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
- 1Put your hand out at the stopWait at the stop, check the route number and destination on the front display, then put your hand out to stop the bus.
- 2Paying cash means exact coinsTell the driver where you're going, drop the coins in the fare machine when told the price, and take your ticket.
- 3Two Leap readers, two different faresShort one-off ride - touch the driver's machine. Longer trip or a transfer - use the validator on your right as you board.
- 4Keep the ticket until you get offInspectors run random checks, so keep your paper ticket until you get off.
- 5Press the bell to get offPress 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 ≈ $3–4
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 ≈ $9–28
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 ≈ $12
Estimates use exchange rates as of September 5, 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
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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.
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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.