Public transport fares to be cut by 50% for young people from today

Great news for teens and students.

The Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan and the National Transport Authority (NTA) have launched a 50 percent public transport fare reduction for young people. The new low fares apply to all subsidised public transport journeys on Dublin Bus, Iarnród Éireann, Bus Éireann, Luas, Go-Ahead Ireland and Local Link. The TFI 90-minute fare will now be just €1 for students and Young Adult Leap Card holders. The standard single fare for young adults and students will cost €0.65 in counties Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. All adults aged 19 to 23 are eligible for the half-price fares. Eligibility continues up to the day before their 24th birthday. For holders of a current Student Leap Card, no action is required, they can simply pay for their journey by Leap, and the reduced fare is deducted from their card in the normal way. However, any non-student young adults looking to avail of the lower fares will need to apply for a Young Adult Leap Card for use when travelling. As well as this, fares will also be dropping for anyone travelling in the Greater Dublin Area. Those travelling by Dublin Bus, Luas, Go Ahead Ireland and Irish Rail's DART and commuter services in Dublin will drop by 20% for the remainder of 2022. This is the first time that fares have dropped nationally in Ireland in 74 years. Speaking yesterday at the launch Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said;

“When I announced a permanent 50pc fare reduction for young adults in Budget 2022, I really wanted to make public transport more attractive for young people, so that using public transport could become a habit of a lifetime.”

Anne Graham, chief executive officer of the National Transport Authority, was also delighted at the announcement saying;

“There’s particularly good news for rail commuters in Cork with Mallow being brought into the commuter rail fares area in Cork. This means that a student or young adult can travel from Mallow to any station within the Cork commuter area for just €1.95 when paying with Leap. Value for money is not the only factor that gets people on to public transport, but it is an important one, and we do know that cutting fares to such an extent will make public transport more attractive to more young adults.”