Ireland
Dublin
Ireland's capital of literature and pubs. The Luas tram and the coastal DART do the everyday work.
Luas
No bank-card tap here - the Luas takes a Leap card or a paper ticket only. There are no gates, but Leap needs a tap on before boarding and a tap off after - the reverse of the bus. Miss it and the full fare is charged.
Updated on August 5, 2026
How to ride
- 1Sort your ticket on the platform before boardingEvery stop has a ticket machine on the platform, taking cash or card. Nothing is sold on board the tram.
- 2With a Leap card, tap on at the platform validatorThere are no gates - tap your Leap card on a platform validator before boarding. A tone confirms it worked.
- 3Tap off again after you get offAfter alighting, tap off at a validator on the platform. Forget and you are charged the full fare with no refund.
- 4Crossing between the Red and Green lines means tapping againOn a two-line trip, tap off on the line you leave and tap on again on the next one, every time.
- 5Keep your ticket to hand for inspectorsRevenue inspectors patrol the trams. Without a valid ticket or tap record you are issued a €100 standard fare notice.
Fares
Single fares4
TFI 90-minute fare (Leap, adult)
Every Luas stop is in Zone 1 and most journeys cost this; free transfers within 90 minutes
2 EUR ≈ $2
Leap Short Fare (adult)
A cheaper rate applied automatically to selected journeys of up to about 3km, Leap only
1.5 EUR ≈ $2
Single ticket from the machine (adult)
€2.00 for 1 zone, €2.60 for 2-8 zones; valid 90 minutes for one trip only, with no break of journey
2〜2.6 EUR ≈ $2–3
Return ticket from the machine (adult)
€4.00 for 1 zone, €5.20 for 2-8 zones; day of issue only, and the outward trip must end within 90 min
4〜5.2 EUR ≈ $5–6
Passes & multi-ride2
TFI Leap Visitor Card
Unlimited travel at €8.00 for 1 day, €18.00 for 3 days or €24.00 for 7 days, counting from your first tap
8〜24 EUR ≈ $9–28
DoDublin Freedom Ticket (adult)
72 hours of public transport as a Visitor Leap plus a 48-hour sightseeing bus; redeem the voucher first
49 EUR ≈ $57
Fare caps1
Leap fare cap (adult, day / week)
€6.00 a day and €24.00 Monday to Sunday, counted across Luas, Dublin City Bus, DART and Commuter Rail together
6〜24 EUR ≈ $7–28
Children & discounts1
Single ticket from the machine (child 5-15)
The same price whatever the zones; under-5s travel free, and proof of age may be asked for
0.9 EUR ≈ $1
Estimates use exchange rates as of September 5, 2026
Payment
Tap to ride Cannot be used to ride; the ticket machines take it for purchases up to €50
IC card The TFI Leap card - tap a platform validator before and after each ride
Paper tickets Paper tickets from the machines - valid from the time of issue, no stamping
Cash Accepted at the platform ticket machines; nothing can be bought on board
Quick facts
Hours
05:30-00:40, shorter Sun
Frequency
Every 4-8 min (6-15 Sun)
Fares from
2 EUR+
Heads-up
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Missing a tap-off means a full fare and then no ticket
Forget to tap off when you get off and you are charged the full fare, with no refund. Worse, if you then touch a validator before your next trip it registers as the missing tap-off rather than a tap-on, so you board with no valid ticket. Check the card's state at a ticket machine, never at a validator.
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Your own e-scooter cannot be brought on board
You cannot bring your own e-scooter onto the tram. Irish public transport operators banned them from October 2024 over the fire risk of lithium-ion batteries, and the ban covers scooters that are folded or carried. E-bikes and mobility scooters are exempt.