Luas single ticket validity

[Colm Moore]

Luas single tickets are valid for 90 minutes. It says on the back "complete journey within 90 minutes of ticket issue". It doesn't absolutely define when "complete" is, so I assume the end is when the tram arrives at Sandyford. I had thought that 3 hours was allowed.

This makes a Tallaght-Sandyford journey (and return / similar) slightly perilous at off-peak times, especially if you have just missed a tram.

http://www.luas.ie/timetable.php

Monday - Friday Red Line
Operating hours Time between trams
9.50pm - 0.30am 20 minutes

Monday - Friday Green Line
Operating hours Time between trams
10.30pm - 0.30am 15 minutes

http://www.luas.ie/connections.php

The Green and Red Lines are not connected.

It is a 15 minute walk from St Stephen’s Green Stop on the Green line to Abbey St. Stop on the Red line.

http://www.luas.ie/journey-times.php

Journey Times
Below are the journey times for each of the Luas zones

Zone Time
Green zone 3, Sandyford to Dundrum 8 minutes
Green zone 2, Dundrum to Beechwood 7-8 minutes
Green zone 1, Beechwood to St Stephens Green 5-6 minutes


Zone Time
Red zone 4, Tallaght to Red Cow 10 minutes
Red zone 3, Red Cow to Suir Road 13 minutes
Red zone 2, Suir Road to Heuston 9 minutes
Red central, Heuston to Connolly 14 minutes

Tallaght-Connolly is 46 minutes. I am allowing 42 minutes for Tallaght-Abbey St. This might be improved on at night, but not much.

Wait for tram 19 minutes
Journey Tallaght - Abbey Street 42 minutes
Walk Abbey Street - St. Stephen's Green 15 minutes
Journey St. Stephen's Green - Sandyford 22 minutes
Wait for tram 14 minutes

Total 112 minutes.

I realise that this is an extreme case and that average time will be better(assumming no delays, human or tram occur), but it is still pushing it. Best possbile time is about 77-79 minutes.