[Eddie]

Personally, I can't see Smart Cards really taking off here as things stand at the moment.

In London, everyone uses the Oyster smartcard because it offers substantially discounted fares when compared to standard bus and tube cash fares and the fare structure is simple to understand. I have an Oyster card for when I visit London. Daily limits apply, so you never pay more than a set amount which varies, depending on the zones you travel in and whether you use it during peak times or not. The technology is robust.

Here, the price of a smartcard single is half of that of a standard return. So if you make a return journey, you save nothing.

The tax saver ticket in Ireland is easily the most compelling commuter ticket to have for higher rate tax payers, with buses, darts and trains in the Dublin region at your disposal for little more than an after tax rate of €2 per working day and all your leisure journeys are thrown in for free.