We’re worst EU city for transport

DuBLIn is one of europe’s most expensive and complicated capital cities to buy public transport tickets, according to a new study from environmental group Greenpeace.

The new research looks at the cost and ease of purchasing public transport tickets, while also ranking countries on their public transport costs.

Dublin scored last in the capital city rankings, with 36 out of 100 points.

The rankings were based on the simplicity of the ticketing system, the price and availability of long-term tickets, discounts provided for socially disadvantaged groups - such as students, the elderly, and the unemployed - and the VAt rate applied to tickets.

According to the study, Dublin is “the only city analysed which does not have a fixed-price long-term ticket for all means of transport and available for all passengers”, which it says is unlike all other cities studied as part of the study.

It adds that a monthly ticket is “only available for employees, when the employer is joining the ‘tax saver programme’”.

“All other passengers can only buy monthly subscriptions for buses, trams and trains in Dublin separately,” it states.

The study notes that Dublin has an electronic ticketing system and that for the last few months, weekly payments have been capped at €32.

As part of the study, Greenpeace took this price as the basis for the ranking, in the absence of a monthly ticket.

It said the regular price is the second-highest out of all cities analysed, with London being the highest.

Although Dublin came last of the city rankings - while tallinn in estonia, Luxembourg city and Valletta in Malta claimed the top spots – Ireland came 13th in the list of 30 countries. Ireland received points for the travel card for people aged over 66 years, people with disabilities and carers, which, it says, “allows holders to use all public transport in the country for free”, and points for the VAt rate of 0%.

“Apart from this, there are no best practice elements in the ticketing system,” the study says.