TFI Leap Card Guide & FAQ (Updated Jan 2020)

The Black Oil · 12-12-2018 10:20am

I tried it on a flat surface, a desk. Nothing. I'll try it on Wi-Fi later. The NXP app works.

The Black Oil · 12-12-2018 11:18pm

Read the card straight away on wifi.

Cloudio9 · 21-12-2018 10:44am

Anyone know where to find my annual ticket number ?

AndrewJRenko · 21-12-2018 3:28pm

What are the hours around the daily cap? If I'm coming home on the last Luas at 12.30am, having hit my cap earlier that day (technically, the previous day), do I have to pay?

markpb · 21-12-2018 3:37pm

Cloudio9 wrote: »

Anyone know where to find my annual ticket number ?

Your Leap card number is printed on the front of the card, that may be what you're looking for.

markpb · 21-12-2018 3:38pm

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

What are the hours around the daily cap? If I'm coming home on the last Luas at 12.30am, having hit my cap earlier that day (technically, the previous day), do I have to pay?

Leap card website says:

Daily Cap = first to last service on any given day.
Weekly Cap (Mon-Sun) = first service on Monday to last service on Sunday.

AndrewJRenko · 21-12-2018 3:52pm

markpb wrote: »

Leap card website says:

Thanks. At risk of labouring a point, does 'a given day' end at midnight, or end when the service for that day finishes?

Qrt · 21-12-2018 4:47pm

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Thanks. At risk of labouring a point, does 'a given day' end at midnight, or end when the service for that day finishes?

When the service finishes I’m certain.

Victor · 21-12-2018 7:14pm

markpb wrote: »

Leap card website says:

Daily Cap = first to last service on any given day.
Weekly Cap (Mon-Sun) = first service on Monday to last service on Sunday.

It had been set at about 4am. However, I think Nitelink only gets a fare reduction with the daily / weekly caps, it isn't wholly contained by the cap.

Annual ticket holders are usually free on night services.

AndrewJRenko · 21-12-2018 9:17pm

Victor wrote: »

It had been set at about 4am. However, I think Nitelink only gets a fare reduction with the daily / weekly caps, it isn't wholly contained by the cap.

Annual ticket holders are usually free on night services.

Thanks, that's helpful.

I was coming home on the last Luas, having hit the cap earlier in the day. My card had a small negative balance from the last transaction, something like -€1.

When I went to tag on to come home, I got the negative buzz from the machine and the red light. It didn't let me tag on with the negative balance, even though the journey was actually free.

So what's the story - do I need to tag on after hitting the cap? Should I have been allowed to tag on?

Dravokivich · 22-12-2018 1:42am

Your card needs to be in credit. The validator doesn't know anything about your card getting the cap, because it won't initiate a journey with a card without credit.

AndrewJRenko · 22-12-2018 9:36am

Dravokivich wrote: »

Your card needs to be in credit. The validator doesn't know anything about your card getting the cap, because it won't initiate a journey with a card without credit.

Thanks - is that a bit of a glitch in the configuration of rules for the validator? What happens if I don't tag on? Could I be fined, even though the fare is zero?

Dravokivich · 22-12-2018 10:19am

They want the process simple to make the transaction quick. It checks for tickets first, then checks if there's credit to do a journey.

Any talk of fines would be down to which ever service you are using.

AndrewJRenko · 22-12-2018 11:50am

Dravokivich wrote: »

They want the process simple to make the transaction quick. It checks for tickets first, then checks if there's credit to do a journey.

Any talk of fines would be down to which ever service you are using.

Yeah, I get what's happening - but surely if it finds there is no credit, it should also check to see if the cap has already been reached before deciding to reject?

If I travel on the Luas, after being rejected by the validator, having already reached the cap, could I be fined?

markpb · 22-12-2018 1:18pm

Dravokivich wrote: »

They want the process simple to make the transaction quick. It checks for tickets first, then checks if there's credit to do a journey.

The validator updates the purse balance when you tag on/off so it's definitely responsible for applying caps. I'm not sure why the OP couldn't tag on. If it was a luas trip, maybe the cap is applied at tag off?

Any talk of fines would be down to which ever service you are using.

I don't think any operator will let you on without a ticket. If you're unable to tag on, even if the tag on would be free, then you don't have a ticket.

Dravokivich · 22-12-2018 5:23pm

markpb wrote: »

The validator updates the purse balance when you tag on/off so it's definitely responsible for applying caps. I'm not sure why the OP couldn't tag on. If it was a luas trip, maybe the cap is applied at tag off?

I don't think any operator will let you on without a ticket. If you're unable to tag on, even if the tag on would be free, then you don't have a ticket.

He couldn't tag on because he had no credit. They had already fulfilled the cap.

AndrewJRenko · 23-12-2018 10:01am

Dravokivich wrote: »

He couldn't tag on because he had no credit. They had already fulfilled the cap.

That's the key question for me. Is it a 'bug' that I wasn't allowed to tag on, and would I be liable for a fine?

Gael23 · 23-12-2018 10:05am

I’m planning on making a journey on the DART to Connolly and then take the maynooth commuter train. Do I need to tag off and tag on again at Connolly?

wench · 23-12-2018 11:55am

Gael23 wrote: »

I’m planning on making a journey on the DART to Connolly and then take the maynooth commuter train. Do I need to tag off and tag on again at Connolly?

No, that's all one journey.

Gael23 · 23-12-2018 2:56pm

wench wrote: »

No, that's all one journey.

Would it be the same if I was to take the LUAS to Connolly?

markpb · 23-12-2018 4:10pm

Gael23 wrote: »

wench wrote: »

No, that's all one journey.

Would it be the same if I was to take the LUAS to Connolly?

Nope, if you change transport operator, you have to tag on again (and tag off too if needed).

Dravokivich · 24-12-2018 11:59am

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

That's the key question for me. Is it a 'bug' that I wasn't allowed to tag on, and would I be liable for a fine?

It's not a bug. This is how it's meant to work. If you don't have credit, it won't do anything that needs credit.

AndrewJRenko · 24-12-2018 12:30pm

Dravokivich wrote: »

It's not a bug. This is how it's meant to work. If you don't have credit, it won't do anything that needs credit.

Traveling after reaching the cap doesn't (or shouldn't) need credit.

Dravokivich · 24-12-2018 1:20pm

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Traveling after reaching the cap doesn't (or shouldn't) need credit.

That's just a bonus feature of usage. If you add more logic conditions, transactions take longer.

Qrt · 24-12-2018 1:56pm

I tagged on the luas no problem last week after a DART journey left me in a negative balance. I feel like I should say that.

Dravokivich · 24-12-2018 6:48pm

Qrt wrote: »

I tagged on the luas no problem last week after a DART journey left me in a negative balance. I feel like I should say that.

I doubt it. You might want to read through your history on the website.

AndrewJRenko · 25-12-2018 12:33am

Dravokivich wrote: »

That's just a bonus feature of usage. If you add more logic conditions, transactions take longer.

It's more than a 'bonus'. It is a key part of the current fare structure that customers must be able to rely on.

Adding the logic would only apply to those customers who try to tax with a negative balance, which must be a fairly small percentage. And the time taken to look at the transaction history for the day would be fairly instantaneous.

Dravokivich · 25-12-2018 3:41am

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

It's more than a 'bonus'. It is a key part of the current fare structure that customers must be able to rely on.

Adding the logic would only apply to those customers who try to tax with a negative balance, which must be a fairly small percentage. And the time taken to look at the transaction history for the day would be fairly instantaneous.

It isn't. Capping came in years after leap.

AndrewJRenko · 25-12-2018 8:30am

Dravokivich wrote: »

It isn't. Capping came in years after leap.

It is now. The history does not really matter.

Qrt · 25-12-2018 12:45pm

Dravokivich wrote: »

I doubt it. You might want to read through your history on the website.

I have. I had the max fare taken by the DART and it ****ed up my balance, I even asked one of the station staff to explain it to me because I thought I didn’t have enough to get home.

Tagged on the luas and it was fine (may be something to do with Leap 90?)

Collie D · 31-12-2018 4:05pm

Is the Do Dublin bus tour covered by annual ticket?

AndrewJRenko · 31-12-2018 8:00pm

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

It's more than a 'bonus'. It is a key part of the current fare structure that customers must be able to rely on.

Adding the logic would only apply to those customers who try to tax with a negative balance, which must be a fairly small percentage. And the time taken to look at the transaction history for the day would be fairly instantaneous.

Luas Customer Care responded:

You were unable to tag on as there was no credit available. When a leapcard is tagged on regardless of the Leapcard reaching its capacity for the day/week, the fair is deducted, once travel is completed, the full fair (SIC) is then refunded back onto the card.

It looks like a bit of a bug in the billing system. Why should I have to buy credit, when the journey is free?

Curb Your Enthusiasm · 31-12-2018 8:15pm

Why is capping not available on Cork BE Services?

Dravokivich · 01-01-2019 8:26pm

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Luas Customer Care responded:

It looks like a bit of a bug in the billing system. Why should I have to buy credit, when the journey is free?

It's not a bug. You're just being contentious.

Dravokivich · 01-01-2019 8:27pm

Curb Your Enthusiasm wrote: »

Why is capping not available on Cork BE Services?

None of the bus eireann services have capping.

markpb · 01-01-2019 8:42pm

Dravokivich wrote: »

It's not a bug. You're just being contentious.

It certainly doesn't work the way most regular users would expect it to! Free trip? Sorry, you'll need money for that.

AndrewJRenko · 01-01-2019 11:46pm

Dravokivich wrote: »

It's not a bug. You're just being contentious.

So you reckon it was intentionally designed to require people to pay for a free service?

How is it contentious to question a requirement to pay for a free service? If the Council had staff at the gates of your local park requiring people to have a tenner in their wallet before they could enter the park, would you question it?

Dravokivich · 01-01-2019 11:53pm

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

So you reckon it was intentionally designed to require people to pay for a free service?

How is it contentious to question a requirement to pay for a free service? If the Council had staff at the gates of your local park requiring people to have a tenner in their wallet before they could enter the park, would you question it?

Using a credit function requires credit. Adding in complexity so that it checks how additional features are set, before thinking whether or not credit is needed means the transaction will take longer which goes against a primary use case for the leap card.

Not you're just adding in more crap because it doesn't suit you.

AndrewJRenko · 02-01-2019 12:47am

Dravokivich wrote: »

Using a credit function requires credit.

Why is further travel AFTER reaching the cap considered to be 'a credit function'?

Dravokivich wrote: »

Adding in complexity so that it checks how additional features are set, before thinking whether or not credit is needed means the transaction will take longer which goes against a primary use case for the leap card.

No, I've already explained the false 'take longer' claim above. For the vast majority of users, this check would only take place AFTER checking available credit. So for the vast majority of users, the check would take the same amount of time.

For the small amount of users who have no credit, this check could be applied, and they are the ones who would benefit, so a small delay would be acceptable for them.

Dravokivich wrote: »

Not you're just adding in more crap because it doesn't suit you.

It's not about suiting me or not. It is about them applying the actual fare rules that they publish.

If it is not possible to carry out this check for any reason (perhaps because the validator can only see the current balance and not the transaction history), then they need to come out and address this with an appropriate policy - perhaps something like 'you're OK to travel without tagging on if you have already reached the cap'.

But it is completely unacceptable for them to require passengers to put money on the card when no money is actually required to travel.

antodeco · 03-01-2019 7:59pm

Anybody know what's happening with the leap card app? Can't read my card anymore (apparently it's a common app issue) so not sure how I can top my card up!

p_haugh · 05-01-2019 1:54am

antodeco wrote: »

Anybody know what's happening with the leap card app? Can't read my card anymore (apparently it's a common app issue) so not sure how I can top my card up!

Weird, it's working fine for me. Try force closing it in settings/reinstall the app.

piplip87 · 24-01-2019 12:40am

Hey guys have my commute in the morning. Have a few quid on the leap card that won't be used can I buy a 7 day BE pass using travel credit already on the card ? It won't let me buy it using the credit via the app or the website ?

Victor · 24-01-2019 1:18am

piplip87 wrote: »

Hey guys have my commute in the morning. Have a few quid on the leap card that won't be used can I buy a 7 day BE pass using travel credit already on the card ? It won't let me buy it using the credit via the app or the website ?

I don't think so.

How do you normally load the ticket onto your card?

piplip87 · 24-01-2019 1:26am

Victor wrote: »

I don't think so.

How do you normally load the ticket onto your card?

I usually buy the 10 journey paper ticket via the Bus Eireann website. I use the leap for Luas .

I use the App to top up. It's strange that you cannot purchase tickets VIA the App or website with money already on the card.

L1011 · 24-01-2019 10:34am

Found out that if you have a Taxsaver Leap card and change employers, they are unable to put a ticket under a different employers ID on the same card. Requiring a new personalised card to be issued. Its the same ticket type and all.

That's a striking level of incompetence there.

markpb · 24-01-2019 10:34am

piplip87 wrote: »

Hey guys have my commute in the morning. Have a few quid on the leap card that won't be used can I buy a 7 day BE pass using travel credit already on the card ? It won't let me buy it using the credit via the app or the website ?

I think you can do this at a Payzone agent.

piplip87 · 24-01-2019 11:00am

markpb wrote: »

I think you can do this at a Payzone agent.

Thank you I will give it a try.

Vic_08 · 24-01-2019 1:12pm

piplip87 wrote: »

I usually buy the 10 journey paper ticket via the Bus Eireann website. I use the leap for Luas .

I use the App to top up. It's strange that you cannot purchase tickets VIA the App or website with money already on the card.

You can buy BE tickets on the Leap card app and load them directly to the card, on the website and pick-up at payzone outlets.

Or you can buy the full range of zone tickets from the driver on the bus.

piplip87 · 25-01-2019 9:39am

Vic_08 wrote: »

You can buy BE tickets on the Leap card app and load them directly to the card, on the website and pick-up at payzone outlets.

Or you can buy the full range of zone tickets from the driver on the bus.

Hi Vic the question was could they be purchased with credit already on the card via the App or onboard the bus.

They cannot be bought on the app with credit on the card but they can be bought on the bus this way

Thankfully after a 6 week wait for wages they could

Collie D · 26-01-2019 2:48pm

L1011 wrote: »

Found out that if you have a Taxsaver Leap card and change employers, they are unable to put a ticket under a different employers ID on the same card. Requiring a new personalised card to be issued. Its the same ticket type and all.

That's a striking level of incompetence there.

Same if your employer changes the 3rd party agent they use for annual passes.

TFI Leap Card Guide & FAQ (Updated Jan 2020)

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