New train fares for Wicklow explained: commuters in one town to take serious hit
This fares determination sets out the fares for all the main Public Service Obligation (PSO) services – namely rail passenger services operated by Iarnród Éireann, bus services operated by Dublin Bus and Go-Ahead Ireland, the Luas etc.
The NTA first published its National Fares Strategy in 2023, and the key objective was to move to a more equitable and consistent structure for all public transport across Ireland. Part of the requirements of the strategy was that bus and rail fares should increase in line with distance travelled, regardless of route used or geographic location.
This led to the creation of Dublin city zones and it is essentially these that have been revised, meaning an adjustment to fares.
The new fare structure, which kicks in on Monday, April 28 will have a significant impact on commuters in north Wicklow as the 'Dublin Commuter Zone' (DCZ) will replace the 'Short Hop Zone', which has now effectively been extended.
This will result in significant changes to ticket fares, and for those who tag on and off with Leap cards.
Leaving the confusing nature of the changes to one side, there is just one question that all commuters want answered: will the changes mean cheaper travel or not? The answer, confusingly, is yes and no, depending on what zone you now find yourself in.
The DZC is broken down into the Dublin City Zone 1, and then Zones 2, 3 and 4, based on distance from Dublin city centre.
Dublin city zone 1 covers the central city and its suburbs, and extends as far south as Bray. Greystones, meanwhile, has now been exiled to zone 2, at a cost to the town's commuters.
The DZC will increase from the former limit of Kilcoole, to now include Wicklow town and Rathdrum, which are in zones 3 and 4. And while fares will come down in the areas now part of zones 3 and 4, there will be a mixture of increases and reductions in zone 2, with commuters in Greystones actually facing a hike in their fares.
A single adult ticket from Dublin Connolly to Bray, from Monday, April 28, will remain at €2.60, while an adult day return will cost €5.20. The adult Leap card fare will be €2.
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A single ticket from Dublin Connolly to Greystones will increase from €3.90 to €5.10. A return ticket will set you back a fairly hefty €9.20, from the earlier fare of €7.20. The adult Leap card fare will be €3.90. The fares are the same for commuters to Kilcoole.
However, the inequity for Greystones commuters doesn't end there, because the annual tickets are also going to be increased to €1,400, as opposed to €960 for those commuters who live in the Dublin zone, such as Bray. Bizarrely, an annual Dublin commuter bus only ticket will cost €1,295 for those in both zones one and two.
Meanwhile, for commuters to Wicklow town, in zone 3, the fares are now €7.80 for an adult single ticket and €14 for an adult day return. However, because Wicklow town will be included in Zone 3, Leap cards can now be used as the cheapest option, with charges from €6 for an adult.
Zone 4 will be furthest from the city centre, covering Rathdrum, at a cost of €7.50 for an adult with a Leap card. Otherwise, an adult single ticket will cost €9.80 and a day return will cost €17.60.
Irish Rail communications manager Barry Kenny, speaking to RTÉ, has explained that the new fares mean using a Leap card will be the best option.
'We're encouraging all customers who use the Leap card, to make sure to touch on and touch off for your journey, so that you aren't charged a higher fare than you're due,' he said, and added that while cash fares are still available for the journeys, 'Leap will always be the cheaper option'.
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