Why charged €4 on commuter rail?

tubbs26

Why on cummeter rail around Dublin are you charged €4 to tag on and €2 to tag off? Just something I've always wondered?

Seems to cause issues at Broombride when you want to transfer to the luas. There's only one place to tag off the train and queues are crazy.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058404412/why-charged-4-on-commuter-rail

Because that’s the maximum rail fare that you can be charged on LEAP in the greater Dublin area.

You’re then refunded the appropriate amount depending on the distance that you travel.

For most journeys that brings the cost back to EUR 2.00

Glaceon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123306677#Comment_123306677

I presume that will go up to €6 next month when Drogheda comes into it?

Zebra3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058404412/why-charged-4-on-commuter-rail

You get the 2€ back when you tag off within 90 minutes of tagging on.

If you don’t tag off within 90 minutes, you pay full whack.

tubbs26

what journey would cost €4? I thought all journeys are €2 within greater Dublin region? Obviously not!

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123312725#Comment_123312725

There are higher rail fares for longer journeys to certain stations at the extremes.

From city centre stations it’s €3.90 to Balbriggan, Kilcock, Sallins and Kilcoole, and €3.00 to Skerries and Greystones for example.

HeidiHeidi

You're charged the maximum for the line you're using (DART, luas, train) when you tag on. When you tag off it will refund the appropriate amount, now that your actual journey is known.

If you tag on again within 90 minutes, it will charge enough to bring you up to €2.

I tag on to the Luas regularly, it charges me €2 (the most you can pay on the Luas), then refunds me 50c when I get off in town (because that's the actual cost of that journey). When I then tag on to the DART, I'm then charged 50c which brings me up to €2 for the whole journey.

In reverse, when I tag on to the DART, I'm charged €2.50 (I think, it's more than €2 anyway) as that's the maximum I could pay from where I get on - then when I tag off, I get refunded whatever amount to bring it back to €2, and when I tag on to the Luas, I'm not charged at all.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123312799#Comment_123312799

The maximum fare is €3.90 as per above on the train. That’s what it will always deduct.

bk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123312799#Comment_123312799

I tag on to the Luas regularly, it charges me €2 (the most you can pay on the Luas), then refunds me 50c when I get off in town (because that's the actual cost of that journey).

Which is such a good setup, so much better then the buses! On the bus I usually use the right hand validator for the €2 fare, but I suspect my regular journey might actually be €1.50. A couple of times I've used the bus driver instead, but it ends up 50/50 if they charge the €2 or €1.50 fare.

Not a big deal obviously, but it annoys me that the TFI app use to show you what the fare for the journey is, but they removed that functionality so now it is a complete mystery! I don't like the lack of transparency.

p_haugh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123313054#Comment_123313054

I went to the bus driver for the short fare on the S6 to Blackrock before (journey was N11→Blackrock). However, Instead of charging me the short fare, he somehow charged me the companion fare instead. I got the ticket printed out and all. Didn't realise you could even apply that without having tagged on already! So I effectively got charged the full cash fare to go 6 stops.

Interestingly, it takes the money from the leap card, but if you check the transaction history it won't show any record of it.

Daith

I agree with you on the Luas/Irish Rail validators at Broombridge. Watching people get off the train and queue to tag off an Irish Rail validator, then queue to tag on the Luas, is a pain.

Not sure it can be solved until the who ticket system is upgraded and even then.

Taisteal Éireann

It's a bit unusual why it doesn't deduct €3.90 instead of €4.00, as the longest and most expensive journey (Kilcoole to Balbriggan) costs €3.90. I'm sure they also collect some extra fare revenue with people forgetting to tag-off all over the Short Hop Zone.

It will all change at the end of April anyway when the most expensive fare will be €7.50 to Rathdrum and Kildare.

mikeybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123313106#Comment_123313106

Driver probably hit the wrong button. Did you raise it with the driver ticket should be proof enough to get any money back.

I found that Go-Ahead drivers generally seem to be more likely to undercharge you than DB drivers guess they don't want the hassle of having passengers complaining they were overcharged.

p_haugh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123315123#Comment_123315123

I could have raised it with them/leap card customer service, but wasn't bothered over the 1 euro difference. Just never realised the fair could be applied even if I hadn't already pay for the normal fair!