Introduction
When you buy a PlusBus (“+BUS”) ticket, you enter into an agreement with the bus and tram companies that participate in the PLUSBUS scheme for the town named on the ticket as “TOWN+BUS”. That agreement gives you the right to make unlimited bus and tram journeys on participating companies local services (except any ‘Excluded services’ as listed on relevant town-specific page of www.PlusBus.info) within the defined PlusBus travel zone for that locality, on the date specified on the day ticket (or until mid-night on the expiry date shown on season tickets). The travel zone is defined on the PlusBus website by a road-map based travel zone map (accessible via a URL link). These maps define the travel zone area, shows all the bus stops (in green) that are located within the travel zone and show the travel zone boundary (as an orange line).
PlusBus tickets cannot be issued or bought, if the relevant train journey is between origin and destination rail stations that are wholly within the same towns PlusBus travel zone, or wholly within the following city-wide regions: Greater Manchester; South Yorkshire, West Midlands, West Yorkshire (as defined by the relevant Integrated Transport Authority). When travelling on an individual bus or tram companies vehicles the operators own ‘Conditions of Carriage’ apply to your conduct as a passenger on such services and to the service provided to you by that company. This includes how service cancellations and left luggage is handled.
Tickets
PlusBus tickets are issued by Train Operating Companies and National Rail ticket sales agents on National Rail common ticket stock (credit card size paper tickets). Train Operating Companies and rail ticket sales agents are acting as sales agents for bus and tram companies that make-up the participating operators in each towns PlusBus scheme. PlusBus tickets must be bought in conjunction with a train ticket and this ticket must have as its origin and / or destination the town for which PlusBus is purchased. PlusBus tickets cannot be bought on their own (except in circumstances where you already have a valid train ticket and wish to buy a PlusBus ticket for the origin and/or destination towns of the rail journey).
PlusBus day tickets can only be bought for dates on which train travel is also being made. PlusBus day tickets can be bought with single, day return and period return rail tickets. With period return tickets, PlusBus day tickets can only be bought for the date of outward and the date of return rail travel.
PlusBus season tickets can only be bought with an accompanying rail season ticket. PlusBus season tickets are available for set periods: week (7 consecutive days); one month (28 consecutive days); three months (89 consecutive days) and a year (365 consecutive days). Tickets remain the property of the relevant Train Operating Company that issued it (or remain the property of National Rail when sold by third-party agents).
Requirement to hold a valid ticket
Before you attempt travel on any bus or tram operated by a company that participates in a PlusBus ticketing scheme, you must have a valid PlusBus ticket, which displays the relevant town/station name followed by “+BUS” printed clearly on it. For example: “DERBY+BUS” Booking confirmations (from online rail ticket retail systems) will not be accepted by bus and tram companies as entitlement to travel on their services. If you do not have a valid PlusBus ticket, then you will be required to pay the appropriate normal fare for the bus or tram journey you wish to make. PlusBus tickets are only issued for the town at which the rail journey originates and/or the town at which the rail journey ends. PlusBus tickets cannot be issued for intermediate towns along a rail route (that are not named on the accompanying train ticket). It is not necessary to be in possession of a valid train ticket in order to use a PlusBus ticket
for travel on a participating bus or tram operators services.
You may not transfer a ticket to another person
A PlusBus ticket may only be used by the person for whom it was bought and who has travelled by train between the named stations shown on the train ticket. It may not be resold or passed onto anyone else.
Children
Up to two children under 5 years of age may travel for free accompanying a passenger who holds a valid PlusBus ticket for the relevant town. Children under 5 years of age may only occupy a seat if it is not required by a fare-paying passenger. Children under 16 years of age are entitled to the following discounts off the normal adult price of PlusBus tickets:
- PlusBus day tickets– children under 16 years of age pay half the adult fare to the
nearest 5pence (rounded up). - PlusBus season tickets– discounts for children under 16 years of age are specific to
each PlusBus locality with discount rates varying. Only selected PlusBus schemes
offer children a discount off the adult price of season tickets. Where no child season
ticket discount is offered, a child may purchase an adult rate season ticket.
Railcards
If you buy a PlusBus day ticket using a qualifying Railcard and obtain a discount off the normal adult price of the PlusBus day ticket, then you must be in possession of that Railcard (and its accompanying Photocard) at all times whilst travelling by bus and tram. For further information about Railcard discounts see: ‘Railcard restrictions for PlusBus.
Season ticket Photocards
Rail and PlusBus season tickets for periods longer than seven consecutive days require the holder to have a valid National Rail Photocard. This Photocard must incorporate a photograph which is a true likeness of you. The Photocard serial number must be clearly printed on the accompanying PlusBus season ticket. Further conditions relating to Photocards, please see the ‘National Rail Conditions of Carriage’.
Use of PlusBus tickets
PlusBus tickets act as a travelcard and gives the holder unlimited bus and tram travel on participating bus and tram operators services throughout the entire urban area of the relevant towns PlusBus travel zone. The brand names of participating bus and tram operators are listed on the town-specific page of www.PlusBus.info. If an operator is not listed in this section of our website then it should be assumed that they do not accept PlusBus tickets. In some towns, certain premium services of participating operators (e.g. airport express routes, night buses, limited-stop routes and special sporting event services) do not accept PlusBus tickets. These are listed as ‘Excluded services of participating operators’ on each town-specific page of the PlusBus website.
PlusBus day tickets are valid for bus and tram travel up to mid-night (2400hours) on the date shown on the ticket. A bus journey started before 2400hours may be completed after midnight without additional charge. If you wish to travel on a bus or tram beyond the relevant towns PlusBus travel zone boundary, then you must pay the necessary fare for the journey from the PlusBus travel zone boundary bus stop to your final destination bus stop.
Withdrawal of tickets
If you do not comply in a material way with any Condition that applies to the use of a PlusBus ticket, then staff or agents of any Train Operating Company, or participating bus and tram company may withdraw the ticket.
Refunds
PlusBus is a National Rail ticketing product and as such their standard Refund Rules apply.
For details consult the ‘National Rail Conditions of Carriage’.
Your responsibilities
Buying tickets
As soon as you can, you should check the details shown on your PlusBus ticket and satisfy yourself that they are consistent with the journey(s) you intend to make. If you think you have made a mistake or there is an error with the ticket, you should advise the organisation that sold you the ticket as soon as possible.
Inspection of tickets
You must show and if asked to do so by a member of train, bus or tram company staff, hand over for inspection your ticket and any accompanying Railcard or Photocard.
PlusBus tickets must always been shown to bus drivers and tram conductors when boarding a vehicle. If you cannot show the relevant member of staff a valid PlusBus ticket for your journey then you will be treated as if you did not have a valid ticket for your journey and the relevant operators ‘Conditions of Carriage’ will then apply.
Available services
It is your responsibility to ensure that there is a suitable bus or tram service available, operating by a participating company, on the day and at the time that you wish to travel, for your specific journey.
You are strongly advised to check bus and tram routes and timetables with participating operators (whose websites are shown on the town-specific pages of www.PlusBus.info), or with: www.traveline.info or call: 0871 200 22 33
Governing Law
These Conditions will be Governed by English law, except where a ticket is bought in Scotland for use wholly within Scotland, in which case these Conditions will be Governed by Scots law.
