About Free Travel in Ireland
Free Travel is a scheme that lets eligible people in Ireland travel free of charge on public transport and some private bus and ferry services. It is mainly for older people and for people who get specific social welfare or disability payments.
Use this topic if you or someone you support:
- Have heard about the Free Travel Scheme and want to understand it in simple terms
- Are not sure whether you qualify for Free Travel
- Are helping a family member, neighbour or client who might qualify
- Want to get a quick picture before you look at forms or detailed rules
- Have a card or paper pass and are not sure what the markings mean
- Want to understand the difference between a Public Services Card, a paper pass and a Senior SmartPass
- Are trying to work out whether your spouse, partner or companion can travel with you
If you already know you qualify and only need forms, you can go straight to Apply for Free Travel. You do not need to know anything about social welfare rules before you read this page.
Open each section for the details that matter to you
What Free Travel gives you in everyday language
The Free Travel Scheme is a government support from the Department of Social Protection. It allows people who qualify to travel for free on:
- Most public bus services
- Most rail services
- Luas in Dublin
- Many Local Link and some private bus and ferry services
In some cases Free Travel can also cover certain island and cross border journeys.
If you qualify for Free Travel you can:
- Travel without paying a fare on covered services
- Travel at any time of day. there is usually no peak time restriction
- In some cases bring a spouse, civil partner, cohabitant or companion with you free of charge
You still need to:
- Carry your card or pass with you
- Present it properly when you get on a bus or train
- Show another form of ID if a driver or inspector asks you
Free Travel does not give you:
- First class or upgraded seats
- Guaranteed seats on busy services
- Free travel on all private or tour services
Who runs the Free Travel Scheme
The Free Travel Scheme is run by the Department of Social Protection.
Different transport operators deliver the actual services. For example:
- Bus Éireann and other bus companies
- Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail and DART
- Dublin Bus and Luas
- Local Link services
- Certain private bus and ferry operators
The Department decides who qualifies. The transport companies accept the card or pass as payment.
Who can get Free Travel
At a high level, most people qualify for Free Travel through one of these routes:
- Reaching age 66 and meeting the social welfare and residency conditions
- Getting certain long term social welfare or disability payments before age 66
- Being medically certified as unfit to drive for at least 12 months
- Being a bereaved partner of someone who had Free Travel
- Needing a companion to travel safely or having a child who meets specific conditions
There are five main routes. Each route is explained here in everyday terms. You do not need to decide everything now. Use this topic to get a feeling for which route sounds most like your own situation.
Route A. Aged 66 and over
You may qualify for Free Travel if:
- You are aged 66 or over, and
- You are getting a qualifying State pension or social welfare payment, and
- You meet the normal residency rules
In many cases Free Travel is added automatically to your Public Services Card around the time you turn 66.
Check your eligibilty using the Free Travel eligiblity checker.
Route B. Under 66 on certain payments
You may qualify for Free Travel before age 66 if:
- You are under 66, and
- You are getting certain long term social welfare or disability payments, for example disability or invalidity payments, and
- You meet the normal residency rules
Check your eligibilty using the Free Travel eligiblity checker.
Route C. Medically certified unfit to drive
You may qualify for Free Travel if:
- You are medically certified as unfit to drive for at least 12 months, and
- You do not already qualify under another route, and
- You and your doctor complete the special medical form for this route
This path normally uses a specific form that includes a medical report from your doctor.
Check your eligibilty using the Free Travel eligiblity checker.
Route D. Bereaved partner
You may qualify for Free Travel if:
- Your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant had Free Travel, and
- They have died, and
- You meet the conditions to carry on their Free Travel under certain rules
In this case you may be able to keep Free Travel in your own right as the surviving partner, if you meet the conditions.
Check your eligibilty using the Free Travel eligiblity checker.
Route E. Companion or child companion
You may qualify for Companion Free Travel if:
- You cannot travel alone for health or disability reasons, and
- You need another person to accompany you for safety or support, and
- You meet the Free Travel conditions through one of the other routes
In this case your card may allow your companion to travel free of charge with you.
There are also special arrangements for:
- People aged 70 and over where companion entitlements can change, and
- Children with a visual impairment where a parent or companion can accompany them
Check your eligibilty. See Check if you can get a companion or child companion Free Travel card.
Types of Free Travel card or pass
You normally use Free Travel with:
- A Public Services Card that has “FT” and a code in the top corner, or
- A Free Travel paper pass, or
- A Senior SmartPass card for travel in Northern Ireland
There are three main ways Free Travel is shown.
Public Services Card with Free Travel
Most people use Free Travel with a Public Services Card PSC.
If you have Free Travel on your PSC you will usually see:
- The letters “FT” in the top corner of the card
- A code beside FT that tells you what type of Free Travel you have
In general:
- FT-P usually means Free Travel for you only
- FT+S usually means Free Travel for you and your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant in certain circumstances
- FT+C usually means Free Travel for you and a companion when you qualify for Companion Free Travel
The exact rules for each code are explained further in the “Use your Free Travel” and companion topics. For day to day use it can help to remember:
- If your card has +S or +C, another person may be able to travel with you free of charge
- If your card only has FT-P, you are usually the only person who can travel for free
You use this card on bus, train, Luas and other covered services. Some older people still have a separate paper pass. Details are below.
Paper Free Travel pass
Some people still have a paper Free Travel pass instead of or as well as a PSC. This may be:
- A pass with your photograph and Free Travel details
- A separate document for certain island or special journeys
Over time more people are being moved to the PSC system. The paper pass may still be valid in certain situations but may not be issued to new customers.
Senior SmartPass for Northern Ireland
If you qualify for All Ireland Free Travel you may receive a Senior SmartPass for use in Northern Ireland and on some cross border services.
This is a separate plastic card that is used mainly on:
- Public transport in Northern Ireland
- Certain cross border journeys between the Republic and Northern Ireland
You still keep your PSC with FT for travel within the Republic.
How to show or use your card or pass
When you travel you normally:
- Present your PSC or pass to the driver or ticket checker
- Hold it to a card reader if there is one on the bus or at a gate
- Carry another form of photo ID if you are asked to prove that the card is yours
If your card does not work in a reader, the driver or staff member may inspect it visually.
When might your card type change
Your card or code may change if:
- You move from one social welfare payment to another
- You turn 70 and certain companion rules change
- You are awarded or lose Companion Free Travel
- You move from paper pass to PSC or from PSC only to PSC plus Senior SmartPass
When this happens you may receive a new card, or your Free Travel details may be updated in the system. In some cases you must return your old card.
What this topic does not cover
Most routes into Free Travel share some common conditions:
- You normally must be living in Ireland and be legally resident
- You usually must be living here for a certain length of time
- You must meet age or payment conditions for at least one route
This overview does not cover:
- The full list of qualifying payments
- Exact evidence needed for each form
- Detailed rules for island and cross border travel