Yeah, in hindsight, I should have been equally suspicious of the system. Why do we always expect and receive such a level of cock-up in public sector projects in Ireland? It's just depressing - it is nothing to do with a lack of money. Leap had a budget of 55 million euro.

Correction - it had a budget of 27 million euro but they spend 55 million on it.

To be honest - the point-to-point season tickets should never have migrated to LEAP.

They should have remained on IE smartcards and if people wanted to use LEAP epurse they should have been informed to get a separate LEAP card.

I'd have to agree. It was a very silly decision which also meant that ticket checkers on intercity trains have to be issued with Leap card readers as there is nothing on the card to say where it is valid.

I got on fine with old system of Rail smartcard and separate Leap card.

How does this work on the bus network, which has some form of a zonal system (at least in Cork and for Bus Eireann services in Dublin). If you want to go beyond your ticket, do you have to pay for the whole journey. e.g. If a Dublin Red Zone ticket holder wants to travel to Clane, are they liable for the whole fare or just from the edge of the Red Zone?

I think more ticket holders have an ePurse balance than you'd think, however, for most, it's for completely different services. For example, my commuter ticket covers me for all buses in Cork, but I still have an ePurse balance that I have used for Midleton Rail and on LUAS, DART and Dublin Bus. Extending outside your permitted travel area on your regular service provider is obviously more complex.

Is there any hope of a zonal system being brought in across all travel operators at any time in the foreseeable future?

Any changes are likely to be incremental, to avoid a shock to the system, but change will happen.

Good to see that the inconsistencies of fares in the suburban areas of the cities outside Dublin are being addressed in the next fares determination. Recently used a leapcard to go from Ballincollig into Cork by bus at a single cost of €3.52 (€7 return) for a 5 mile / 8km journey. Seems like this will fall to under €2 each way - a much more reasonable fare.

Maximum leap journey is Dublin is €2.60, so seems much more comparable.

My recollection is that rail fares will similarly become more in line with Dublin.

Leap Card
 

Hi I have seen people In my station use a leap card
Currently getting train daily from Monasterevin to Dublin City Centre and costing 370 month. I read on the website that leap cards are only being used as far as naas/sallins. I would appreciate any advice and way to save on my ticket ad if I can use a leap card