Bus and rail passengers across Northern Ireland are set to benefit from a new enhanced range of integrated bus and rail iLink Smartcards, with the introduction of two new Zones on Monday 5th December 2011 giving customers a total of 5 Zones to choose from.
Catherine Mason, Group Chief Executive for Translink explained:
“Our innovative iLink products are easy to understand, easy to purchase and top up and easy to use and have proved extremely popular with our customers.
“Since we launched 2 years ago there have been thousands of cards issued and now with 2 new Zones giving our customers even more choice, flexibility and convenience we hope we can attract yet more users who want to use a mix of bus and train services.
“Valid for unlimited day, weekly or monthly travel on Metro, NI Railways and Ulsterbus services, there will now be 5 specified zones including a new Zone 3 and a new North West Zone – these additions reflect feedback from our customers, employees and other stakeholders.
“There will be no change to Zones 1 and 2 and Zone 4 will replace the old Zone 3 and cover all Translink bus and rail services across Northern Ireland.
“This will mean some iLink customers transferring into the new Zone 3 will benefit from lower fares including passengers travelling on the Airport Express 300 service from Belfast International Airport to Belfast.
“We are particularly pleased to launch a new iLink card for the North West area which will include travel between Derry/Londonderry, Limavady, Coleraine, Dungiven and the Giants Causeway.
“This new product will give our North West customers all the great benefits and value of integrated bus and rail travel.
“It will also serve as an excellent tourist ticket for people visiting this area particularly ahead of the opening of the new Causeway Visitor Centre next summer and Derry/Londonderry City of Culture.
“We want to provide integrated travel solutions that are attractive, sustainable and good value and iLink together with our range of other integrated smartcard products including concession smartcards mean around 98% of journeys made in Northern Ireland can be purchased on a single integrated smartcard.
“Delivering innovative ticketing solutions like these demonstrate our commitment to practical and meaningful integration for our customers together with improved links across our network, facilities, information and customer service.
“We will continue to look at ways we can enhance our services to make the bus and train the better choice for individuals for the community, for the environment and for sustainable development for all,” she concluded.
New iLink cards are available online at www.translink.co.uk, from main bus and rail stations; from the Metro Kiosk, Donegall Square West; Belfast International Airport and George Best Belfast City Airport, Belfast Welcome Centre, Derry Visitor and Convention Bureau and Queens University Student’s Union.
To encourage passengers to go iLink the initial £1.50 charge for the smartcard is being waived until 31 January 2012.
