Ireland

Dublin

Ireland's capital of literature and pubs. The Luas tram and the coastal DART do the everyday work.

Dublin City Bus (Dublin Bus / Go-Ahead Ireland)

No bank-card tap here - Leap card or coins, exact fare, no change, no notes. The two on-board readers take different fares depending on which you touch, and you never tap off - the reverse of Luas and DART.

Updated on August 5, 2026

How to ride

1
Put your hand out at the stop

Wait at the stop, check the route number and destination on the front display, then put your hand out to stop the bus.
2
Paying cash means exact coins

Tell the driver where you're going, drop the coins in the fare machine when told the price, and take your ticket.
3
Two Leap readers, two different fares

Short one-off ride - touch the driver's machine. Longer trip or a transfer - use the validator on your right as you board.
4
Keep the ticket until you get off

Inspectors run random checks, so keep your paper ticket until you get off.
5
Press the bell to get off

Press the bell once as your stop comes up. There is no tap off on the bus - you only ever tap on.

Fares

Single fares4

Leap TFI 90 Minute fare (long / transfers)

Within 90 minutes you can change freely between city bus, Luas, DART and Zone 1 commuter rail; child €0.65

2 EUR ≈ $2

Leap Short Fare

For single trips of roughly 2 to 3 km - the fare taken when you touch the driver's machine

1.5 EUR ≈ $2

Cash fare (coins only)

€2.00 short, €2.60 long; coins only and no change is given. Child €0.90 either way

2〜2.6 EUR ≈ $2–3

Xpresso (express) and Nitelink (night)

€2.40 by Leap, €3.10 in cash; neither gets the 90-minute transfer, and only Xpresso counts toward the cap

2.4〜3.1 EUR ≈ $3

Passes & multi-ride1

TFI Leap Visitor Card

€8 for 24 hours, €18 for 72 hours, €24 for 7 days; the clock starts at your first tap

8〜24 EUR ≈ $9–27

Card itself1

Buying an Adult TFI Leap Card

A €5 deposit plus a €5 minimum top-up; the deposit can be claimed back

10 EUR ≈ $11

Estimates use exchange rates as of November 3, 2026

Payment

Tap to ride

Not available on Dublin city buses; the rollout is planned for 2028

IC card

The TFI Leap Card - tap once as you board, and never tap off

App tickets

TFI Go covers Bus Éireann and Local Link, not the Dublin city buses

Paper tickets

Issued by the driver when you pay cash - keep it until you get off

Cash

Coins only, the exact fare, no change given, and no notes accepted

Quick facts

Hours

05:00-24:00 plus 24h routes

Fares from

2 EUR+

Heads-up

Leap top-ups bought online must be collected

Topping up a TFI Leap Card online is not instant. The credit has to be collected at the load location you nominated - a Leap agent, a rail or Luas machine, or the Leap Top-Up app - and that can take up to 48 hours. While you are in Dublin, top up in person or through the app.
The Visitor Card is posted, not issued as an e-ticket

The TFI Leap Visitor Card is not an e-ticket. Order it online and it is posted to you - 3 to 5 working days within Ireland after dispatch, up to 10 for the rest of Europe. If you want it on arrival, buy the physical card at the airport or a city agent.