frequent questions & answers

Please click on the relevant question (below) to read our reply.

1. Can I buy PlusBus online?

Yes, you can buy PlusBus day tickets online. The rail ticket retailing websites (listed below) will automatically offer you a PlusBus day ticket where it is available (in stage 3 of the rail ticket buying proces). All you need to do is tick the box beside the town or city name that you want a PlusBus day ticket for and it'll then be added to the basket of tickets that you buy. Easy!

During the online purchase you'll be asked how you want to obtain your train and PlusBus tickets. Here's the options:-

Collect from a self-service ticket machine at a station (for free). If you choose this option, and you want bus travel to start your journey, then you'll have to collect your tickets on a previous date.

Delivered by post - please allow up to 5 working days for delivery.

Delivered by courier - next-day delivery is usually available (for an additional fee).

To start your journey to the station by bus or tram, you must choose to obtain your tickets in advance of the day of travel (by post, courier, or collect from a station on a previous occasion).

You must show the actual PlusBus ticket to the bus driver or tram conductor to travel. Sorry, online booking confirmations will not be accepted for bus travel. 

2. I have already bought my train ticket, can I still buy PlusBus for my journey?

Yes, if you take your valid train ticket to any National Rail station ticket office, ask for a PlusBus day ticket for either the town that's at the start or end of your rail journey. You will be asked to pay the PlusBus ticket price. This only applies to the purchase of PlusBus day tickets (not season tickets).

3. Can I buy PlusBus on the train from a conductor?

Train companies prefer customers to buy their tickets before getting on the train (where this is possible) - from a ticket office, a self-service ticket machine or in advance by 'phone or online. If you are unable to buy your ticket before boarding the train, then you can buy your train ticket and your PlusBus ticket from the Conductor or Train Manager on the train (but some Railcard discounts may not be available).

4. Can I buy PlusBus on the bus?

Sorry, no. You must buy PlusBus before you wish to use the bus, as it has to be bought in conjunction with a valid train ticket. Bus drivers are not able to issue PlusBus tickets.

5. Do I get a discount off PlusBus with my Railcard?

Yes, with a valid National Railcard you will get 1/3 off the adult price of a PlusBus day ticket (Railcard discounts are not available with any season ticket, as the price of seasons is already heavily discounted).

Railcards which offer the discount:-

 

Please check the Railcard use restrictions.

6. What is included in the price of PlusBus ?

The PlusBus ticket price includes unlimited local bus and tram travel around the whole urban area of a rail-served town, on services of participating operators'. It does not include the cost of your train travel. However, PlusBus must be bought in conjunction with a valid train ticket.

In some towns, certain premium services (e.g. Airport express routes, Night buses and sporting event services) do not accept PlusBus tickets. These are listed as "Excluded services" on each town-specific page of this website.

7. Is it possible to buy season tickets for PlusBus ?

Yes, but you must buy (or already have) a season ticket for train travel as well. You can only buy a PlusBus season ticket for the towns that are named on your rail season ticket as the origin or final destination oif your train journey (not any intermediate town). 

PlusBus season tickets are now available for nearly all PlusBus served towns and cities across Britain. Each PlusBus served town or city in Britain has its own page on this website. PlusBusseason ticket prices are shown (where available) on the town-specific pages of this website.

Season tickets are available for specific periods only: 7 days (consecutive); a month; quarter year and annual.

The validity of your PlusBus season ticket does not have to match your rail season ticket validity, but your PlusBus ticket MUST expire either on the same date as your rail season ticket, or on a date before your rail season ticket expires.

8. Can I use a PlusBus ticket on days that I don't travel by train?

PlusBus day tickets can only be used on the same date that you travel by train. You can only travel by bus and tram on the date printed on the ticket.

Commuters with a PlusBus season ticket can travel by bus and tram on any day, at any time, until midnight on the date that their ticket expires (printed on the season ticket). You do not need to make a train journey in order to use your PlusBus season ticket to travel by bus or tram.

9. Can I use PlusBus to travel on trams?

Yes, the tram networks listed below do accept PlusBus tickets for travel on their services:-

 

We're sorry, the following tram systems do not accept PlusBus tickets: Croydon TramLink; Glasgow Subway; Manchester MetroLink; Tyne&Wear Metro.

 

10. Can I use my PlusBus ticket more than once in a day?

A valid PlusBus ticket gives you unlimited travel on all bus and tram services of participating operators' in each rail-served town for the day or period that your ticket covers. So you can make as many journeys as you like, anywhere within the PlusBus  travel zone.

PlusBus tickets are valid for bus and tram travel from first service in the morning until mid-night. If you start a journey before mid-night then you may complete that journey after mid-night.

11. Can I use PlusBus if I only want to travel by bus?

Sorry, no. PlusBus is an integrated ticket that has to be bought and used with a train ticket. So you must be travelling by both the train and bus in order to buy and use PlusBus .

12. Can I use PlusBus if my train journey is between two stations that are within the same town (or city region)?

Sorry, no. At least one station (either the origin staion or the destination station) of your train journey must be located outside an individual towns PlusBus travel zone or city-wide region (such as: Greater Manchester; South Yorkshire; West Midlands; West Yorkshire).

For example:

If you are travelling by train from Dewsbury station to Sheffield station and want bus travel in Sheffield, then you can buy PlusBus ticket. This is because Dewsbury is in West Yorkshire and Sheffield is in South Yorkshire. However, you cannot buy and use a PlusBus ticket if your train journey is between two local stations that are within the Sheffield PlusBus travel zone (e.g. Sheffield and Meadowhall), or between two stations within West Yorkshire (e.g. Dewsbury and Leeds).

13. Does PlusBus operate its own buses?

No, PlusBus is not a bus operator.

PlusBus is a National Rail ticket that is accepted for travel on the services of over 200 bus companies that have agreed to participate in our ticketing scheme. The names of participating bus operators are listed on the town-specific pages of this website.

14. Are refunds available for PlusBus tickets?

PlusBus is a National Rail ticket, whose standard terms and conditions apply (including for ticket refunds). If you have bought a PlusBus ticket in advance from a station (or online) and do not want to use it, then you may claim a refund from the ticket office (or online rail ticket retailer) that took original payment, but you must do this within 28 days of the travel date shown on the ticket. You must also return the ticket. Some ticket offices (and agents) may charge an administration fee (of up to £10) to process refunds.

PlusBus tickets bought online may not be refundable from some online agents.

If you have a PlusBus season ticket and have used it for a while, but then want a refund of the outstanding period, you can claim a refund from the ticket office that originally issued the ticket. In this case normal National Rail season ticket refund terms and conditions apply.

16. Where can I check bus route and timetable information?

Visit traveline or call: 0871 200 22 33. Calls cost 12p/minute, plus your 'phone companies access charge.

 

For information about a specific bus operators' services, try these main bus company websites:

You could also check our list of bus operators by town and region.

 

For Northern Ireland visit: translink

17. Can I buy PlusBus from a self-service ticketing machine?

Yes. You can buy PlusBus day tickets (at the same time you buy a train ticket) at self-service ticket machines at stations managed by the following train companies:-

Avanti West Coast, Greater Anglia, Great Western Railway, East Midlands Railway, South Western Railway, Southern, Southeastern.

Self-service ticket machines at main stations managed by LNER and First TransPennine Express also sell PlusBus day tickets.

To see how to serve yourself with a PlusBus day ticket, click here.

18. How can I contact PlusBus ?

Please complete our 'Contact Us' form.

Please include as much information about your enquiry as possible. For example: specific dates, times, exact locations, name of bus operator/train operator, ticket details, the nature of your feedback, etc. Images of tickets are also helpful. 

Emails are answered Monday to Thursday between 9am & 5pm. Emails received outside of these times will be answered at the next opportunity.

If your enquiry is about bus or tram routes and times, please visit: www.traveline.info 

If your enquiry is about train times and fares, please visit: www.nationalrail.co.uk

19. Does my rail station origin / destination have to link with my PlusBus ?

You can only buy a PlusBus ticket for a location that is named as either the origin and / or the destination on your train ticket. So, in order to buy a Birmingham PlusBus ticket, you have to have Birmingham named on your train ticket (as either an origin and / or the destination station).