PEOPLE UNDER THE age of 26 will be able to travel half price on public transport from today thanks to the extension of the young adult card fare.

The government measure was initially announced for 19-23 year-olds in Budget 2022, but the criteria was extended in the Budget last October to include 24 and 25-year -olds.

The change means that up until your 26th birthday you can travel half-price on all public transport using a young adult leap card. This also includes full-time third level students.

Leap card users are currently able to travel around Dublin for €1 euro as part of the TFI 90 minute fare. This is in comparison to the €2 fare currently charged for adults travelling with a Leap card.

Under this scheme 25-year-olds will now pay €0.65 for Bus Éireann single city fares in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford in comparison to €1.35 for an adult.

For Bus Éireann town fares in Drogheda, Athlone, Sligo, Navan, and Carlow, 25-year-olds can now pay €0.55 as opposed to €1.10 for adults.

If you currently have a Leap card and are aged 23 or younger, that card will still allow you to access half price fares up until your 24th birthday. Anyone aged 24 or 25 will have to to apply for a new card in order to benefit. 

Leap cards purchased after today will be valid until your 26th birthday.

Launching the extension of the discounted fare, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said big increases in public transport passenger numbers were “being led by young people in particular who are using our buses and trains more to get to and from college, training, sports facilities or just to meet up with friends in their local towns”.