LEAP CARDS WILL soon be an option for train passengers in Cork.

The plan will be be rolled out gradually, starting later this summer.

The cards are expected to be usable on all Iarnród Éireann services in Cork early next year.

They are currently in use on Bus Éireann services in the county.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) confirmed the news to Deputy Bernard Durkan after the Fine Gael TD asked a parliamentary question about the national roll out of the scheme.

In a letter sent to Durkan, Gerry Murphy, Chief Executive of the NTA, said that a full roll out of Leap cards in Cork was “dependent on the supply of new equipment which is currently the subject of a public procurement process”.

Further roll outs in other counties are expected to happen in 2015, subject to funding. Leap card equipment has been tested on buses in Galway.

The NTA isalso developing plans to extend the scheme to Limerick and Waterford this year.

As of May, 500,000 Leap Cards had been issued since November 2011.

A Leap Visitor Card for tourists was introduced last month.

Read: Reduced fares, like: Leap Card comes to bus services in Cork

Read: It just got easier and a bit cheaper for tourists to travel around Dublin

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