‘It's really shocking': Skerries commuters say there is ‘no justification' for Irish Rail fare hike

Irish Independent

01-05-2025

A number of commuters waiting at Skerries station on Wednesday morning said they are considering driving to Rush and Lusk as it is now cheaper to catch the train there.
Changes introduced by the National Transport Authority (NTA) this week mean commuters travelling from Rush and Lusk benefit from cheaper train fares, but those travelling from nearby Skerries and Balbriggan are facing hikes.
Under a major shake-up of rail fares in the Greater Dublin area, the cost of a Leap Card journey from Rush and Lusk to Dublin's Connolly Station has dropped to just €2.
However, passengers boarding at nearby Skerries now face a 30pc increase, with Leap fares rising from €3 to €3.90. For cash fares, the cost jumps from €3.90 to €5.10.
Under the new fare structure, Balbriggan and Skerries have been grouped into the Dublin Commuter Zone – along with towns in Kildare, Wicklow, and Louth – rather than being included in the Dublin City Zone like other Dublin stations.
'It's really shocking to be honest with you,' said Fiona Monroe, who was waiting on the northern commuter train to Dublin.
'I'm a mother of three, and they are all regular commuters. It's just another pinch point on top of the other costs and high cost of living as well.
'We're so close to the Dublin boundary and we were previously within that commuter belt, so I just think it's very unfair for the NTA to enforce that on us.
'I think now when going to meet friends in town I'll be driving, absolutely. I just feel so annoyed we've been afflicted with this extra cost,' she added.
Fine Gael TD Grace Boland, who was among those getting the train into Dublin city centre, said that Skerries and Balbriggan are the only two train stations in the whole of county Dublin seeing fare increases.
ADVERTISEMENT
Learn more
'It is simply not acceptable at a time when we're trying to encourage more people to take public transportation,' she said.
'I've been inundated with emails from commuters, but also parents with children travelling into town to go to school.'
Deputy Boland also said she has heard of people considering driving to Rush-Lusk railway station instead, as the fare will be cheaper there.
'The problem with going to Rush and Lusk is that it's a very rural road that is already overburdened,' she said.
'It's a very dangerous entrance and exit to the station, a limited carpark and it also defeats the purpose of having public transport in your local town.'
The NTA has defended the new fare structure, which introduces a four-zone system stretching out 50 kilometres from Dublin city centre.
While most passengers in areas like Drogheda, Laytown and Enfield are seeing significant savings, commuters in Skerries, Balbriggan, Greystones, Kilcock and Sallins are being hit with increases.
Alicia Murtagh, who takes the train roughly 10 times a week, said she was disappointed with the fare increases.
'It's going to be challenging. I didn't know this was happening and I'm on minimum wage so it's just an added cost,' she said.
Fellow commuter Kevin O'Sullivan said he has signed a petition calling for Skerries to be treated the same as other train stations within Dublin county.
'It seems a bit extreme that down the track in Rush they're paying €2 while we here in Skerries are paying €3.90,' he said.
Irene Weldon, whose son and husband regularly commute in and out of the city centre, said she feels it's 'unfair' that Skerries hasn't been included in the Dublin City Zone.
'I can't help but think there's no real justification for it,' she said.