Tickets FAQ
A Young Adult card is a TFI Leap Card that can be used to pay for travel by anyone who is 19 to 25 years old, up to their 26th birthday. The user’s name and photograph is printed on it
The system adds up how much travel credit you have used on the applicable services you have travelled on for a given day or week and then it stops taking any more fares once the applicable Cap value is reached.
For more information, go to Leap Card Capping.
For information on our fare types; Low, Medium Flex, Flexible or First class see our Online Tickets and Fares section.
An allocation of bookings on all InterCity services can be reserved online without a fee for 'Free Travel Pass or valid ticket holders'. When this allocation is fully booked, all remaining seats can be reserved by 'Free Travel Pass or valid ticket holders' for €2.50 per journey.
Customers are advised of the following when travelling on Iarnrod Éireann Irish Rail DART, Commuter Rail and Intercity services.
Travelling by Intercity Rail on Iarnrod Éireann Irish Rail
Present your Public Services Card/Free Travel Card at a ticket desk where you will be issued with a ticket for travel. Please use this ticket to enter through the gates.
Travelling in the Dublin City and Commuter Zone
Touch your card on a Smartcard gate/machine or pole when entering and exiting the stations or platforms. You must touch your card on the smartcard gate/machine or pole at both sides of your journey.
Travelling to Northern Ireland
Free Travel Pass holder/s should present their Free Pass/PSC Card at the Ticket Office to get a ticket for travel
Terms and Conditions of Travel -
Please Note - You can only avail of Free Travel if you have a valid Public Services Card or a valid Free Travel Pass with you.
Failure to present your Card/Pass on request to a ticket inspector or driver, or to comply with instructions, may result in you being asked to pay a fare for the trip or you may be issued with a fixed penalty notice.
A Fixed Payment Notice can be issued for failing or refusing to give your name or address to an authorised officer or giving a name or address which is false or misleading. A Fixed Payment Notice can also be issued for trespass on a railway, unlawful use of an emergency cord or other system of communication between passengers and train drivers and failure to shut and fasten gates of level crossings or passage. Breach of CIE bye-laws can also be prosecuted before the District Court. A full list of CIE bye-laws as set out in the Córas Iompair Éireann Bye-laws (Confirmation) Order, 1984 can be found on irishrail.ie.
This card can only be purchased online at leapcard.ie. Go to the buy menu and select the card type from the drop down. You’ll need to complete the application details, upload a photo and pay for the card during the application process.
A Daily Cap runs from the first service of the day to the last service in that same day.
A Weekly Cap (Mon-Sun) runs from the first service on a Monday to the last service on a Sunday.
You are responsible for ensuring that you buy a ticket that is valid for your entire journey before travelling. If you cannot produce a valid ticket when requested to do so by an authorised officer, you will be issued with a Fixed Payment Notice.
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
For a Young Adult Card you’ll need to upload an image of your valid Passport, EU National ID, Drivers Licence or Learner Permit, a selfie taken during the application to verify your identity against your ID and you card payment details
As your ticket is not valid for first class accommodation, a supplement/upgrade fee must be paid. Refusal to pay this supplement or move to standard accommodation will result in a Fixed Payment Notice being issued.
The earliest you can apply for a Young Adult card is two weeks before your 19th birthday.
The card is free to purchase, however, there is a €5 deposit and a €5 minimum travel credit requirement to proceed with the application.
Where a passenger has committed more than one offence, the Fixed Payment Notice will reflect an increased fine.
These percentage discounts tend not to be a direct reduction in the price of an individual Fare or Ticket, but the averaged reduction over all for all Fares/Tickets.
All fares will be reduced by the closest % to 20% giving a multiple of 5 amount, so the discount will be between 18% and 22%, i.e. €1.15 reducing to €0.90 (-21.7%) or €0.80 reducing to €0.65 (-18.8%)
If your train was delayed due to circumstances within the control of Iarnród Éireann the following apply;
If you are more than one hour late in arriving at your destination, we will normally offer you discount vouchers for use against future ticket purchases. The value of discount vouchers is based on the length of delay and the fare you have paid for your single journey.
For delays of one to two hours, we will give you vouchers to the value of 50 percent of the fare you have paid for the portion of your journey affected.
For delays over two hours, we will give you vouchers to the value of 100 percent of the fare you have paid for the portion of your journey affected.
Click here to view our passenger charter.Yes. If an authorised officer reasonably suspects that a person is committing or has committed an offence under Section 129 of the Railway Safety Act 2005, he or she may require the person to give his or her name and address and, if the person fails or refuses to do so or gives a name that the authorised officer reasonably suspects is false or misleading, the authorised officer may arrest that person without warrant and deliver, as soon as practicable, the person into the custody of a member of the Garda Síochána to be dealt with according to law.
Yes. The authorised officer can confiscate the ticket as it may be used as evidence if the Fixed Payment is not paid and the case is prosecuted before the courts.
Reservations made Online:
- Visa Debit Card
- Mastercard
- Credit Card
- PayPal
Resevations made over the phone (Telesales):
- Visa Debit Card
- Mastercard
- Credit Card
We do not accept American Express cards.
Reservation made in person (ie at selected booking offices):
- Cash
- Credit/Debit Cards
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.
Yes for more information please visit our Fares Sections.
Caps are being discounted by 20% on average from the 9th May. A new capping band for Young Adult/Students will be introduced on that day which is 50% less than adult.
You will be issued with a Fixed Payment Notice and the card will be confiscated.
The Young Adult card (19-23) eligibility is defined by age, so all customers in that age bracket are eligible regardless of educational status.
Any authorised officer of Irish Rail can issue a Fixed Payment Notice.
Yes, Annual cards are available on Leap cards in Cork.
The Leap Card system Caps a customers use of travel credit so that once you hit the cap value you can continue to travel as normal on the applicable transport operator, but no further travel credit will be taken from your card on their services.
Once you hit the Cap value for the day of the week, you should continue to use their Leap Card as normal when travelling. You should still Touch On and Touch Off as normal in order to have a valid card for inspection.
If you make lots of trips with your Leap Card on a daily or weekly (Mon to Sun) basis, a maximum Cap value will be applied to your travel credit spend.
For more information, go to Leap Card Capping.
Young Adult cards will usually be posted within 5 working days. Student Leap Cards will need to be collected in person at a Student Leap Agent where student status verification will take place.
Leap card products can be used on the Cork – Cobh/Midleton routes.
This card can only be purchased online at leapcard.ie. You will need to upload proof of your age and take a live selfie when ordering the card online.
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 useYou will be asked to upload an image of your valid Passport, EU National ID, Drivers Licence or Learner Permit
If you have any queries or concerns then you can contact Leap customer care and the team will investigate and liaise with you directly.
Customer Care: 0818 824 824
Calling from outside of Ireland: +353 (1) 907 9425
Monday to Friday: 7am to 7pm
Saturday and Bank Holidays: 9am to 3pm
Sunday: ClosedYes, see our Cork Smart Card section for further details on products available and applicable routes.
Yes Leap epurse is now available in Cork for more information please visit our Fares Sections.
In the event that the Fixed Payment is not paid, you can be prosecuted and face a potential fine of up to €1,000 upon conviction as well as legal costs.
No. It is your responsibility to allow yourself reasonable time to buy a ticket before travelling. Ticket Vending Machines are provided at stations. Tickets can also be bought in advance of travel from ticket offices or on line at www.irishrail.ie
Free Travel Pass holders wishing to book a ticket should select the option "Free Travel Pass or Valid Ticket" to book on to a train.
You can now reserve seats on most Intercity trains:
- Online at www.irishrail.ie
- By Phone
- At selected Intercity Stations
Iarnród Éireann recommends purchasing tickets in advance to ease ticket queues at peak times.
*Advance reservations can be made up to 90 days in advance*
Alternatively; DART, Commuter and non-reservable Intercity tickets may be purchased in advance or on the day of travel from DART, Commuter and Intercity stations and a selection of monthly commuter tickets are available at your station.- Pay Online Now using a credit/ debit card
- By telephone - Call the Customer Contact Centre
- By Post - Postal Orders and Bank Drafts will only be accepted if made payable to Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail and should be forwarded to the Revenue Protection Unit, Irish Rail, Connolly Station, Amiens Street, Dublin 1.
For information on schoolchild Leap Cards go to our ticket information section
Yes combined Rail and Bus Tickets are available on the Cork to Midleton route for more information please see our Fares Section.
Yes, in denominations of €10 and €50. Vouchers can only be used against tickets bought in stations and not online.
To purchase or for more information contact your local station.
Customers looking to book a bike online should follow the below steps:
1. Please use our Journey Planner
2. Enter your Origin and Destination, no. of passengers and dates of travel
3. Click the tick box 'Show bike availability'
4. Select 'Go' to complete your Journey Planner search
5. Only services with available bike spaces will display
6. Select the journey and ticket type required
7. When you wish to proceed please select 'Book Tickets'
8. On the 'Extras' page select the bike/s required and select 'Next Steps'
9. Upon completion of your online booking the additional bike/s options will be confirmed
For more information on the carriage of bicycles, please see our Bicycle Information pageYou must buy a ticket to cover your journey before travelling. Failure to buy a ticket will result in a Fixed Payment Notice being issued.
You will be issued with a Fixed Payment Notice, as a discounted student ticket is only valid on production of a valid student I.D card.Accepted Student I.D can be found in the fares and tickets section.
Yes, a Luas add on is available for customer travelling on rail services. If your selected service origin or destination is 'Dublin Heuston' simply select 'Dublin Connolly' and if the origin or destination or your service is 'Dublin Connolly' select 'Dublin Heuston'. Origin and destination of services can be seen on our Intercity Route Map.
For example; if you are travelling from Cork you would select 'Dublin Connolly' for the Luas add on. Or if you are travelling from Sligo you would select 'Dublin Heuston' for the Luas add on.
The Luas ticket allows customers to travel on the Luas Red Line between Dublin Heuston and Dublin Connolly/George's Dock or Dublin Bus Route 4 to Mount Street for the date or dates on the ticket only.
Available from: irishrail.ie as an origin and or destination
Available from: Ticket vending machines or booking offices into Dublin onlyIf you did not buy your ticket from Iarnród Éireann, you should return it to the place where you bought your ticket from. They will arrange any refund due (if any) and may charge you an administration fee.
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.
Yes, payments are taken before card verification. The refund is issued automatically if the verification is unsuccessful so the customer doesn’t have to request it.
If we fail to honour your seat reservation, and no other seat of similar standard on the same service is available for you, we will refund the fare of your single journey in travel vouchers.
No. You have 21 days to pay the Fixed Payment Notice.
No, you can continue to use your existing card until its expiry date and you will get the best fare. Student Leap Card fares are the same as Young Adult 19-23 Leap Card fares.
Any ticket which has become defaced, illegible, mutilated, torn, split, lost, mislaid or stolen will not be valid for travel, replaced or eligible for refund. Customers must purchase a new ticket to travel.
No. Cash fares will also be discounted by 20%, however, Leap fares, which are on average 30% cheaper than cash fares, are only available with a TFI Leap Card.
No. If you board a train without a valid ticket, you will be issued with a Fixed Payment Notice.
There are a number of benefits as follows;
- Leap Card will be protected against loss or theft (as long as you report it missing/stolen)
- You won't need to complete an online form for every online Top-Up
- You can view your card history and usage
- You can manage additional Leap Cards through your account (eg child's Leap Card)
Yes, go to our student section for further information on our fantastic offers.
You will received an email stating the reason why the application was rejected and the payment made as part of the application will be refunded
- Online at www.irishrail.ie
- At the Ticket Office or at the Ticket Vending Machine in station where available (you may be charged an onboard supplement if ticket is not purchased before boarding the train)
You can now reserve seats on most Intercity trains. Iarnród Éireann recommends purchasing tickets in advance to ease ticket queues at peak times.
*Advance reservations can be made up to 90 days in advance*
Alternatively; DART, Commuter and non-reservable Intercity tickets may be purchased in advance or on the day of travel from DART, Commuter and Intercity stations and a selection of monthly commuter tickets are available at your station.
If you have been issued with a Fixed Payment Notice and you wish to appeal the decision, you can do so via email to RPU@irishrail.ie or in writing to the Revenue Protection Unit, Connolly Station, Amiens Street, Dublin 1 within 21 days from the date of issue of the Fixed Payment Notice.
Yes. You can reserve a seat where available by selecting a Reserve Seat Only
All TFI Leap enabled routes get Leap discounts when using a TFI Leap Card.
Ticket Vending Machines are in operation throughout our network. These machines are monitored and regularly maintained to ensure that they are operational. Irish Rail is automatically notified if the TVMs are out of order. In the unlikely event that the booking office is closed and all the Ticket Vending Machines are not working, you will be required to pay for your journey on the train or at your destination. Failure to pay the required fare will result in a Fixed Payment Notice being issued.
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.Tickets can only be purchased on the train if the ticket office is closed and if the ticket vending machines are not in operation. You may be charged an Onboard Supplement.
It is your responsibility to buy any additional ticket that you need to complete your journey before boarding the train otherwise you will be issued with a Fixed Payment Notice.
When you get close to a Daily or Weekly Cap you will only be charged the amount to bring you up to the Cap. After you have reached a Cap you will be charged €0.00 for subsequent travel that day or over the Week (Mon-Sun). Make sure you still 'tap-on' and 'tap-off' your Leap Card even when you have reached the daily or weekly cap.
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. TFI Leap Cards are also available in many PostPoint outlets as well as all post offices nationwide.
You must make all refund claims within 28 days of the end date of your ticket. We may ask for extra evidence to support your claim for a refund.
An administration fee will be charged and if you have purchased a reservation either online, telesales or at a booking office the terms and conditions you agreed to will apply.
Most of our fares are available from our Fares and Tickets section. However, if you cannot find the fare you require then please contact us.
If you don’t have the documents present at the time of application we recommend you wait until you can provide a copy before completing the application. If you don’t have any of the documents at all, there is an option of uploading non-standard documents for verification. This process can take up to 3 weeks, may require face-to-face verification and does not guarantee final application approval.
You can apply for a personalised card up to 2 weeks before your birthday, i.e. 19 yr – 2weeks for a Young Adult (19-23). Your card will expire on your birthday, i.e. your 24th birthday for a Young Adult (19-23). For a Student (24 yr +), customers need to be in full-time education
The Leap Card can be used for rail travel between stations within the 'Dublin City and Commuter Zone'. All stations in the Greater Dublin area from Rathdrum to Drogheda, from Dublin City Centre stations to Enfield and Kildare including all DART services.
The Leap Card also works in the Cork Commuter area.
Usage outside of the Short Hop Zone and Cork commuter Rail services will result in a Fixed Payment Notice of €100 plus the relevant unpaid fare.No, rail tickets are VAT exempt. If you require proof of purchase, we recommend that you present your ticket and booking confirmation email, (where applicable).
Any person aged 19 years or older who purchases a child ticket will be issued with a Fixed Payment Notice. Child tickets are only valid for persons aged 3-18 years.
You are responsible for ensuring that you Tap On your Leap card at a validation point before travelling, otherwise you will be issued with a Fixed Payment Notice.
For information on the Free Travel Pass scheme please see the below links;
- If you wish to book onto a train see our handy guide Booking a 'Free Travel Pass or Valid Ticket' option
- For information on how to travel with a Free Travel Pass on rail services see our FAQ Do I need to get a ticket to accompany my Free Travel/Public Services Card?
- For more information on how to use your Public Service Card for free travel check out this TFI How to use your PSC for free travel leaflet or visit freetravel.ie
- For information on what a Free Travel Pass is go to the Department of Social Protection website, contact your local Social Welfare Office or Call their Information Line at 1890 500 000 (from the Republic of Ireland only) or 00353 71 915 7100 (from Northern Ireland or overseas).
All free travel passes are issued by the Department of Social Protection not by the transport provider. Free travel passes are non-transferrable and can only be used by the named person.
Iarnród Éireann operates a fixed penalty payment scheme on all our routes, (Intercity, Commuter and DART). You must Purchase a valid ticket for the journey you are making, before joining the train.
If you don’t have a valid ticket on board the Train you will have to pay a fixed penalty payment of €100 plus the unpaid fare.
Here are the contact details for our Revenue Protection Unit
Revenue Protection Building
Connolly Station
Amiens Street,
Dublin 1
Email: rpu@irishrail.ieYes, you will be asked to upload an image of your valid Passport, EU National ID, Drivers Licence or Learner Permit
Refunds will need to be requested by logging into your account on leapcard.ie
Student eligibility, i.e. full-time status, needs to be verified in person at Student Leap Agent
You will be issued with a Fixed Payment Notice as the ticket is not valid without the required DSP identification.
Revenue Protection Unit
Revenue Protection Building
Connolly Station
Amiens Street,
Dublin 1
Email: rpu@irishrail.ie
Phone: Call our Customer Contact CentreStudent Cards are only applicable to people who are 24 years old and over. 18 year olds are eligible for a Child Card (16-18) until their 19th birthday. Then, when they’re turning 19, they will qualify for a Young Adult Card (19-23)
The 50 percent discount will only be available to existing Student Leap Card holders and customers who avail of the TFI Young Adults (19 – 25 years) or Student Leap Cards
A Leap Card is a reusable plastic smart card that can be used instead of paper tickets to pay-as-you-go for transport in Dublin. This card is used to store travel credit that is deducted as and when you use it when travelling on public transport.
Customers pay less with a Leap Card than when paying for single fares with cash on DART and Commuter rail services, Dublin Bus and Luas services.
Customers can register their Leap Card online, so if it's lost or stolen, no one else can use it.
For more information, go to leapcard.ie
Check out our step by step guide to booking a Free Travel pass or Valid Ticket.
Looking for more information check out our FAQ Where do I find Information on the Free Travel Pass? Customers are advised their is limited availability for seat only reservations online.
Each year Iarnród Éireann carries over 55 million passengers on its Intercity, DART and Commuter trains. If even a small percentage of passengers failed to pay for their tickets, the revenue lost to Iarnród Éireann would be substantial.
Fare evasion is a criminal offence. You must purchase a valid ticket for the journey you are making before you get on any train. If you do not have a valid ticket or validated Leap/Smart card when asked to produce your ticket, you can be prosecuted in the District Court under the Railway Safety Act 2005. A passenger who travels without a valid ticket faces a fine of up to €1,000 on conviction in the District Court as well as legal costs.
If you cannot produce a valid ticket when requested to do so by an authorised officer, you may be issued with a Fixed Payment Notice. This means that if you wish to avoid a court appearance and the possibility of receiving a criminal conviction, you may pay a fine of €100 plus your unpaid fare. The Fixed Payment option is only available for a period of 21 days as set out in the Railway Safety Act. If the fine is not paid within that period, a summons will issue and legal costs will be incurred.
If you have been issued with a Fixed Payment Notice you can pay it online.