All Ireland Free Travel - Republic of Ireland

All Ireland travel for people living in the Republic of Ireland

If you are aged 66 or over, and have obtained your free Travel Pass, you are entitled to travel across Ireland completely free of charge on all public transport.

The free travel scheme entitles everyone aged 66 and over who is a permanent resident in the Republic of Ireland to travel free of charge on all bus and rail services. So if you haven’t availed of the free travel scheme what are you waiting for?

An application form is available from your local Post Office or by contacting the Department of Social and Family Affairs (details below).The completed application must be taken to your nearest Social Welfare Office along with:

• A recent passport standard colour photograph and
• Evidence of identity (driving licence/passport/any other form of photo id, if available) and
• Evidence of address (a recent utility bill, e.g. electricity/gas/ phone/waste charges bill or a bank/building society/credit union statement) and
• Current free Travel Pass
• Pension book (if you are in receipt of a pension from Department of Social and Family Affairs and paid by book)
• Following processing of the application a free Travel Pass, together with instructions for use, will be posted directly to your home address  It may take up to six weeks to process the application

If you have a free Travel Pass and you are married or cohabiting (that is, living with a man or woman as husband and wife), you are entitled to a free Travel Pass which allows your husband or partner to accompany you free of charge when travelling. Of course, when your partner reaches 65 they should apply for a pass in their own name.

If your free Travel Pass allows you to be accompanied by a spouse/partner or companion they may continue to travel with you for free on cross-border journeys but they cannot accompany you for free on public transport within Northern Ireland.

Travel Pass holders wishing to avail themselves of the All Ireland free travel scheme within Northern Ireland must first obtain a Senior SmartPass card. To get a Senior SmartPass card you must fill in application form (FTNI1). To get a form you must contact your Social Welfare Local Office or the Social Welfare LoCall Leaflet Line on 1890 20 23 25).

If you are in receipt of some social welfare payments you may also be eligible for a free Travel Pass. For more information contact your local Social Welfare office.

© Northern Ireland Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (NIACAB) 2008