Increase in commuting costs for students

Dublin Bus fares for mid-range journeys have increased by 5.6%

  Costs of commuting for Dublin students has increased for certain transport services from December 1. Fares on Dublin Bus are increasing from €2.05 to €2.15 using a leap card, a 4.9% rise.

Dublin Bus fares for mid-range journeys have increased by 5.6%. For cash journeys, prices increased from €2.70 to €2.85, a 5.5% increase. The €2.00 short distance fare is now €2.10, resulting in a 5% increase. The price for journeys between Zone 1 and 3, €1.50, has remained unchanged. Dublin Bus does not offer student-only fare prices.

In addition, “Short Hop Zone” student monthly fairs on Iarnród Éireann have risen 0.5% from €95.50 to €100. Intercity student monthly tickets have increased in cost on most fares from between 0.8% and 1.3% depending on which zone the tickets are bought from. Intercity express trains have also increased in price for most fares between 1% and 2.9%. 66% of return fares on the express trains have risen in cost for students. Single journey fares from Greystones to Pearse Street have risen from €5.70 to €6.00, for example.

According to the 2016 census, 24% of all third-level students use public transport to get to college. 17% of third level students commute over an hour daily, with seven towns with populations greater than 1,500 in Ireland having more than 50% of students spending over an hour commuting for education. Over 56% of students living in Skerries and 50% of students resident in Wicklow Town commute over an hour daily to college.

Bus Éireann saw significant decreases in cost with an average 18% decrease on fares. Using a leap card will account for a 30% discount on cash fares from 2018. For students, fares are now between 65% and 80% of the adult fare equivalent, as per guidelines by the National Transport Authority (NTA). Student return tickets saw decreases of up to 10.4%. Student ten-journey tickets decreased by 2.4% on average.

Some Luas fares also rose. Weekly student tickets for Green Zone 2, for example, between Ranelagh and Stephen’s Green, rose nearly 4% to €13.70. Luas have introduced a city center €1.00 off-peak fare. Zone 3-4 monthly tickets rose €1, to €65. The cost of monthly and annual Luas tickets have risen by 10%, to €110 and €1,100 respectively. Irish rail adult commuter prices rose from 9.1% for an adult Zone G single ticket to 14% for a Zone A adult return ticket.

On October 28, NTA announced that 74% of transport service fares would be increased for 2018, although some commuters will notice a decrease in their fares.

Seana Davis

Seana Davis is a fourth year Geology student and News Editor of Trinity News.