NTA announces 20 per cent fare reduction for public transport in Dublin

Credit: National Transport Authority

The National Transport Authority (NTA) and Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan have announced the launch of the 20 per cent fare reduction for public transport services in the Greater Dublin Area. The fare reductions will take effect from 9 May 2022 and will remain in place until the end of the year.

Fares on all subsidised services in the Greater Dublin Area will be reduced by an average of 20 per cent, with reductions applying to services provided by Dublin Bus, Luas, Go-Ahead Ireland and Iarnród Éireann’s Commuter and DART services. The Transport for Ireland (TFI) 90-Minute Fare introduced in 2021 will also be reduced for adults and children.

While Iarnród Éireann’s online fares and Bus Éireann and TFI Local Link services had been reduced by 20 per cent in April 2022, from 9 May, all intercity and commuter fares across the country will drop.

Customers will get their fare reduction when they pay for their journey in the usual way, whether that’s by Leap, cash or online payment.

NTA announces 20 per cent reduction for bus fares outside of Dublin

First announced by Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan in February 2022, the plan to cut public transport fares is among the measures included in the government’s package to reduce the cost of living. This national fare reduction is the first since 1947, 75-years ago.

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said: “Public transport plays such an important role in Dublin City. On average over 140 million passengers are carried by Dublin bus every year and another 41 million by Luas, for example. Now, that we are all moving back to work or travelling around the city more after the pandemic, we want to make it even more attractive and easier for people to be able to choose public transport. This saving of 20 per cent transport costs is one practical way we can do this. But this cost reduction is also important at this particular time. People are coming under more and more pressure as the price of essentials continues to increase. As one element of a suite of measures being introduced by the government, this fare reduction will go some way to easing some of the financial strain that households are experiencing.”

NTA’s CEO Anne Graham said: “In the first three weeks of the 20 per cent discount being available on Bus Éireann services, passenger journeys have climbed by nearly 10 per cent in the regional cities, with Galway and Limerick now ahead of pre-Covid levels. There’s particularly good news for rail commuters in Cork with Mallow being brought into the commuter rail fares area for the first time. This means that an adult can travel from Mallow to Cork city or any other station within the Cork commuter area for just €3.90 when paying with Leap.”