Every Dublin guide pushes the €10 three-day unlimited Leap Card like it's gospel, but it's complete rubbish for most tourists. The €5 card fee alone should be a red flag — You're paying extra money before you even travel anywhere.

Here's what they don't tell you: the zones are confusing nonsense (Dublin Airport isn't even included in most passes), half the tourist buses don't accept it anyway, and the machines that sell them are broken more often than they work. I've watched confused tourists spend 20 minutes trying to figure out if their hotel is in Zone 1 or 2.

Just tap your contactless bank card or phone. Same €2.40 bus fare, same €2.60 Dart train price, no upfront fees, no zone mathematics required. Works on everything the Leap Card does except you're not carrying around another piece of plastic to lose. The only exception is if you're genuinely planning 6+ journeys per day for three straight days — But seriously, who does that in Dublin?