Supporters attending Ireland's Euro 2020 qualifying showdown with Denmark next month will have to plan without the DART service that stops at the station next to Lansdowne Road.

The FAI revealed in a statement that the Lansdowne Road DART station will close over two hours before the match and reopen again at 11.0pm that night.

It means fans who regularly use the service for matches at the Aviva Stadium nearer to kick-off time and after the match will have to make alternative travel plans for the Denmark game.

Supporters wishing to use the service after 5.30pm on the evening of the match will have to alight at either Grand Canal Dock station or Sandymount.

The FAI are using the game as a trial run for the Euro 2020 finals games next summer after the tournament organisers UEFA recommended the move "to increase the size of the Outer Perimeter in order to ensure there is no congestion in all areas around the Aviva Stadium."

The statement read: "Lansdowne Road DART Station will close temporarily on the evening of Monday, 18th November for the UEFA EURO 2020 Qualifying match between Republic of Ireland and Denmark.



"This closure, which will take place between 5.30pm and 11pm, is part of a trial operational exercise ahead of the Aviva Stadium’s hosting of four games during UEFA EURO 2020 next summer.



"DART services will continue as scheduled, but passengers will be required to disembark at either Grand Canal Dock DART Station or Sandymount DART Station during the closure.



"The matches at EURO 2020 will have different profiles, requirements, mobility patterns, and ticketing systems to a normal game at Aviva Stadium. Following reviews at UEFA Tournament and Finals, UEFA has made a recommendation to increase the size of the Outer Perimeter in order to ensure there is no congestion in all areas around the Aviva Stadium.



"It is expected that the countries participating in the EURO 2020 games in Dublin will bring a lot of supporters to the city, some of whom will not have tickets.

"The change in the access systems allows the Match Operations team to prevent ticketless supporters accessing the inner cordon of the stadium thus creating a safe environment and queuing system at the turnstiles and staying within the safe holding capacity of the approach roads to the turnstiles.



"The decision to hold a trial closure of Lansdowne Road DART Station on the evening of the Republic of Ireland versus Denmark game was taken jointly by the Dublin UEFA EURO 2020 Local Organising Structure (LOS) made up of Dublin City Council, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) and the Aviva Stadium, in conjunction with An Garda Síochána, the National Transport Authority (NTA), and Ianród Éireann.



"The purpose of the exercise is to examine logistics, mobility, safety, security and stadium access prior to next June’s matches. The Republic of Ireland versus Denmark match was chosen for this exercise as the spectator numbers are anticipated to be similar to a UEFA EURO 2020 Finals Tournament match.



"A comprehensive communications plan will be implemented in the lead-up to November 18 to inform regular users of Lansdowne Road DART Station, Irish and Danish supporters and local residents about the temporary station closure."

Online Editors