Best Dublin Bus ticket?

cherrytaz

Hi all,

I intend on using the bus to get to work in the mornings (Mon-Fri) and then walk home/Dublin bike in the evenings. The fare is 1.65. Are there any suitable tickets that I could purchase instead of having the correct change every morning? Had a quick look on the Dulbin Bus site but there doesn't seem to be great options.

Aard

Unfortunately, cash is your best option.

cherrytaz

I was thinking that was going to be the answer. Not a very flexible system at all.

Losty Dublin

If you can use Dublin Bike getting home is there any reason why not to use it to get to work?

devnull

Cash is the best option for this.

There are no suitable prepaid tickets unless you are getting more than one bus on your journey within 90 minutes of each other or are paying the highest 2.30 fare.

An Cuinneach

Yeah unfortunately cash might be best. For me, the prepaid tickets are great because I have to get four buses a day, two of them being maximum fairs. But yeah, I can see how that's not great when you only want to pay €1.60 or so. Though they've been talking about a Dublin Oyster card for yonks now so you never know!

munchkin_utd

An Cuinneach wrote: »

Yeah unfortunately cash might be best. For me, the prepaid tickets are great because I have to get four buses a day, two of them being maximum fairs. But yeah, I can see how that's not great when you only want to pay €1.60 or so. Though they've been talking about a Dublin Oyster card for yonks now so you never know!

yup,
Dublin bus is bringing in a cashless payment card any month now (ala oyster system) and is being tested currently.

robd

munchkin_utd wrote: »

yup,
Dublin bus is bringing in a cashless payment card any month now (ala oyster system) and is being tested currently.

It's the RPA that's bringing it in, 10 years after original order was signed. The transport operators spent the first 8 years squabbling on fare share structures.

It is indeed under test now. I'm supposed to get one this week. Only Luas initially though. Then Dublin Bus on a garage by garage basis. Then DART.

Can't see it going fully live until some time next year.

I used to get yearly taxsaver ticket just so I didn't have to queue at DART stations, even though it was debatable as to whether I was saving money given I jumped in the car at the first sign of rain. Certainly without the tax write off I wouldn't have been saving.

beglee

robd wrote: »

It's the RPA that's bringing it in, 10 years after original order was signed. The transport operators spent the first 8 years squabbling on fare share structures.

It is indeed under test now. I'm supposed to get one this week. Only Luas initially though. Then Dublin Bus on a garage by garage basis. Then DART.

Can't see it going fully live until some time next year.

It's so typical isn't it. Something that should have been done donkeys years ago, gets dragged on forever :rolleyes:

Any idea how it will work with fares? Will it be any cheaper, like the fares are with the Luas smartcard that you topup?

robd

beglee wrote: »

It's so typical isn't it. Something that should have been done donkeys years ago, gets dragged on forever :rolleyes:

Any idea how it will work with fares? Will it be any cheaper, like the fares are with the Luas smartcard that you topup?

I'm only a dumb trial user so I've no idea I'm afraid. According to Mr Gleeson on railusers its still under discussion and as such the system can support flat fare and the current fares by stage. I haven't seen anything about a discount but AFAIK legislation for Luas stated that you must get a discount for smartcard so should be same. Whether that means driver issues you a ticket or you tag on/tag off I've no idea either.

Posy

I read in the Irish Independent that they're suggesting putting cash fares up by 10% to make the LEAP cards a better incentive.

If you have to swipe the card on your way in AND getting off the bus, I could imagine some congestion at the doors because it will probably take people longer to get off the bus?!

robd

Posy wrote: »

If you have to swipe the card on your way in AND getting off the bus, I could imagine some congestion at the doors because it will probably take people longer to get off the bus?!

Swiping a card on and off would still be considerably quicker than the current situation where the majority of customer still pay by cash. A large proportion of those queue for 20+ mins, ask what the fare is and then proceed to fumble for cash.

Having two doors like we used to would be a much better option but Dublin Bus did away with them. Rumor was for fare protection.

robd

Posy wrote: »

I read in the Irish Independent that they're suggesting putting cash fares up by 10% to make the LEAP cards a better incentive.

That wouldn't surprise me. It's very unimaginative though. It will cause people to switch but won't attract new customers back to public transport.

Really what they should do is mandate a flat fare discounted fare for the first 12 months at least. Say €1.50 for adults €0.75 for kids. If this results in increased patronage then keep it. If not then change it. The minimum adult cash fare should be raised to €2.00 also.