Free Travel................for kids

uck51js9zml2yt

Spotted this today.

Free travel for kids with a leap card for 2 weeks from july 25th.

http://www.yourdaysout.com/news/free-public-transport-for-all-children-for-two-weeks-during-summer-1397

muffler

Hardly free travel when the Leap card has to be purchased first.

Sorry, scrap that!

holly8

muffler wrote: »

Hardly free travel when the Leap card has to be purchased first.

is there a min amount that has to be put on the card when initially purchased? is the same card usable in different cities, can I use it in Galway AND Dublin? thx

muffler

holly8 wrote: »

is there a min amount that has to be put on the card when initially purchased? is the same card usable in different cities, can I use it in Galway AND Dublin? thx

Sorry, I have no idea. I just clicked on the link posted by tatranska and seen that a "leap" card was needed and they have to bought initially.

Im in Donegal so the leap cards arent applicable here but perhaps will benefit others

J.pilkington

muffler wrote: »

Hardly free travel when the Leap card has to be purchased first.

Just because you don't have a leap card doesn't mean it's not a bargain(btw thousands upon thousands of kids have them)

Many thanks for taking the time OP.

unkel

muffler wrote: »

Hardly free travel when the Leap card has to be purchased first.

holly8 wrote: »

is there a min amount that has to be put on the card when initially purchased?

A children's leapcard costs €3, which is 100% refundable whenever you are finished with it

The minimum balance on a children's leapcard to avail of the free travel is €0.01. But when you buy it, you need to buy it with €5 travel credit

Thanks a million, tatranska for the heads up. We used them last year extensively and I only had to pay for me (adult) which was pretty cheap as well as the leapcard has "memory" of what you have spent on the day. I.e. for me to go to from Lucan to town costs €2.60 on the leapcard (€3.30 if you pay the driver) but then from town to Howth on the DART was only something like €0.90 on top of that

Also there is a very handy app in the playstore that lets you check the balance of your leapcard in seconds with your Android phone (don't know availability for iPhone). Also lets you top up within seconds.

muffler

Apologies guys as I obviously misread this whole leap card thingamebob. I never even heard of it until I seen it on the link posted in the OP and didnt take the time to read the ins and outs of it all.

unkel

No worries, muffler, I didn't know anything about the leapcards myself this time last year. I picked up on the free travel for kids from an article I think, I don't think it was from boards

Anyway, the timing this year is perfect for us, kids are in youth clubs in the next few weeks and we are away to Donegal in the middle of the month, but we're back for this period of two weeks of free kids travel.

Anyone any suggestions of nice day trips? We did Dublin city centre last year, Howth, Bray, probably do all those again

bk

muffler wrote: »

Apologies guys as I obviously misread this whole leap card thingamebob. I never even heard of it until I seen it on the link posted in the OP and didnt take the time to read the ins and outs of it all.

The whole point of this offer is to get kids signed up to leapcards * and to help parents and kids familiarise themselves with the Leapcard.

* I don't mean this in a negative way, Leapcard is absolutely fantastic value for money. Even outside of this deal, it offers serious reductions on cash fares.

While you have to spend €8 to get the card (refundable if you return it), remember that the card will do until your child is 19! I'm sure they would get plenty of use of it over the years.

unkel wrote: »

Anyone any suggestions of nice day trips? We did Dublin city centre last year, Howth, Bray, probably do all those again

Dun Laoghaire and Greystones too. Depending on their ages, you could do the cliffside walk from Bray to Greystones and get the Dart back from there.

Malahide is another good one (Malahide Castle).

Luas to Phoenix Park (Dublin Zoo too with a bit of a walk), Collins Barracks Museum, Kilmainham Gaol.

And Dublin Bus will bring you all over the city. Blessington Lake (DB 65) for example.

Lashes28

Anyone know if the free trip can be used in the Matthews coach?? Is there a list of routes you can use it on?? I'm a leap card newbie but oh is on hols those weeks so might be handy!!

uck51js9zml2yt

There is a misconception of a refund if the card is handed back.
The "cost" is a buffer value on your card which can be used to pay for your fare.

Powers court is also worth a trip on the 44 to enniskerry.

muffler

unkel wrote: »

and we are away to Donegal in the middle of the month,

Good choice

unkel

Gatlin Old-fashioned Sandpaper wrote: »

There is a misconception of a refund if the card is handed back.

Nope. They couldn't call it refundable if it wasn't refundable, could they?

You have to fill in this form though to get 100% of your money back:

Linky

Any remaining travel credit is 100% refundable too

So this means that you can buy a children's leapcard for €3, with €5 credit, let your kids travel for free for 2 weeks and get all of your money (€8) back!!!

holly8

is a single LEAP card usable across all cities .. Dublin, Galway, Cork, etc ... or is there a separate LEAP card for each?

bk

holly8 wrote: »

is a single LEAP card usable across all cities .. Dublin, Galway, Cork, etc ... or is there a separate LEAP card for each?

Single Leap card works in all cities and services to support it (Bus Eireann, Dublin Bus, etc.).

size5

question do you need a one leap card per child or will one card do between two?

bk

size5 wrote: »

question do you need a one leap card per child or will one card do between two?

One per child, it will have their picture on them, etc.

unkel

You need one per child alright, but you don't have to have your childs name / picture on the card, that's optional!

bk

unkel wrote: »

You need one per child alright, but you don't have to have your childs name / picture on the card, that's optional!

Actually turns out we are both correct! For children 4 to 15 they don't need name and picture on the card, but for 16 to 18 you do need a registered card with name and picture on it.

JimsAlterEgo

bk wrote: »

One per child, it will have their picture on them, etc.

technically yes, but some drivers will allow you put 2 though on the same one, even though they shouldny