Irish Rail is implementing train fare and zonal adjustments from Monday, resulting in significant changes for commuters across greater Dublin and beyond.
The State-owned train provider said the journey price changes are being brought in as part of the National Transport Authority’s (NTA) latest “fares determination”.
A new Transport for Ireland zonal structure will come into force. The “Dublin commuter zone” will replace the “short hop zone”, extending significantly further than its predecessor.
The Dublin commuter zone breaks the city and commuter areas as far as Kildare Town, Rathdrum and Navan into four based on proximity to the city centre, mirroring a similar zonal system in place in London.
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Dublin city zone 1 covers the central city and its suburbs, extending past Dublin Airport to Rush and Donabate on the north side and goes as far south as Shankill and Bray in Co Wicklow.
Irish Rail said fares will reduce in the areas now part of zones 3 and 4, while there will be a mixture of increases and reductions in zone 2. Routes running between central Dublin and Balbriggan, Skerries, Kilcock, Sallins and Naas, as well as between Dublin and Greystones and Kilcoole, will see a rise in fare prices.
There will be a fare reduction between Dublin and Gormanstown, and to and from Drogheda, Laytown, Enfield, Newbridge, Kildare, Wicklow and Rathdrum.
Changes will apply across adult, young adult, student and child fares.
The daily and weekly leap card fare cap will apply to the Dublin city zone only. Epurse leap cards will be valid across a wider area.
As well as changes to fares, this means that ePurse LeapCards will be valid over a wider area and include the Northern Commuter zone: DCZ will increase from the former SHZ limit of Balbriggan to include Gormanston, Laytown and Drogheda.
The Western Commuter zone: DCZ will increase from the former SHZ limit of Kilcock to include Enfield, South Western Commuter: DCZ will increase from former SHZ limit of Sallins & Naas to include Newbridge and Kildare.
The South Eastern Commuter: DCZ will increase from the former SHZ limit of Kilcoole to include Wicklow and Rathdrum.
Fares for several journeys will also change.
These include single (ePurse and cash) and day return (cash only) fares for journeys starting or ending in Dublin Commuter Zone 3 and 4 will be cut, as will monthly and annual ticket prices for Zone 3 and 4 upon next renewal.
Reduced fares will apply to/from Drogheda, Laytown, Enfield, Newbridge, Kildare, Wicklow and Rathdrum.
Single (ePurse and cash) and day return (cash only) fares for journeys starting or ending in Dublin Commuter Zone 2 will be either increased or reduced, as will monthly and annual ticket prices for Zone 2 upon next renewal.
However there will be increases between Dublin and Balbriggan, Skerries, Kilcock, Sallins & Naas, Greystones and Kilcoole, as well as some other intermediate journeys.
Single (ePurse and cash) and day return (cash only) fares for all journeys within Dublin City Zone 1 will be unchanged, as will monthly and annual ticket prices.
The daily and weekly Leap cap applies to the Dublin City Zone only.
The rail operator added that because the Dublin commuter zone is now larger, the maximum epurse fare at tag-on will be higher for all users.
The Adult ePurse maximum tag-on will rise from €4 to €7.50, the student/young adult maximum tag-on will go from €2 to €3.75 and the child maximum tag-on will increase from 65c to €3.75.
This includes both Dublin and Cork LeapCard ePurse customers while Cork area fares remain unchanged, the Leap ePurse touch-on maximum fare will increase.
As a result, all LeapCard ePurse customers are reminded to tag-off at the end of their journey to ensure they are charged the correct price.
Several changes are also being introduced on Monday that affect the intercity Luas.
Some rail ticket types are to be discontinued including adult, student and child weekly and monthly tickets, and off-peak fares from Drogheda, Laytown, Gormanston, Newbridge and Kildare.
