Rail Fare Adjustments from Monday 28th April

23 Aibreán 2025

Changes to Adult, Young Adult and Child Fares across Cash and Leap Card; Leap Card are extended; Please touch on and off to apply correct fare

Iarnród Éireann is set to implement the final phase of the National Transport Authority’s most recent fares determination from Monday 28th April 2025.  This will bring with it some important changes, particularly in the Greater Dublin Area, and for those who tag-on and off with Leap ePurse Cards.

The NTA fares determination is designed to streamline fares as part of the overall NTA fares strategy.  Zones and fares are based on their distance from Dublin City Centre.

The changes include:

New Dublin Commuter Zone

The new Dublin Commuter Zone will replace the Short Hop Zone, and extend significantly further than the Short Hop Zone (SHZ) also.  The Dublin Commuter Zone is broken down into the Dublin City Zone 1, and then Zones 2, 3 and 4, based on distance from Dublin city centre.

As well as changes to fares (see below), this means that ePurse LeapCards will now be valid over a greater area, namely:

• Northern Commuter – Dublin Commuter Zone will increase from former SHZ limit of Balbriggan to include Gormanston, Laytown and Drogheda
• Western Commuter - Dublin Commuter Zone will increase from former SHZ limit of Kilcock to include Enfield
• SouthWestern Commuter - Dublin Commuter Zone will increase from former SHZ limit of Sallins & Naas to include Newbridge and Kildare
• SouthEastern Commuter - Dublin Commuter Zone will increase from former SHZ limit of Kilcoole to include Wicklow and Rathdrum

What does this mean for fares?

Fares for many journeys will change from Monday 28th April. Full details are available at Rail Fares Information.  However, in summary, the following changes will apply, across Adult, Young Adult/Student and Child Fares:

• Single (ePurse and Cash) and day return (Cash only) fares for journeys starting or ending in Dublin Commuter Zone 3 and 4 will be reduced, as will Monthly and Annual ticket prices for Zone 3 and 4 upon next renewal.
• Reduced fares to/from Drogheda, Laytown, Enfield, Newbridge, Kildare, Wicklow and Rathdrum
• Single (ePurse and Cash) and day return (Cash only) fares for journeys starting or ending in Dublin Commuter Zone 2 will be see a mixture of increases and reductions, as will Monthly and Annual ticket prices for Zone 2 upon next renewal.
• Increases between Dublin and: Balbriggan, Skerries, Kilcock, Sallins & Naas, Greystones and Kilcoole, as well as some other intermediate journeys
• Reductions between Dublin and Gormanston
• Single (ePurse and Cash) and day return (Cash only) fares for all journeys within Dublin City Zone 1 will be unchanged, as will Monthly and Annual ticket prices
• The daily and weekly Leap Cap applies to the Dublin City Zone only.

Higher Maximum Leap Epurse maximum fare

Because the Dublin Commuter Zone is now far larger, the maximum ePurse fare at tag-on will be higher for all ePurse users, including Adults, Students and Children.

The maximum tag-on fares will increase as follows:

• Adult ePurse maximum tag-on will increase from €4 to €7.50
• Student / Young Adult maximum tag-on will increase from €2 to €3.75
• Child maximum tag-on will increase from 65c to €3.75

As a result, all LeapCard ePurse customers are reminded to tag-off at the end of your journey to ensure you are charged the correct fare.  Please note this includes both Dublin and Cork LeapCard ePurse customers: while Cork area fares are unchanged, the Leap ePurse touch-on maximum fare will increase, so touching off is important.

Intercity Luas Add On cost reducing to Zero

The Intercity Luas Add on for cross-city journeys (e.g: arriving to Heuston, and continuing to Luas city centre stops) for both single journeys and monthly / annual tickets will reduce to zero.  The add-on cost is currently €1.40 single, €32 monthly or €320 annual.  However Intercity customers should continue to choose the correct final destination to ensure your ticket is valid (e.g. Cork to Connolly, Portlaoise to Connolly etc)

Minimum Balance on LeapCard ePurse

For Adult fares, the minimum balance on  LeapCard ePurse will now be €1 for Dublin City Zone journeys, and €2.50 for Dublin Commuter Zone 2, 3 and 4 journeys.

For Young Adults and Children, the minimum balance on LeapCard ePurse is 1 cent.

Other Ticket types discontinued

A number of ticket types are being discontinued from Monday 28th April:

• Adult and Student and Child Weekly and Monthly Tickets
• Off Peak fares from Drogheda, Laytown, Gormanston, Newbridge and Kildare

Full details on fares for your journey are available at Rail Fares Information.  Customers with queries can submit queries to Send a message to our Customer Service Team - Transport for Ireland.