[article] 7,550 Leap card refunds in first year
 

http://www.independent.ie/national-n...r-3347250.html
Irish Independent 2013

7120 refunds on Irish Rail

Leap was never tested on Irish Rail before launch and it shows. Irish Rail only got its gear working after the formal user test was over.

Neither the NTA nor Irish Rail want to admit there are problems, every time we complain its a case of we know and we are working on it

I noticed on their website that you can claim a free leap card if you have a rail or luas smartcard. I just tried filling out the form and was really surprised to find that it wouldn't accept my card number.

It all seems very amateurish. I am sure it is something like I'm not entitled because it is a point-to-point card issued on a Wednesday or some other such bizzarre reason.

It is limited to standard non photo smartcards

It worked fine on my IE and Luas ones

From the URL (https://www.leapcard.ie/ServiceSuppo...onITSCard.aspx) I am guessing that is for swapping older cards rather than for giving annual commuters a free leap card but the website isn't hugely clear about that. It has a picture similar to my card and it says I can have a free leap card.

I take the bus or luas a few times a year and it would be handy to have a leap card but only if it were easy to come across and effectively free (10 euro for a card loaded with 10 euro of credit). This was the basis on which I acquired an Oyster card - they were selling them at Paddington station for a tenner and they came with a tenner of credit on them

Anyway, I guess this is off-topic.

You didn't pay a deposit for the annual ticket, despite the fact it actually has 5 euro on it.

My understanding is that Irish Rail did hand out free cards with credit on them in the early days

Had to give up using Leap Card on Irish rail due to 'not recognising card' error at Clonsilla and some turnstiles at Tara.
When use old Irish Rail card straight away at same Tag on/off point (pole or turnstile) it works everytime.