Bus tips & tricks

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  • MSE_James
    MSE_James Community Admin Posts: 1,008
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    A very useful site for bus travel is https://bustimes.org/ 

    The £2 bus cap in England currently undercuts most other deals, but there are some very good value day tickets available in normal times.

    One good example is the Discovery ticket, which although marketed in connection with the South Downs National Park, covers a vast swathe of South East England. If your journey involves more than one operator this can produce a significant saving on normal fares.
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  • MSE_James
    MSE_James Community Admin Posts: 1,008
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    Bus companies in some areas of the UK allow you to purchase a discounted all day unlimited use bus ticket as an add-on to a train ticket (at start and/or end of journey where applicable), usually breaks even with 2 bus journeys.  The scheme is called plusbus, train operator websites will usually offer this as an option at checkout if available, but I'm not sure if sites like trainline/redspottedhanky etc. do.  
    If you can't (or forget to) buy a PlusBus ticket at the point of buying your rail ticket, you can take your rail ticket to any staffed station ticket office and buy a PlusBus in a separate transaction.
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  • MSE_James
    MSE_James Community Admin Posts: 1,008
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    If you're the sort of person who enjoys making the most of journeys by public transport, and seeking out scenic / obscure / interesting routes etc, then the blog of Roger French (former boss of Brighton & Hove buses, who now spends his retirement roaming the country sampling innovations in bus and train travel) is worth following:  https://busandtrainuser.com/
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  • MilesT6060842
    MilesT6060842 Forumite Posts: 177
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    MSE_James said:
    Bus companies in some areas of the UK allow you to purchase a discounted all day unlimited use bus ticket as an add-on to a train ticket (at start and/or end of journey where applicable), usually breaks even with 2 bus journeys.  The scheme is called plusbus, train operator websites will usually offer this as an option at checkout if available, but I'm not sure if sites like trainline/redspottedhanky etc. do.  
    If you can't (or forget to) buy a PlusBus ticket at the point of buying your rail ticket, you can take your rail ticket to any staffed station ticket office and buy a PlusBus in a separate transaction.
    True (and I have done this), but the walk up price may be a bit more expensive (I seem to recall railcard discounts will also discount the plusbus online but may not be able to get that as a walk up, and online price may also be discounted)
  • TheBanker
    TheBanker Forumite Posts: 1,597
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    MSE_James said:
    A very useful site for bus travel is https://bustimes.org/ 

    The £2 bus cap in England currently undercuts most other deals, but there are some very good value day tickets available in normal times.

    One good example is the Discovery ticket, which although marketed in connection with the South Downs National Park, covers a vast swathe of South East England. If your journey involves more than one operator this can produce a significant saving on normal fares.
    The £2 fares are excellent value. Last week I went for a day out to a town 30 miles away by bus for £2 each way. The train fare would have been £20. The bus took a bit longer, but it was through the countryside so a pleasant journey. Another journey I did was 54 miles each way. Took 1hr 45 each way, but the alternative was a train into and out of London, which would have cost about £50 return and not been any quicker. 

    The fare cap rises to £2.50 from 31 October but even then it will still be good value.

    My tips:
    1. If you're visiting London and you're not in a rush, get a bus rather than the tube. There is no better way to see London than from the top deck of a red London bus.

    2. If you have a local bus service, try to use it when you can. Otherwise the bus company will say there's no demand and cancel it, which will impact those who rely on the bus to get to work, hospital appointments etc, or for their social lives.

    3. Try to avoid buses at school kicking out time!
  • RobM99
    RobM99 Forumite Posts: 2,445
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    The X10 from Basildon, Essex is free with a bus pass *goes to Stansted!)
    Now a gainfully employed bassist.
  • tealady
    tealady Forumite Posts: 3,722
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    edited 1 June at 10:13AM
    If you have an old persons bus pass in England., be aware this is not valid in Wales.
    So if you live in one and holiday (or work)  in the other you will need to check local bus providers.

    Find out who you are and do that on purpose (thanks to Owain Wyn Jones quoting Dolly Parton)
  • MilesT6060842
    MilesT6060842 Forumite Posts: 177
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    tealady said:
    If you have an old persons bus pass in England., be aware this is not valid in Wales.
    So if you live in one and holiday (or work)  in the other you will need to check local bus providers.

    What's the situation if the route crosses the border (a few do)?
  • RAS
    RAS Forumite Posts: 32,118
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    tealady said:
    If you have an old persons bus pass in England., be aware this is not valid in Wales.
    So if you live in one and holiday (or work)  in the other you will need to check local bus providers.

    Ditto if you go to Scotland.
    The person who has not made a mistake, has made nothing
  • MSE_James
    MSE_James Community Admin Posts: 1,008
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    I recently discovered that there are some excellent deals on bus travel in East Sussex funded by Government Bus Service Improvement Plan cash - including £5 adult day tickets for unlimited travel, and free travel for accompanied children

    https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/roads-transport/public/bus-service-improvement-plan/lower-fares-on-east-sussex-bus-services 
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