The direct answer
A TFI Leap Card stores travel credit or a ticket. On eligible services, the system deducts the applicable fare and can cap qualifying travel over a day or week. Caps are not universal across every service, so check the current TFI tables. [1]
Pay correctly
Tag on at the start of every journey. On services that require it, tag off at the end so the correct fare is calculated. Use the correct personalised or concession card. A companion cannot normally use someone else’s personalised entitlement. [1]
How caps work
Once eligible spend reaches the published cap for the relevant services and period, further qualifying trips are not charged in the same way. Different combinations of services can have different caps. The travel day and week use TFI’s defined periods. [2]
Check balance and refunds
Use official Leap channels to check balance, top up and manage the card. Registering a card can help protect the balance if it is lost. If a fare looks wrong, record the service, time and card details before contacting support. [3]
What to do now
- Check the current fare for your passenger type.
- Tag on and, where required, tag off.
- Review which services count towards a cap.
- Register the card and keep enough balance.
Primary sources
Claims and service details were checked against these official sources on 2026-07-11. Follow the source for the latest operational detail.
- Transport for Ireland: TFI Leap Card fares Accessed 2026-07-11
- Transport for Ireland: Daily and weekly caps Accessed 2026-07-11
- National Transport Authority: Public transport fares Accessed 2026-07-11
Keep reading
Editorial note
Publisher: Around.ie Editorial. This page provides general information, not individual professional advice. Material changes trigger an earlier review. Corrections create a new reviewed version.