THE CHILD FARE rate for the Leap card will now be extended to 16, 17 and 18 year olds from this August.
Usually 16 is the cut off age for child fares and when adult fare prices kick in.
The National Transport Authority announced the changes today.
Free public transport for the very young will also be extended by a year across Dublin Bus, Irish Rail, Luas and Bus Éireann.
From August the Leap Child Card can be bought without formal registration for anyone under 15 years of age.
Meanwhile 16 to 18 year olds can apply online at www.leapcard.ie for a personalised Leap Card.
The personalised Leap card will mean they can avail of child fares at all times.
Ministers for Transport Leo Varadkar said:
The aim of this new fare structure is to encourage more young people and families to use public transport to get to school and throughout their lives.
Gerry Murphy, CEO of the National Transport Authority said, “While secondary schools are finishing up for their summer holidays this week, some of the older students – the 16, 17 and 18-year-olds who are returning in the autumn – can look forward to cheaper public transport fares from the beginning of the next school year”.
Public transport fares have risen consistently in the last number of years.
Dublin Bus cash fares rose by 10 per cent in the last price hike last December, however leap fares increased by just 2 per cent.
Irish Rail prices jumped between 2 and 9 per cent.
Bus Éireann prices increased between 4 and 6 per cent.
And there was a 4-8 per cent increase in Luas fares.
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