From the 26th November, phase 5b of the Bus Connects network redesign comes into force. New Southern Orbital, Radial and Local routes will be added to the schedule as below, with routes W2, S4, S6, S8 & 74 going through Dublin South / South West with links to Liffey Valley, Tallaght and Dundrum LUAS stations, Blackrock & Dun Laoghaire DART stations as well interchanging with routes W2 & L25
Routes 17, 18, 61, 75/a, 76/a & 175 will no longer be in operation. I will be raising the loss of route 175 with the NTA as it is a popular service used by students living in the constituency who travel to UCD.
Having said that, constituents can still travel to UCD in a in a similar time or less using the new and existing bus routes. See the below comparison from the current direct service (175) and the new options under Bus Connects. The below example shows the options available for travel from Woodstown to UCD now, and the options that will be available from the 26th November.
Frequency & Capacity
Transport for Ireland (TFI) states that the new scheme will provide additional capacity and increased frequency, especially at evenings and weekends. More 24-hour services will be introduced which will assist shift workers and support the night-time economy.
Fares
A new "90 Minute" fare has been introduced which will allow you to transfer between most busses, the LUAS and The Dart for just the single fare paid within 90 minutes of the start of the journey. Note that you must touch-on every time you board a service to demonstrate you hold a valid ticket for each journey. As long as you touch-on your last service within 90 minutes of the first touch-on, you will qualify for the TFI 90 Minute Fare. The below fares are valid when using a LEAP card.
How Can I Plan My Journey?
The best way to plan your journey is through the TFI app on your Android or Apple device, or you can use the TFI plan a journey tool on their website:
Install TFI App for Android
Install TFI App for iPhone
Visit the TFI journey tool on their website
A booklet is being delivered to all households in the area and you can view a digital copy by clicking the below download link. You can also visit the TFI website for more information on the new routes by clicking here.
