NTA announces 20 per cent reduction for bus fares outside of Dublin

Credit: National Transport Authority

The National Transport Authority (NTA) has announced that bus fares on all subsidised public transport services provided by Bus Éireann and TFI Local Link outside of the greater Dublin area have been reduced by an average of 20 per cent as of 11 April 2022.

First announced by Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan in February 2022, the plan to cut public transport fares is among the measures included in the Government of Ireland’s package to reduce the cost of living.

The fare reductions will benefit Bus Éireann customers on city services in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford, as well as town services in Athlone, Balbriggan, Drogheda, Dundalk, Navan and Sligo.

Fares on Bus Éireann’s inter-urban and commuter services will also fall, with customers using a Student Leap Card able to benefit from an additional reduction of 50 per cent. However, fares on the company’s commercial Expressway services are not included.

Passengers on TFI Local Link rural services operated by NTA’s 15 Transport Co-ordination Units around the country will also see their fares drop by 20 per cent. The fare reductions also apply to TFI network services including Kilkenny City Bus Service KK1 and KK2, and TFI commuter services in the Kildare area operated by Go-Ahead Ireland.

Transport for Ireland announces reduced transport fares from April 2022

While all fares are being reduced by approximately 20 per cent, customers currently paying their fare by cash can make even greater savings by switching to TFI Leap. Both TFI Leap fares and cash fares are to be reduced.

The Irish Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, said: “Choosing public transport over the private car, even for one trip a week, can begin to help us reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. It will also help to improve air quality and cut down on congestion in our cities and towns throughout the country. And, at a time when fuel security is a greater concern than it has been in decades, leaving the car behind, if at all possible, is one of the best things that we can all do to help reduce our energy use.”

NTA‘s CEO, Anne Graham, added: “Value for money is not the only factor that gets people on to public transport, but it is an important one, and we do know that reducing fares will make public transport more attractive to more people. We’re appreciative of the support that the government has given us, that has enabled us to make public transport even more affordable. I am confident that, as a result, we will see the number of passenger journeys on these services increase in the months ahead.”

A reduction in public transport fares will be introduced in the Dublin area and on all other subsidised public transport services across the country in May 2022.