Dublin: Political opposition is mounting in Dublin over the National Transport Authority’s (NTA) decision to increase public transport fares from January 2027, with councillors warning that higher costs will place additional pressure on households already struggling with the cost of living.
Dublin City Council has unanimously passed a motion calling for the proposed fare increases to be withdrawn. Emergency motions brought forward by members of People Before Profit, the Green Party and the Social Democrats received support from councillors across both government and opposition parties.
The council agreed to write to the NTA and Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien urging them to reverse the planned increases.
Daryl Barron, a Fianna Fáil councillor, is the current Lord Mayor of Dublin.
Fares to rise by an average of 15 per cent
The NTA announced the new fare structure on September 3, with the changes due to come into effect in January 2027.
Adult public transport fares will rise by an average of 15 per cent nationwide. In Dublin, the popular 90-minute Leap fare, which allows passengers to travel across buses, Luas and DART services, will increase from €2 to €2.30.
Short-distance fares will see a larger increase, rising from €1.50 to €2 — an increase of approximately 33 per cent.
The changes will apply across cash fares, Leap card fares and season tickets, including weekly and monthly tickets.
The increases will extend beyond Dublin, with most fares in the Dublin commuter belt set to rise by an average of 15 per cent.
In other towns, adult Leap fares will increase by 10 per cent to €1.65, while cash fares will rise to €2.30. In Galway, Limerick and Waterford, adult Leap fares will increase by 10 per cent to €1.70, while Cork City bus fares will remain unchanged.
Bus Éireann long-distance services will see an average fare increase of 15 per cent. Intercity rail express fares will rise by 10 per cent, while economy fares could increase by as much as 20 per cent. TFI Local Link single fares will also increase by an average of 15 per cent.
Youth and free travel schemes protected
The NTA has confirmed that the existing 50 per cent fare discount for young people and students will remain in place.
Free travel for children under nine, as well as passengers aged over 66 and those eligible for the Free Travel Scheme, will also continue.
The authority said the changes represent the first widespread public transport fare revision since 2018.
According to the NTA, inflation in Ireland has reached 20.8 per cent since 2022, while operating costs have risen significantly. It said additional revenue is needed to support improvements to the public transport network amid higher costs for vehicles, fuel and staff, as well as the expansion of services.
Despite the increases, the NTA said fares will remain approximately 8 per cent lower than they were eight years ago.
Councillors warn of impact on commuters
Opponents of the fare increases argue that the decision will place an unfair burden on people who depend on public transport every day to travel to work, schools, hospitals and other essential services.
Councillors have also questioned the policy at a time when the government is encouraging people to reduce private car use in an effort to tackle congestion and pollution.
They argue that making public transport more expensive could discourage people from switching from cars to buses, trains and the Luas, potentially undermining wider transport and environmental objectives.
Pressure builds on Government and NTA
The Oireachtas Transport Committee has invited the NTA to appear before it on September 16 to provide further clarification on the proposed fare changes.
Pressure is now mounting on both the government and the NTA to reconsider the January increases. Similar motions are also expected to be brought before other local authorities across the Dublin region.
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