The National Transport Authority has combined the student travelcard and the integrated transport Leap card for potentially up to 50,000 third-level students across Ireland.
The move comes 10 months after Dublin’s new integrated ticketing system Leap – the city’s version of the London Oyster Card – went live, with 350 retail shops, as well as an online web shop supporting the new system.
The new student smartcard will allow students to benefit from discounted pay-as-you-go Leap card fares of up to 18pc on DART and commuter rail; 17pc on the Luas; and 11pc on Dublin Bus.
“This will make public transport more attractive to students,” Public and Commuter Transport Minister Alan Kelly, TD, said.
“There is no additional charge for having a Leap card as part of your student travelcard and it can be used right across the public transport system within the Greater Dublin Area.
“It will give potentially 50,000 students or so easy access to all forms of public transport in Dublin,” Kelly said.
He said the Leap card is already being used by almost 130,000 people generating 7.3m journeys.