Leap Card

Pandoras Twist

Not sure if this is the right place for this but I got given a leap card which had already been in use by a friend and I'm not too sure about the system. I put 20 euro on it the other day and on the receipt it says that I paid 20 euro but only 18.50 went on the card.

Is there a top up fee or something?

Maldini2706

Chances are they had a negative balance when they gave you the card. If you've say 90 cents on the card it will let you pay a fare and then takes the money when you next top up.

bk

No, but your friend probably had a negative balance of 1.50 on it, that was covered when you topped up with 20.

[Edit] Beaten to it by Maldini2706 [Edit]

coylemj

How deep into the red can you go on a Leap card, is it €5?

Victor

coylemj wrote: »

How deep into the red can you go on a Leap card, is it €5?

Correct - there is a €5 usable deposit. To make a journey, you need a minimum balance of €0.01 before and the balance must not go below €5.00 after.

So if you have a balance of €1.00 and spend €1.50, you will have a balance of -€0.50 and can't make any further journeys until you top-up.

So if you have a balance of €0.50 and try to spend €6.00 on Dublin Bus route 747 Airlink, you would have a balance of -€5.50 and the transaction would be refused.

Poxyshamrock

How long can you stay in the red?

Victor

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

How long can you stay in the red?

Two years or your next trip, whichever comes first.

coylemj

Victor wrote: »

Two years or your next trip, whichever comes first.

So if the card is in the red and the last transaction was more than two years ago, it's effectively dead and can't be topped up?

Victor

You need to make a transaction at least every two years, whether it has money on it or not. Otherwise, yes, the card is cancelled.

Tarabuses

Victor wrote: »

You need to make a transaction at least every two years, whether it has money on it or not. Otherwise, yes, the card is cancelled.

And any remaining balance confiscated?

Dravokivich

Terms and Conditions seem a bit loose on it, but they state the following:

8. Expiry/Validity

8.1 The Authority reserves the right to specify an expiry date for Leap Cards after the initialisation of the Leap Card. Details will be made available from time to time Online. Leap Cards can also expire based on the card profile expiry date i.e. in the case of Child, Student and Scholar Leap Cards (when introduced). Once Leap Cards expire, Leap Card customers, other than Student Travelcard holders, shall have 6 months in which they can claim a refund (up until March 31st of the year following expiry in the case of Student Travelcards). The Authority will only provide refunds outside of this period at its discretion.