Bus and rail fares to increase from next month

Bus and rail passengers are facing fare increases from Dec 1 after the National Transport Authority approved prices rises across the CIÉ group ranging from 2% to almost 18%.

The increases will apply to all cash fares, as well as Leap cards, pre-paid tickets on Iarnród Éireann, Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus, and Luas services.

Public transport users have already experienced an average price increase of almost 6% over the past 12 months, largely due to increased fuel prices.

The NTA has urged commuters to switch to the Leap smartcard as some of the planned fare increases are “significant”.

Fares for Leap cards — which are usable on all main public transport services in the greater Dublin area — are either cheaper or as cheap as existing cash fares and will be substantially cheaper than cash fares after Dec 1. The Leap card will be extended to Bus Éireann services from early 2013.

The NTA said the latest price hikes were necessary to protect public transport services as much as possible amid falling state subvention since 2009 due to the economic downturn.

It said the problem had been compounded by falling passenger numbers and related declining revenues, combined with rising fuel costs.

The NTA claimed that the fare increases were needed despite CIÉ’s efforts to introduce major cost-cutting programmes in order to continue providing bus and rail services.

Fares on Bus Éireann services will increase by 6% on average, while cash fares on Dublin Bus will rise by between 5.7% and 17.9%, dependent on the length of the journey. The sharpest price hikes will apply to shorter journeys.

Leap card users will face increases of 2.1% to 12%. Train fares on intercity routes will rise by between less than 1% and almost 4%, while Dublin commuter rail fares will rise between 9% and 14%.

The NTA said the new fares would also continue its aim of eliminating anomalous fares across the rail network so passengers are generally charged on the basis of distance travelled.

Some Luas cash fares will increase by 2% on average, while others will jump by up to 5.7%. The NTA said some increases may not be introduced on Dec 1 for technical or operational reasons.

The latest increase comes as the financial situation of the CIÉ group has deteriorated badly in the past 12 months.

In its 2011 annual report, published earlier this week, CIÉ’s auditors warned about its ability to continue trading as a going concern.

The State transport group recorded a net loss of €6.1m last year, despite a Government subvention of almost €280m. CIÉ has been unable to draw down a €36m bailout agreed by the Government in the summer after Leo Varadkar, the transport minister, insisted it was conditional on the group making a number of cost-cutting initiatives.