With the academic year truly back underway, students from around the country return to college each day for lectures, seminars, and labs. However, for many, the biggest challenge is not the coursework — it is getting there.
Many students across Ireland face long, costly commutes each morning because they can’t find or afford accommodation near campus. This has become a significant problem, particularly in recent years, due to the rising cost of living and the impact it has had on third-level students. According to the cross-country Eurostudent surveys, around 42% of students in Ireland live at home and commute to college regularly, compared to a much lower European average of 34%. The surveys also found that their average one-way commute is 52 minutes.
While commuters may not be paying for expensive accommodations, the costs of taking the train or bus on a regular basis can seriously add up. Long travel times can reduce a student’s opportunities to earn money with potential part-time jobs. Some students even choose to drive to college in the mornings, but with the current high fuel costs, this can mean spending significantly more than if they take regular public transportation.
A first-year journalism student in DCU, Mathias Saavedra, described his 50 km commute from Drogheda to DCU on the train as costing him “over €150 a month,” without him having to attend college on Fridays. Over the college year, this could add up to well over €1,050 while he still spends over two hours commuting each day. This comes just one month after the Irish National Transport Authority announced an average 15% increase in public transport fares from January 2027, which will further raise commuting costs. The proposed changes will raise young adult and student Leap Card fares from €1.00 to €1.15.
Sinn Féin has condemned the changes, with representatives over the last few days handing out leaflets at train stations across Dublin and calling on the government to stop increasing public transport fares, provide free transport for U18S, and improve the reliability of bus and train services.
The government has, however, taken a few steps to address the current situation. Budget 2027, announced on the 6th of October, has allocated specific infrastructure funding for new student accommodation. This ensures more students have access to stay on or near their campuses. The budget also announced its plan to permanently reduce third-level student contribution fees by €150 to aid students with their expenses.
However, this reduction has received a large amount of criticism from students. Cian Clarke, a first-year chemical sciences student at DCU, said that the €150 reduction was “obviously not enough.” That it should have been reduced by more. When asked what students thought of the reduction, Tiane Larsen, a first-year engineering student at TUD, described it as “nothing” and said it made “no difference” to the already expensive costs college students have.
Despite this slight reduction in college fees, commuters will not see a difference in their yearly college expenses due to the increase in public transportation costs that are set to take effect from January. The Taoiseach has said that transport fares have to rise in order for public transport services to be expanded. The National Transport Authority has further justified the increases, saying that “Even with these changes, Ireland’s public transport fares remain extremely competitive by European standards, with single-trip fares in Dublin comparing favorably with those in cities including Berlin, Brussels, London and Vienna.”
It ultimately leaves college students in a difficult position. Pay huge prices for college accommodation if they are lucky enough to find a place, or spend hours of their week commuting long distances in and out of college. While commuting in 2026 may be cheaper and more affordable for most students, it can still put a financial burden on families and leave students with less time for their own work and social lives.
