COMMUTERS ON some public transport routes will see increases in fares this year, the National Transport Authority has announced. 

Under the plans for public transport fares for 2024, adults will still be able to travel around Dublin for €2 as part of the TFI 90-minute fare.

Looking at the price hikes announced today, the Cavan-Dublin bus service will see its fare increase by 21% from €9.45 to €11.40, while the Ratoath-Ashbourne bus service will see its fares increase by 30% from €1.54 to €2. 

Fares on the Kilcock-Dublin bus service will increase by 20% from €3.08 to €3.70 and fares on the Drogheda-Dublin Airport bus service will increase by 16% from €4.55 to €5.30. 

The Bray Daly-Greystones rail service fare will increase by 15% from €2 to €2.30. 

“These changes are not projected to increase overall fare revenue, but represent a rebalancing of fares so that they are fairer and more consistent across the board,” the NTA said in its statement today.

“As such, fares for some journeys will go up a little, while fares for others will go down,” it said. 

“Most customers covered by the fares determination published today will see no change whatsoever. Of the remainder, some will see a modest fare increase and some will see a fare reduction.”

90-minute fare

As mentioned above, adults will still be able to travel around Dublin for €2 as part of the TFI 90-minute fare.

The discounted Leap Card fare, which allows passengers pay €2 and transfer between Dublin Bus, Luas and most Dart, Commuter rail and Go-Ahead Ireland services in Dublin within a 90-minute period was introduced in 2022. 

NTA today said the €2 fare will continue as it has “contributed to the increase in passenger numbers recorded across the city’s network last year”. 

That Dublin City zone is to extend approximately 23km from the city, and broadly equates to the existing 90-minute fare zone. 

The Dublin Commuter zone extending to approximately 50km from Dublin city centre will include towns such as Drogheda, Navan, Trim, Enfield, Clane, Prosperous, Newbridge, Kildare, Greystones and Wicklow.

Also announced today was a new ‘all-modes’ ticket which will offer full access to Dublin Bus, Go-Ahead Ireland, Luas and Irish Rail services in the Dublin City zone for a monthly cost of €96 or an annual cost of €960. 

The NTA said this represents a saving of 38% compared to the existing equivalent of €155 and €1,550. 

Commuters using all operators in the Dublin City zone will see their Leap Card fare capped at €24 per week. 

For frequent travellers in the Dublin Commuter zone, the weekly and monthly ticket costs will vary according to the distance travelled, the NTA has said.

As an interim measure, commuters in towns just outside the Dublin City zone travelling into the city, such as Skerries, Balbriggan or Greystones, can continue to use the existing €32 weekly Leap ticket (€16 for young adults and children), so they will see little or no difference in what they are paying now, the NTA said. 

Standard bus fares in the cities of Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford will also remain at the discounted rate of €1.35.

The NTA said the new fares will come into effect later this year.