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Leap Cards can be purchased at Ticket Vending Machines in stations within the Short Hop Zone or online at www.leapcard.ie or in selected retail outlets.

The Leap Card can be used for rail travel between stations within the 'Short Hop Zone'. This Zone includes all stations in the Dublin area from Kilcoole to Balbriggan and Commuter Stations from Dublin City Centre to Kilcock and from Dublin Heuston to Sallins and Naas.

Travel Credit works in a similar way to mobile phone credit. Every time you use the card to travel the cost of the journey is deducted. If there is insufficient no credit on the card it cannot be used for any further journeys until it is 'Topped Up' at a ticket machine or online at www.leapcard.ie.

There are no Top-Up facilities at Ticket Offices.

1. Place the Leap Card in the slot provided.
2. Select the Top-Up Amount from options shown on the screen
3. Insert the amount selected - Notes/Coins/Credit or Debit Cards accepted
4. Remove the Leap Card from the pocket as indicated on screen
5. Your Leap Card is now Topped Up and ready for immediate use

At the start of the journey, you need to 'Touch-On' using your Leap Card at a gate or validation pole. At the end of a journey you must 'Touch-Off' to ensure the correct fare is applied.

Touch-On - Identifies the origin of the journey
Touch-Off - Identifies the destination of the journey

If you don't Touch-On you are committing fare evasion.
If you don’t Touch-Off you will pay more.

Tagging on at our gate;

• Hold the Leap Card against the Smart Card reader on the gate
• If you have credit on your Leap Card, the gate will open and allow you to enter and start your journey
• Your current ePurse balance will appear on the display on the gate

Gates and Poles may on occasion fail to identify the Touch-On / Touch-Off. It is up to the customer to ensure the card has been read successfully. The two main reasons for card failure are:

1. Incorrect Positioning of Smart Card
If the Leap Card is not placed against the reader/'target' on the pole or gate, it will not be read. Ensure that the card is held steadily against the Card reading 'target' for at least a second.
Do not wave the card over the Smart Card reading target. Do not put the Smart Card into the horizontal paper ticket slot on a gate. 

2. Smart Card Interference
Remove the Leap Card from your wallet or bag before using it. Other Smart Cards you may have in your wallet or bag can cause interference with this card, which will make it inoperable.

At a ticket Machine in the station

Put your card in the 'pocket' and then follow the instructions on the ticket machine screen.

Online

Log on to www.leapcard.ie to view your account history and you will be able to view your card balance.

For information on schoolchild Leap Cards go to our ticket information section

You can now reserve seats on most Intercity trains:

• Online at http://www.irishrail.ie/ - Check out our step by step guide to buying online
• Customer Contact Centre (0)1 836 6222
• At selected Intercity Stations
• Tickets are also available at selected Travel Agents

Iarnród Éireann recommends purchasing tickets in advance to ease ticket queues at peak times.

Student/Adult/Child and Seat only reservation tickets are available online, subject to availability and the terms and conditions associated with each ticket and fare type. Check out our step by step guide to buying online or our Online Ticket Information section for more information. 

Certain trains such as sporting event specials are sold by reservation only and advance purchase is necessary.