Fares on public transport will be slashed from today – the first such reduction in almost three-quarters of a century.
The price cuts are part of Government plans to help reduce the cost of living and encourage more sustainable travel.
It is hoped the move will be a success as the National Transport Authority has revealed that in areas where fares have recently been reduced such as Galway and Limerick, passenger numbers are now ahead of pre-pandemic levels.
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Fares on Dublin Bus, Luas, Go Ahead Ireland and Irish Rail’s Dart and commuter services in the Greater Dublin Area will drop by 20% for the rest of this year.
All Iarnrod Eireann’s intercity and commuter fares across the country will also drop.
The cuts come after fares on Bus Eireann and Local Link services were reduced by 20% last month.
Those aged between 19 and 23 will also now receive a 50% reduction in fares on all subsidised public transport from today by using an existing Student Leap card or applying for a new Young Adult Leap card.
The changes means the Transport for Ireland 90-minute fare, which was introduced last year for those travelling in and around the capital and transferring between services, will drop to €2 for adults and 65c for children.
For those in the 19 to 23 age category the 90-minute fare will be €1. The 20% reduction in public transport fares was announced by the Government in February as part of a package of measures to help ease the cost of living.
It is the first time public transport fares have been cut nationally since just after WW2 in 1947.
Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said he hopes the 20% reduction will make public transport a more attractive option for those travelling around the capital and help ease the financial strain that households are experiencing.
Minister Ryan said the 50% fare reduction for young adults was designed to make public transport “become a habit of a lifetime”.
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