Major change for thousands of Irish Rail passengers to begin in DAYS – with fare increases & some tickets scrapped
A MAJOR change is on the way for thousands of Irish Rail passengers in just DAYS.
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Irish Rail is set to introduce new fares for thousands of passengers
Credit: Alamy
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There is now a new commuter zone for Dublin
Credit: Irish rail
These changes will impact passengers in the Greater Dublin Area and anyone using Leap ePurse Cards to tag on and off.
The aim of these fare adjustments is to streamline fares across the region - with prices now based on how far the journey is from
The Short Hop Zone will now be replaced by the new Dublin Commuter Zone which has expanded to 50 kilometres from the city.
This updated zone will be split into Dublin City Zone 1, and Zones 2, 3 and 4 - which are determined by their
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And LeapCard ePurse customers will now be able to use their cards over a much broader area.
In a statement,
"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."
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With these changes, the Northern Commuter Zone will now include places like Gormanston, Laytown and Drogheda.
The Western Commuter Zone is expanding to include Enfield, while the SouthWestern Zone now covers Newbridge and
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The SouthEastern Commuter Zone will also expand, adding
Many fares will change from April 28, with some prices being reduced while others will increase depending on the zone.
FARE PRICES
Journeys to and from Dublin Commuter Zones 3 and 4 will see reduced fares - from places like Drogheda, Laytown, Enfield, Newbridge, Kildare,
However, some fares between Dublin and towns like Balbriggan, Skerries, Kilcock and Sallins & Naas will now increase.
Fares for all trips within Dublin City Zone 1 will remain unchanged.
And the daily and weekly Leap Cap will only apply within Dublin City Zone 1.
The new ePurse maximum fares are €7.50 for adults, €3.75 for students and young adults, and €3.75 for
The Intercity Luas Add-On for cross-city journeys will also be eliminated - which currently costs €1.40 for a single, €32 for a monthly, or €320 for an annual ticket.
The minimum Leap Card ePurse balance required for adult fares is now €1 for journeys within Dublin City Zone and €2.50 for Dublin Commuter Zones 2, 3, and 4.
For young adults and children, the minimum balance is only one cent.
And starting April 28, some ticket types will be discontinued, including adult, student, and child weekly and monthly tickets.
The Off-Peak fares from Drogheda, Laytown, Gormanston, Newbridge and Kildare will also no longer be available.
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