Minister welcomes planned changes of the Kildare commuter bus network

Local Minister James Lawless TD has expressed support for the planned upcoming changes of the Kildare Commuter bus network announced by the National Transport Authority (NTA), with the changes due to take effect at the end of 2026.

The overhaul follows a sharp rise in demand along the Kildare commuter corridors. Passenger numbers have doubled since 2019, increasing from 1.2 million to 2.4 million journeys a year. 

Kildare’s population has also grown by 11 per cent between 2016 and 2025, placing added pressure on existing services.

Deputy Lawless said the new network would “improve reliability, capacity, and day-to-day convenience for commuters across the county.”

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Under the plans, the 120 Corridor will see the introduction of a new peak-time 128 service linking Prosperous, Sallins, Sandyford and UCD. Routes 120C and 120D will be consolidated and rebranded as route 121, with some departures extended to Maynooth. Extra services will also be added on the 120X.

The 126 Corridor will be simplified into a single alignment between Dublin, Naas, Newbridge, Kildare and Rathangan. A new 24-hour service will operate between Dublin, Naas and Newbridge, while a new 127 route will link Newbridge, Naas, Tallaght, Sandyford and UCD.

Local Link will introduce route 893 to serve Suncroft. On the 130 Corridor, route 130 will be extended to Sallins Station to strengthen rail connections, with Dublin-bound services redesignated as 130X and all services operating via Sallins Road.

The revised network is expected to provide a 10 per cent increase in service levels across the day.

Observations

Passengers are invited to submit their observations on these proposed changes on or before the January 10 2026 via the link below.

https://consult.nationaltransport.ie/