The TFI Leap Card needs to make contact with a load location, in this case the app on the phone, for the top-up to be added. Try scanning the card again in case the credit is waiting to be collected by the card. If this doesn’t solve the issue, it means there was a connectivity issue during the transaction and the app didn’t receive the approval from your bank to take the money. As the app doesn’t know it’s ok to proceed with the transaction and claim the money, the funds will be reversed back into your account by the bank within 3-5 working days

Registering your TFI Leap Card protects your travel credit if it’s lost or stolen. Once you have registered your card you can view your transaction history online, add more TFI Leap Cards to your account or request refunds of your travel credit and deposit if you decide you no longer need your card.

You can buy your TFI Leap Card in a number of ways:

• The quickest way to buy TFI Leap Card is in one of the available outlets. Find your nearest agent using the map under where to buy section in TFI Leap Card website.
• Alternatively, buy the TFI Leap Card online by clicking on “Buy” button at the top of our website https://www.leapcard.ie/
• You can also buy at selected DART ticket machines in Dublin

For more information, please visit TFI Leap Card website.

To register your TFI Leap Card online, click on the “Register” button at the top of our website. All you have to do is enter your 14-digit TFI Leap Card number and create or login to your account. Once you’ve done this your card will be protected if lost or stolen and you will be able to see your transaction history online.

*If you have only just purchased your TFI Leap Card – you are advised to wait 24 hours from the time of purchase before registering.

Depending on the operator, you can save up to 30% if you pay with a TFI Leap Card rather than cash. TFI Leap Card can be used on different operators including Dublin Bus, Luas, Dart & Commuter Rail, Go-Ahead Ireland and Bus Éireann, along with other commercial bus operators. Check out TFI Leap Card fares for details on each operator.

TFI Leap Card caps your travel credit spend, so once you hit an applicable cap on Dublin Bus, Luas, Dart and Commuter Rail and Go-Ahead Ireland services in Dublin you can travel for free on those services for the rest of the day or week (Mon 4:30am to Monday 4:29am).

For more information, please visit TFI Leap Card Capping.

Adult TFI Leap Cards can be used by anyone to pay an adult fare and Child Cards 5-15 can be used by any child under 16 years old. Personalised TFI Leap Cards including adult personalised, young adult, student and child 16-18 are non-transferable and can only be used by the person whose name and photo is printed on the card. If someone else uses your personalised TFI Leap Card they may be fined & have the card confiscated.

There are different types of TFI Leap Card available: adult, adult personalised, student, young adult (19-25), child (5-15), child (16-18) and visitor. More information on each type of TFI Leap Card can be found in the Card & Ticket types section.

Student Leap Cards are available to third-level students aged 16-18 or 26+ who are in full time education. Those aged between 19-25 can get a young adult leap card. 

To get a Student Leap Card, students must have a minimum of 16 hours of lectures/class time per week and be enrolled for a minimum of 6 months duration in any one 12-month period. 

If you’re a regular Student Leap Card user, you’ll be glad to hear that a cap has been put on the amount you can spend while using your TFI Leap Card on one day or week. Once you hit the cap, you travel free for the rest of the day or week.

Capping applies to Dublin Bus, Luas, DART/Commuter Rail services and Go-Ahead Ireland services in Dublin.

TaxSaver Leap Cards can be loaded with Monthly or Annual TaxSaver tickets that save commuters money by deducting the cost directly from the employee’s gross salary. Tickets are ordered through your employer. TaxSaver Leap Cards can be topped up with travel credit and other tickets which can be used to pay for travel on all Leap services.

You can top-up your TFI Leap Card online. Click on the “Top-up” button and enter your Leap Card number, select top-up amount and load location. Make the payment by debit/credit card and collect your Travel Credit or ticket at either a TFI Leap Card outlet or another nominated load location.

A load location is the point you nominate to collect your online top-up. You can choose:

• Any TFI Leap Card outlet
• Luas validators
• DART/Commuter Rail validators and gates in the short hop zone
• The Leap Top-Up App

Remember, this can take up to 36 hours for your Travel Credit to be ready for collection at your nominated load location. For more information, please visit Where To Buy.

You can Top-Up your card:

1. On the Leap Top Up App, if you have an NFC-enabled Android phone or iPhone 7 and above
2. At TFI Leap Card agents
3. At Luas, DART & Commuter Rail ticket machines
4. You can also top-up your card online

If you top-up online, you need to collect your travel credit at your selected load location. Please be aware, it can take up to 48 hours for your Travel Credit to be ready for collection at your nominated load location. For more information, please visit Where To Buy.

Auto Top-Up is also available.

Auto Top-Up is an automatic way to Top-Up your TFI Leap Card. If you choose to enable Auto Top-Up, your TFI Leap Card will automatically Top-Up by your selected amount with funds from your bank account whenever your Travel Credit balance falls below €10. You can choose to Auto Top-Up by €30, €40 or €50.

For more information, please visit Auto Top-Up.

Travel credit can be loaded onto your card and used to pay for travel on Leap enabled services. Every time you use the card to travel the cost of the journey is deducted. If there is no credit on the card it cannot be used for any further journeys until it is Topped Up.

You can use your TFI Leap Card to travel if your card is in a positive balance, even if the balance does not cover the full fare. Your card will then go into a negative balance and will not work for subsequent journeys until topped up.

If you have an NFC-enabled Android phone or iPhone 7 and above, you can check your balance with the Leap Top-up App. Just hold your TFI Leap Card to the back of your phone.

You can also view your travel credit balance online as well as previous transactions on your card.

(It can take up to 24 hours for transactions to appear on your online account)

You can also view your balance by asking for a balance enquiry at any TFI Leap Card payzone agent or by placing your card in the card pocket at any Luas/DART/Commuter Rail ticket machine and follow instructions on the ticket vending machine screen.

Once you register your TFI Leap Card, you can apply for a replacement card or a refund, depending on your card type:

• Adult and child cards can be replaced or refunded. If you are replacing a personalised card you may need to resubmit your photo.
• Tax Saver TFI Leap Card can also be replaced through the Leap Card website.
• Student cards can only have travel credit and tickets refunded (not the €10 Student Card fee).

Simply log-in to your online account, select the ‘Refund or Replace’ option and follow the process.

If your card is lost or stolen and has not been registered, you cannot apply for a replacement/refund. We recommend you register your card as soon as you receive it to protect your balance if your card is lost or stolen.

To avoid over-paying for your journey, you should ensure that:

1. You remember to Touch-off at the end of your journey (if travelling by Luas, Dart/Rail).
2. Check your transaction history on a regular basis – click Top Tips for tips on how to do so.

If you believe you were incorrectly charged for a journey using your TFI Leap Card, you should contact the transport operator directly:

• DART/Commuter Rail or Bus Éireann: please contact customer care  or call 0818 824 824 and a member of the TFI Leap Card help desk will investigate the issue.
• LUAS: please call customer care on Local 0818 300 604 Open Monday to Friday 7am – 7pm and Saturday 10am – 2pm. Closed Sunday and Bank Holidays.
• Dublin Bus: please call customer care on 01 8734222. Open Monday to Saturday 08:30 to 18:00 (excluding Public Holidays).
• Go-Ahead Ireland: Please email customercomment@goaheadireland.ie or call 0818 80 40 71. Open Monday to Friday 7am – 7pm and Saturday, Sunday & Public Holidays 8am – 6pm.

Refunds for incorrect charges are only available up to 30 days from the day the transaction took place.

If you are there, report the fault to a member of staff on site (if available) who will assist you further. If not, please contact the TFI Leap Card Customer Support line on 0818 824824.

If your TFI Leap Card is not working, this may be due to one of the following reasons:

• The card is faulty
• Conflict between multiple NFC cards and the validator is not able to recognise your card. This can happen if your bank card is in next to your Leap Card when validating
• Validator is not working

If you want to report a faulty Leap Card validator, report the fault to a member of staff on site (if available) who will assist you further. If not, please contact the TFI Leap Card Customer Support line on 0818 824824.

If you have forgotten your TFI Leap Card account password or username you can reset it via the links on the login page. If you can’t remember your username or email address associated with your account please call the customer care team on 0818 824 824.

The Leap Visitor Card is the most convenient public transport card available for tourists and visitors to Dublin. Get unlimited travel over your selected time period on Dublin Bus, Go-Ahead Ireland, Luas, DART and Commuter Rail. You can even travel to and from the Airport at the start and end of your trip without any additional charge. Leap Visitor is not valid on the Hop on/Hop off tour or other special tour services.

1 day (24 hours) – €8

3 days (72 hours) – €16

7 days (168 hours) – €32

Your chosen time period starts from the first time you use the card.

For more information, please visit Leap Visitor Card.