Bit of Dublin transport help please

looksee

At risk of sounding like a Culchie (which I am ) can anyone advise me about using a free travel pass in Dublin. I am very rarely in Dublin, but when I am I am never sure how to use my free travel pass. I have not been queried over it yet, but still!

If I travel on the Luas I just get on and produce my travel pass if requested? Is this correct?

If I travel on a bus do I have to somehow register my pass or what is the procedure?

Ta very much to all my sophisticated urban friends!

spurious

Just show it to the driver.

Jellybaby1

Not sure if that happens on the Luas though as you have no access to him/her. The Luas drivers are sitting in little glass boxes. I envy you your travel pass Looksee.

looksee

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Not sure if that happens on the Luas though as you have no access to him/her. The Luas drivers are sitting in little glass boxes. I envy you your travel pass Looksee.

I think you just get on the Luas, I can't see how you could get a ticket using the pass, and as you say, there is no-one to show it to.

The bus was my main concern as I got on a bus last week and wasn't sure what to do, so I showed the driver my pass and he said something that I didn't catch and waved at me, whether he was saying 'go and sit down' or 'run it past the machine' I could not tell, so I just sat down. He didn't seem much bothered either way.

I do this so rarely that it could be ages before I go up again - though the free pass on the train is fantastic!!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I have no idea and am interested on this in case I ever use the travel pass. I have it 6 years and have never used it.

OldGoat

http://www.welfare.ie/en/downloads/HowToUseYourPublicServicesCardForFreeTravel.pdf

Though the above directs you to use your card in available card readers on buses and the LUAS the reality is a bit more relaxed. Just wave it at anything that looks like a card reader and don't worry if it fails. As long as the card is valid there be no fuss.

looksee

Well the train is easy, you get to the station, show your pass and ask for your destination, you will be given a ticket. (you don't get a return, you go and get a ticket for each journey). That's it! You will not have a reserved seat unless you go on line and buy one (€5) but I never bother unless I am travelling with a group and they are getting reserved seats.

I just thought to check on google for luas, you do what I have been doing, just get on, but you have to have your pass available to show.

On buses (any buses that accept passes - not airlink for example) just show the pass to the driver.

There has been a bit of updating going on, and some cities are a bit different to others. I have to have both the cardboard pass and the 'credit card size pass', and have to carry them both, so you need to check if your pass is up to date.

looksee

Thanks for that OG, I did not turn up that bit of info when I was googling. It is true from my limited experience that they are not overly fussed about the cards being 'beeped', but I had been wondering whether the cards were supposed to beep. Its a bit difficult to experiment when you are getting on a bus with a mass of other people!

dilallio

I see loads of people using the pass on Dublin Bus. Most hold it up towards the driver when getting on but don't stop to show it to the driver unless requested. I've never seen anyone validating it on the machine inside the bus.

tampopo

When you flash the driver, he hits a button marked "charge this fare to the Dept Social Protection".
It all adds up and they bill them for it.