Free bus travel for the over 60s in England

scaryfairy

Hi alared, when I worked for my local council, it was one adult ticket per railcard. If your partner is over 60 too they can get their own senior railcard. Hope this helps. I have the family railcard which means that I can buy a rail ticket for myself and my two children at a reduced rate but any other adult will have to have their own railcard so I assume it would be the same with the senior railcard.

dzug

alared wrote: »

As regards the senior railcard,do you need a card each or can you buy two or more tickets on just the one card.

A senior railcard covers one person only.

nameless_sir_ned

It should be noted that if you live in Scotland or Wales, you are entitled to free travel nationally. However, if you live in England, you cannot use your pass in Scotland or Wales. How unfair is that.

dzug

harryhound wrote: »

Where can I find a list of "coach" services that do or DO NOT offer ANYTHING to an ENGLAND local authority issued card?

No coach service anywhere that I know of offers anything to a bus pass holder. (I think there is one exception somewhere in Northumberland where a National Express service acts as a local bus on part of its route)

National Express offer a reduction to anyone over 60 - no card needed - but not free travel.

digital

sluggy1967 wrote: »

It would have been nice if Martin had mentioned disabled people at the beginning.

The word 'disabled' was just four words after the number '60' in his posting at the top of the page...

dzug

scaryfairy wrote: »

Hi alared, when I worked for my local council, it was one adult ticket per railcard. If your partner is over 60 too they can get their own senior railcard. Hope this helps. I have the family railcard which means that I can buy a rail ticket for myself and my two children at a reduced rate but any other adult will have to have their own railcard so I assume it would be the same with the senior railcard.

Up to 4 adults and four children can travel on one family railcard.

''To use your Family Railcard, your group must contain at least one named cardholder and at least one child aged between 5 - 15 years. If there are two named cardholders, the maximum size of the group is the two named cardholders, two other adults and four children.''

red_hot_ginger

My bus pass arrived last week, automatically! I didn't even have to request it, Hampshire took my details and photo from their existing data and just issued it - GOOD EH!
I've looked at the article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7324398.stm and might try it one day. Is there any easy way to plan similar journeys in England - it isn't easy to determine the names and websites of all the local bus companies.

dzug

red_hot_ginger wrote: »

My bus pass arrived last week, automatically! I didn't even have to request it, Hampshire took my details and photo from their existing data and just issued it - GOOD EH!
I've looked at the article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7324398.stm and might try it one day. Is there any easy way to plan similar journeys in England - it isn't easy to determine the names and websites of all the local bus companies.

http://www.carlberry.co.uk/ is useful - but is not official. It can be out of date.

http://www.traveline.org.uk/index.htm as well

harryhound

Well I've had a reply, its a complete coincidence:

Thank you for your email. Your application is being dealt with and should be with you by the 12th April.
You can use your existing pass until then.

Yours,

Thurrock Council Contact Centre.

Perhaps I can claim for a couple of gallons of diesel in the meantimeor should I move to a council like Hampshire, who can organise a !!!!-!! at Alton Brewery?

On the subject of National Express "Coachcards".

Following a review of our range of discount coachcards, the Advantage50 Coachcard was withdrawn from sale on 1 October 2004.

Since its introduction fourteen years ago we have seen a very limited take up of the Advantage50 card.
The majority of our existing card holders now qualify for savings of up to 50% with our routesixty fares and so the decision was taken to withdraw the Advantage50 card from sale.

If you already hold an Advantage50 coachcard, we will continue to honour your card with discounts until it expires.

I bought one of these prior to 2004 only to discover that there were already cheepo fares on my route (London-Nottingham) that did not qualify for the discount:mad:

Then it went and suffered from this problem and I threw it away:

Faded coachcards should be returned to the below address, along with your full name and address and the type of card purchased. A replacement coachcard will then be sent to you free of charge:


Always check "Megabus" first.

On the Oxford-London run you can try booking the
"Oxford-Tube" via its Oxford website , complete with "senior" discount; or end up on exactly the same bus/coach, having booked it even cheaper via Megabus.

Thanks for the tip DZUG, here is more detail:

Routesixty is our name for the government scheme that gives over 60s a discount of up to 50% during off peak times and up to 30% at peak times, on National Express services.
Routesixty fares are available to anyone aged sixty or over, or anyone who qualifies as disabled (as described in the Transport Act 2000).
No coachcard is needed to receive this discount; however you may be required to show proof of age or disability when boarding the coach.
For further information on ways to save with National Express please visit our Ways to Save page.

dzug

harryhound wrote: »

Always check "Megabus" first.


On the Oxford-London run you can try booking the
"Oxford-Tube" via the Oxford website , complete with "senior" discount; or end up on exactly the same bus/coach, having booked it even cheaper via Megabus.

Good point. But there's not a lot of point booking the Oxford Tube in advance - just buy the ticket from the driver, same price.

Don't assume megabus will always be cheaper - most journeys tomorrow are £10.50 return, as against £7.50 senior rate. And they tie you rigidly to particular departures