to Drogheda, and then on to Dublin, it would be a start. The line is already there. We need vision, not excuses,” Boyne continued. “It’s not good enough to leave one of Ireland’s fastest-growing counties without a proper commuter rail line.

Boyne warned that the current situation is affecting not just commuters but the local economy as well. “Families are losing time, businesses are losing productivity, and young people are being driven away from towns like Trim and Navan. Meanwhile, Dublin keeps expanding without any real plan to connect to surrounding areas efficiently.”

“And also, what about the environment, reducing carbon, sustainability? Constructing a dedicated Navan to Dublin rail line is just common sense,” concluded Boyne. “If it’s quicker to fly from a different country than to drive from a neighbouring county, something is seriously wrong.”