Bus tips & tricks

MSE_James

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.

MSE_James

MilesT6060842 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.

MSE_James

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/

MilesT6060842

MSE_James said:

MilesT6060842 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

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

The X10 from Basildon, Essex is free with a bus pass *goes to Stansted!)

tealady

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.

MilesT6060842

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

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.

MSE_James

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