New Dublin transport fare allows transfer between services for 90 minutes

Ticket to cost €2.30 and permits combined use of buses, Luas and trains

The NTA’s initiative will allow passengers free transfer between Dublin Bus, Luas and most Dart, commuter rail and Go-Ahead Ireland services in Dublin within 90 minutes of initial departure. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw

The National Transport Authority (NTA) is introducing a new 90-minute fare in the Dublin area which will allow passengers to transfer between public transport services for €2.30.

The introduction of the 90-minute fare across Transport for Ireland services was announced on Monday by the NTA.

From November 28th, the initiative will allow passengers free transfer between Dublin Bus, Luas and most Dart, commuter rail and Go-Ahead Ireland services in Dublin within 90 minutes of initial departure.

The TFI 90-minute fare will be €2.30 for adults and students when using their TFI Leap Card during a promotional period to remain in place until the end of March, 2022. The price will then increase to €2.50.

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A new flat Leap fare for children has also been introduced, which will be 80 cent. This represents a 20 per cent discount for children using the bus outside of school hours.

The fare will allow children to travel anywhere on Dublin city bus, Luas and commuter rail and Dart services within the short-hop zone, with a free transfer to any mode within 90 minutes of initial departure.

The new short adult leap fare of €1.60 for single trips up to 3km, will enable 40 per cent more passengers to travel “slightly further” in the new structure, the NTA said in a statement.

Any journeys beyond this distance or involving transfers between services that take place within 90 minutes of the start, will be charged at the 90-minute fare.

The fare would result in "significant saving" for people who need to transfer between services, NTA chief executive Anne Graham said.

Incentive

The announcement marked the implementation of “another key component of the BusConnects programme in Dublin,” she said. The introduction of the new structure would “incentivise a return to public transport across the TFI network”.

“It provides an opportunity to create simplicity and consistency across the network regardless of the route or mode taken,” Ms Graham said.

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said it was "essential" to provide incentives that make public transport "a viable and attractive choice for employees, students, shoppers and visitors"

The introduction of the TFI 90-minute fare was “central to achieving this objective and encouraging more people to get back on board,” he said.

Moving more people from their car to public transport would help to achieve Ireland’s carbon reduction targets, Mr Ryan said.