Fare evasion is silently costing millions

A new report reveals that fare evasion on Ireland’s public transport networks led to an estimated €20 million in lost revenue in 2024, with rail and bus operators struggling to stay within compliance thresholds. DART and commuter rail services recorded the highest evasion rate at 6.9%, skirting the penalty line, while some regional bus routes saw non-compliance rates soar above 30%.

Dublin Bus, despite the largest overall shortfall of €6 million, maintained one of the lowest evasion rates at 3.4%—below the NTA’s 3.9% target. Meanwhile, operators like Bus Éireann and Go Ahead Ireland failed to meet targets and faced six-figure financial deductions.

Even intercity rail, the strongest performer with sub-2.5% evasion, still lost €2.2 million. The Luas tram network posted a 4.2% average evasion rate, with losses of €1.7 million—underscoring ongoing vulnerabilities in open-access systems.

This signals a need to tighten fare enforcement, optimise risk-based compliance strategies, and reassess revenue protection frameworks in a contract-linked subsidy environment.

Read the full breakdown and operator-by-operator data here.