Bus and train fares fall by 50% for young adults today

PUBLIC transport costs have been cut in half for students and young adults from today, meaning that city travel will now cost them €1 or less.

Any adult aged 19 to 23 is eligible for the half-price fares which apply to all subsidised public transport journeys on Dublin Bus, Iarnród Éireann, Bus Éireann, Luas, Go-Ahead Ireland and Local Link.

The additional 20% reduction in fares, which came into effect in Dublin today and has already been implemented in the rest of the country, means that public transport costs for young adults are now 60% lower.

A TFI 90-minute fare, which yesterday cost €2.30, is now €2 full-price or €1 for young adults. For young adults and students in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford, a single fare will now cost €0.65.

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said: ‘When I announced a permanent 50% fare reduction for young adults in Budget 2022, I really wanted to make public transport more attractive for young people, so that using public transport could become a habit of a lifetime. I also wanted to go some way to supporting young people by making day-to-day life a little bit more affordable.’

Holders of a current Student Leap Card will have the discount automatically applied but others will need to apply for a Young Adult Leap Card which can be done online from today.

Anne Graham, chief executive of the National Transport Authority, said: ‘We look forward to seeing more young adults using public transport. Value for money is not the only factor that gets people onto public transport but it is an important one, and cutting fares to such an extent will make public transport more attractive.’