Kids paying price for unfair child fares in Dublin commuter zone – Boland

The National Transport Authority (NTA) must urgently clarify and revise its proposed child fare structure under the 2025 Fares Determination for the Dublin Commuter Zone, a Fine Gael TD has said.

Deputy Grace Boland, TD for Dublin Fingal West, has consistently raised concerns about the disproportionate impact of the new zonal fare system on those travelling to and from Zone 2.  In particular, schoolchildren travelling between Rush/Lusk, Skerries and Balbriggan and their families have been penalised.

The NTA previously acknowledged, following Deputy Boland’s representations, that the fare structure was unfair to school-going children and committed to introducing a discounted product tailored to their needs. However, despite this commitment, no such fare has yet been implemented even though the schools have returned.

Deputy Boland said: “Families in Zone 2 deserve clarity and fairness. The proposed child fares are not fit for purpose. There is no dedicated five-day ticket for school travel, no rail-only option for students commuting between towns like Skerries, Rush/Lusk and Balbriggan, and what does appear to be proposed doesn’t amount to any meaningful discount.

“The new fare products; including daily, weekly, and monthly multi-modal tickets, are designed to offer flexibility across bus, Luas, and rail services. However, these products fail to reflect the real-world travel patterns of school children and young commuters in Zone 2, where Luas services are entirely absent and bus coverage remains limited.

“Families in Zone 2 are being asked to pay for a level of service they simply don’t receive. This structure effectively subsidises better-connected areas while ignoring the needs of our communities. A fair fares system must be based on actual service availability and usage.

“Parents are frustrated and confused. Their children rely on the train to get to school, and the current fare options are either too expensive or simply don’t match their needs”.

Deputy Boland is calling for the immediate introduction of:

• A five-day child fare suitable for school travel
• A rail-only child fare product for Zone 2 commuters
• Clear and accessible information from the NTA on fare structures and eligibility

Deputy Boland also highlighted the stark disparity in pricing between Zone 1 and Zone 2 journeys, noting that a child can currently travel from Bray to Rush & Lusk — a cross-county journey — for just €1.30 return, while a much shorter trip from Rush & Lusk to Balbriggan costs €3.00 return.

“This kind of inconsistency undermines the principle of fairness in public transport pricing.