Rising from the ashes, the Citadis tram bearing the service number 5037 was spotted in Rosslare Harbour, Co Wexford, on Monday, making its way back to the capital more than two years after it was torched during the November 2023 Dublin riots.
The Luas carriages had returned to Ireland following a lengthy repair process in France, and sat uncovered at the port attracting interest from passersby.
The tram was set on fire during rioting on November 23rd, 2023, after its windows were shattered and a burning bin was brought on board. The incident resulted in severe damage to the interior, seating and wiring of the carriages.
The cost of the damage to the tram amounted to €5 million, and the Luas service was suspended for 24 hours after the incident, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard late last year. The man who set the tram alight was jailed for three years.
Split into two parts, 5037 departed for France in November 2024, after Luas operator Transdev’s engineering team assessed the damage and detailed the repairs needed.
The tram underwent repairs and was “scheduled to be back in service at the beginning of 2026″, Transdev’s 2024 financial accounts noted.
The repairs were carried out by Safra, a French company specialising in passenger transport repairs. It has previously repaired other trams from the Luas fleet.
The approximate cost of a Citadis Luas tram in 2017, as indicated by procurement documentation at the time, was about €5 million. Seven new trams purchased from Alstom to serve the extended Green Line cost €36 million.
The burnt-out Luas with other vehicles in Dublin city centre after rioting that occurred in the capital on November 23rd, 2023. Photograph: Conor Pope
Transdev has been contacted for comment, but did not respond to queries on the cost of the repairs or the timeline for tram 5037’s return to service.
The Irish Times recently revealed that Transdev has lost out on the €1.75 billion contract to run the tram service after 22 years. A British-French joint venture between Amey and Keolis has been selected as the preferred bidder and is set to take over the operation of the contract later this year.