Bus routes in the Dublin city network have traditionally used a “stage” based structure to determine fares. Until the introduction of the TFI 90 Minute Fare (Adult fare €2.00) in 2022, just about all fares on bus routes in the Dublin city bus network were calculated based on stages.
The stages in place lacked consistency and people often found the system confusing. For most customers, the stages were done away with when the TFI 90-minute fare was introduced, and since then, the vast majority of customers have paid a flat fare of €2 for their journey, regardless of how far they are travelling, or how long their journey takes.
However, a lower fare for shorter trips was included as part of the overall fare structure and for journeys of three stages or less, a fare of €1.30 was introduced for adult Leap Cards. In the coming weeks there will be a change in the way the fare for these short journeys is calculated. While the €1.30 fare is to be retained, it will now be calculated based on distance travelled, rather than the number of stages. Up to now, the €1.30 adult Leap fare has applied to journeys of three stages or less. Now it will apply to journeys of roughly two to three kilometres or less.
The fare for the vast majority of journeys will be unaffected by this change and the TFI-90 Minute Fare remains in place.
If you are not sure whether you should be paying the short fare or the 90-minute fare, just check with your driver.