Not sure if I should carry coins for public transport in Ireland or if card payments are common. Advice?
Honestly, I thought Ireland’s system was one of the easiest I’ve used. The Leap Card made Dublin transport super smooth. I topped it up at a Centra in O’Connell Street with my Revolut card, and even the DART train along the coast to Howth took it. I didn’t need much cash at all. ATMs from AIB in city centre were easy for withdrawing euros when needed. Unless you’re going into rural areas, card and Leap work everywhere.
I was caught off guard when I hopped on a Bus Éireann service in Kerry, and the driver wanted exact coins. No Leap, no card machine working. I had to run to a Bank of Ireland ATM in Killarney to break a €20 note into coins. In Dublin, Leap was fine, but outside the big cities, it feels inconsistent. Tourists should definitely carry small euro coins just in case, otherwise you might get stuck like I did.
I stayed in Temple Bar and used Dublin Bus almost every day. The driver wouldn’t accept my €5 note - coins only if paying in cash. After that, I bought a Leap Card at a Spar near Trinity College, topped it up with my Mastercard, and never had a problem. The Luas tram from St Stephen’s Green to Heuston Station also accepted the Leap tap. On a side trip to Galway, Bus Éireann still let me buy the ticket online with my Visa. For safety, I kept a bit of euro change handy for rural buses.
In Dublin and Cork, public buses and the Luas tram mostly use Leap Cards, which you load with euros. You can buy one at Dublin Airport or at Centra shops, top up with cash or card, and just tap when you board. Some buses outside Dublin still take coins, but no notes. Irish Rail trains accept both Leap and regular card payments if you book online. ATMs from AIB and Bank of Ireland are all over the city, so getting cash is simple. Carry a few coins, but cards work fine for most.