New fare cap and bus routes introduced

The National Transport Authority (NTA) has introduced various overhauls to public transport, including a new flat rate cap and bus routes. 

The main aim of the cap is to simplify interchanging between multiple forms of public transport with the use of a new cap and short fare system. 

Commuters with leap cards will have the option to transfer between Dublin Bus, Luas and most DART and commuter rail services for free within a 90-minute time period after an initial tag-on. 

The new short fare will provide cheaper prices for single trip journeys of 3km or less. 

Fares for students and adults will be €2.30 until March 2022, after which the price will go up to €2.50. 

“A good time for Dublin Bus, and for the people of Dublin.” 

-MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE AND COMMUNICATIONS AND MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT, EAMON RYAN

Child leap card holders (18 and below) will have a flat rate cap of 80 cents with the same 90-minute fare. 

Alongside this change is the rollout of phase 2 of the new BusConnects network, which began in June. 

The new routes come in three groups, the “C-Spine”, local routes and peak-only routes. 

These routes will provide more frequent buses to the communities of Maynooth, Celbridge, Leixlip, Lucan, Adamstown, Liffey Valley and Palmerstown from the City Centre as well as Ringsend and Sandymount. 

“Having this new BusConnects system, increasing frequencies, having better times, having better routes for everyone -is a good time for Dublin Bus, and for the people of Dublin,” Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan said.  

These plans have not been unanimously favoured by all communities however, as the Irish Times reported. Residents in Sandymount are unhappy with the fact that the bus route plans to use a residential road, with fears that the high frequency buses will lead to major traffic congestion.