Exactly. I have a leap card for the one day a week I need to get a Luas. But I have a 30 day rambler for the bus – because I often have to get 4 buses in a day and the leap card would just be an unmerciful rip off..

this definitely needs to happen, but it will need a transport authority just for Dublin, like TFL or the MTA, but that will most likely require a directly elected Mayor of Greater Dublin. Less talk and more action in that regard would be appreciated from our government.

Have to say I agree. The worst example I’ve ever seen of this was going to a friends house. I got a 45a there and a 145 back. The duration and length of journey was the same, the route was the same – but the fare was 50c more there than it was back.. And yes – I brought it up with the driver, and the garage in Donnybrook – I was I formed it was because the 45a has different fare stages than the 145.. Still not a good enough excuse if you ask me..

@Tomás M. O’Huigin, I believe there is a Dublin Transportation Office (DTO) a government quango that never raises it head. It was only studying transport planning in college that it was ever mentioned. God only knows what they do there.

I always thought that was just the conductor on our bus. Doubt if had a hangover though. Always appeared well cut.

You can’t collect a top up on a bus afaik. The ticket machines aren’t networked so have no way of knowing if you have topped up. They can only read the existing credit on the card.

I know brian.exactly my point.would it be beyond modern technology for ur credit to go on ur card once its registered thru website?must be….

Cian, I would suggest it’s not a technological limitation, but rather a political one, with the various interests involved dragging their heels, and standing in the way of progress. The reason Leap has been a disaster is because all of the operators and vested interests involved have been unable to agree on anything. They are slowly getting there though.

Cian – these cards are just a replacement for cash (and can potentially store weekly/monthly/annual tickets). They’re not credit cards. There’s never credit on a credit card – every time you make a transaction on your credit card it has to verified for security and that you actually have the credit available. Leap cards essentially work in reverse, the credit gets put on the card but there has to be a contact point where this information is transferred to the card. It wouldn’t be practical to have a system where the card has to be verified with a central system.

There should be more points where you can pick up your credit. Somebody suggested that as those real time displays have data connections that there could be some sort of terminal linked to these at stops.

That’s why it’s called “Transport 21″ – because it took 21 years to implement ;-)

Yeah – when it first came out I rang and asked Dublin Bus about rambler tickets / daily caps, I was told that the Ramblers would be phase out last summer and integrated into the leap card..
As you said, still waiting..

Particularly as much of the Oyster system was developed here in Dublin…

Totally agree with you there

Then you would end up paying more to the banks for every transaction. 1.75% of transaction value. Minimum €0.46, Maximum €11.43 per transaction