# Leap card fares 2026 | Transportation | Moving to Ireland

> The TFI Leap Card is the pay-as-you-go smart card for public transport across Ireland, and in Dublin it is the difference between a cheap commute and an…

Source: https://www.movingtoireland.co/guides/transportation/leap-card-fares-2026/

Transportation · Step 9 of 9

# Leap card fares 2026

4 min read · Updated 13 September 2026

The TFI Leap Card is the pay-as-you-go smart card for public transport across Ireland, and in Dublin it is the difference between a cheap commute and an expensive one: Leap fares are typically 30% below cash, transfers within 90 minutes are free, and daily and weekly caps mean you never pay more than a set amount. This guide lists the 2026 fares for Dublin bus, Luas, DART and commuter rail, the caps, the fares in the other cities and on TFI Local Link, and the discounted cards for students and young adults. All figures are from Transport for Ireland and Leap Card as of September 2026; a fare increase has been announced for January 2027, which is covered at the end.

## Getting a card

An adult Leap Card costs a **€5** refundable deposit plus a minimum €5 top-up, and you can buy one at newsagents and shops showing the Leap sign, at Luas and rail ticket machines, or online. You top up in shops, at machines, on the Leap Top-Up app (which also lets you check your balance on your phone) or online. Tap on when you board a bus or enter a Luas or rail platform; on rail and Luas you must also tap off, or you will be charged the maximum fare.

## Dublin: the 90-minute fare

Inside **Zone 1 (TFI Dublin City)**, one Leap fare covers all the journeys you make on Dublin Bus, Go-Ahead Ireland city routes, Luas, DART and commuter rail within 90 minutes of your first tap. The fare is taken on the first tap and every transfer within the window is free.

<table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Fare</strong></td><td><strong>Adult</strong></td><td><strong>Young Adult (19 to 25) and Student</strong></td><td><strong>Child (5 to 18)</strong></td></tr><tr><td>TFI 90-minute Leap fare (bus, Luas, DART, commuter rail in Zone 1)</td><td><strong>€2.00</strong></td><td>€1.00</td><td>€0.65</td></tr><tr><td>Dublin Bus cash fare, short journey</td><td>€2.00</td><td>n/a</td><td>€0.90</td></tr><tr><td>Dublin Bus cash fare, long journey</td><td>€2.60</td><td>n/a</td><td>€0.90</td></tr><tr><td>Daily Leap cap, Zone 1</td><td><strong>€6.00</strong></td><td>€3.00</td><td>€1.95</td></tr><tr><td>Weekly Leap cap, Zone 1 (Monday to Sunday)</td><td><strong>€24.00</strong></td><td>€12.00</td><td>€7.80</td></tr></tbody></table>

The daily cap runs from 4.30am to 4.29am the next day and the weekly cap from 4.30am Monday to 4.29am the following Monday; once you hit the cap, further journeys that day or week are free. Caps cover Dublin city buses, Luas, DART and commuter rail within Zone 1, but not Nitelink, tours, Bus Éireann or Go-Ahead commuter routes. Children under 5 travel free, and children aged 5 to 8 travel free with a Child Leap Card.

## Dublin commuter zones 2 to 4

Beyond the city zone, fares are set by four concentric zones stretching about 50 km from the centre. These are the Leap single fares to the city centre.

<table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Zone</strong></td><td><strong>Example places</strong></td><td><strong>Rail Leap single, adult</strong></td><td><strong>Rail Leap single, young adult or child</strong></td><td><strong>Commuter bus Leap single, adult</strong></td></tr><tr><td>Zone 2</td><td>Skerries, Greystones, Kilcoole, Naas, Sallins, Kilcock, Blessington</td><td>€3.90</td><td>€1.95</td><td>€3.70</td></tr><tr><td>Zone 3</td><td>Drogheda, Newbridge, Enfield, Trim, Wicklow town</td><td>€6.00</td><td>€3.00</td><td>€5.30</td></tr><tr><td>Zone 4</td><td>Kildare town, Navan, Rathdrum</td><td>€7.50</td><td>€3.75</td><td>€6.30</td></tr></tbody></table>

Commuter zone daily tickets range from €6 for Zone 1 to €14.80 for Zones 1 to 4, and monthly tickets are available up to €206.85 for the full four zones; if you commute daily, ask your employer about the TaxSaver scheme, which pays for a monthly or annual ticket from gross salary.

## Cork, Galway and other cities

Each regional city has its own Leap fares. From 20 July 2026, Cork city buses moved to a flat adult Leap fare of **€1.70** with free transfers within 90 minutes (cash €2.40; young adult and student 85c; child 55c). In Galway, the adult Leap single is **€1.35** for up to 11 fare stages and €1.55 beyond, with young adult, student and child fares between 65c and 80c. Limerick and Waterford use similar stage-based Leap fares; check the Leap Card page for each city.

## TFI Local Link

TFI Local Link runs the rural and regional routes. Fares are distance-based and set locally, so there is no single national figure, but paying by Leap Card, the TFI Go app or contactless card is **up to 30% cheaper** than cash, and Young Adult and Student Leap Cards get 50% off. From 17 August 2026 several Local Link services stopped selling return, 7-day and young adult tickets for cash, so a Leap Card or the app is now the practical way to pay. Free Travel Pass holders and children under 9 travel free.

## Young Adult and Student Leap Cards

If you are aged **19 to 25** you qualify for the Young Adult Leap Card whether or not you are a student, which halves most fares (the Dublin 90-minute fare drops to €1 and the weekly cap to €12). Apply online at leapcard.ie with a passport, driving licence or learner permit and a live selfie; the card is posted within about five working days and costs the same €5 deposit. The Student Leap Card gives the same fares to students of any age at participating colleges and is arranged through your college. Children aged 5 to 18 use the Child Leap Card, and adults over 66 travel free with the Free Travel Pass.

## What changes in January 2027

On 3 September 2026 the National Transport Authority published its 2026 Fares Determination, the first broad fare review since 2018. From January 2027 adult fares rise by an average of 15%: the Dublin 90-minute Leap fare goes from €2.00 to **€2.30**, the adult daily cap from €6.00 to **€6.90** and the weekly cap from €24.00 to **€27.60**. Young adult and student fares stay at half the adult fare, many child fares fall, and free travel for under 9s and over 66s is unchanged. The exact date depends on each operator, so check TFI before the new year.

## ★ Useful links

-   [TFI: Dublin bus fares and caps](https://www.transportforireland.ie/fares/bus-fares/)
-   [Leap Card: fare capping](https://about.leapcard.ie/fare-capping)
-   [TFI: Dublin fare zones](https://www.transportforireland.ie/fares/new-fare-zones/)
-   [Leap Card: Young Adult and Student cards](https://about.leapcard.ie/young-adult-and-student-card-launch)
-   [National Transport Authority](https://www.nationaltransport.ie/)

![](https://www.movingtoireland.co/apple-touch-icon.png)

You have read 23% of this guide

## Keep reading in the Moving to Ireland app

The rest of **Leap card fares 2026** — about 3 minutes more — is in the app, free to download, alongside 98 other guides and a checklist built around your own move.

Still to come in this guide

-   Dublin: the 90-minute fare
-   Dublin commuter zones 2 to 4
-   Cork, Galway and other cities
-   TFI Local Link

[Download free on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/moving-to-ireland/id6446055261)

iPhone and iPad · no account needed

## More on transportation

[All 9 guides in this section](https://www.movingtoireland.co/guides/transportation/)

-   ### [Public Transportation System of Ireland](https://www.movingtoireland.co/guides/transportation/public-transportation-in-ireland/)
    
    Ireland has a relatively efficient public transport system that includes buses, trains, trams, and taxis. While it may not be as extensive as some other…
    
    2 min read
    
-   ### [Leap card](https://www.movingtoireland.co/guides/transportation/leap-card/)
    
    If you’re planning to use public transport in Ireland, you might have heard about the Leap Card. This rechargeable smart card is an essential item for…
    
    2 min read
    
-   ### [Driver's license in Ireland](https://www.movingtoireland.co/guides/transportation/drivers-license-in-ireland/)
    
    Getting a driving license in Ireland is a relatively straightforward process, but it does require some time, effort, and preparation. In this article…
    
    2 min read
    
-   ### [Exchange a driving licence from a non-recognised state](https://www.movingtoireland.co/guides/transportation/exchange-your-existing-driving-license-non-recognized-state/)
    
    As you may have a valid driving license from a non recognized country, you can drive in Ireland for up to 12 months. Thereafter, you will need to obtain…
    
    2 min read · For Non-recognised licence holders
    

Keep going

## Get the full transport roadmap in the app

Moving to Ireland turns 99 guides into a personal checklist. Tell it your passport, whether you have moved yet, and who is coming with you, and it lays out every step in order — from the visa to the bins.

-   Step-by-step checklist
-   Tailored to your passport
-   Pre-move & post-move
-   Family & pet sections

[![Download Moving to Ireland on the App Store](https://www.movingtoireland.co/images/app-store-badge.svg)](https://apps.apple.com/app/moving-to-ireland/id6446055261)

★★★★★ 4.9 on the App Store

[![Expats who settled in Ireland, two five-star App Store reviews, and the Moving to Ireland app showing its relocation checklist](https://www.movingtoireland.co/images/app-social-proof.webp)](https://apps.apple.com/app/moving-to-ireland/id6446055261)