Multi-Operator Tickets In Bristol and Gloucestershire

[LordCreed]

Last updated: 25/01/2017

Before I continue, just a little disclaimer:

Whilst I've tried my best to ensure that everything here is as accurate as possible, it is likely that there will be a mistake or two. You are advised to check with the bus operator to ensure tickets and timetables are still valid. It is also possible that some tickets / information is missing. If you find any errors or anything that has changed since these posts, then please let me know and I'll correct them.

The motivation for this thread is that the information available on ticketing and routes in some areas is very patchy. One such example is the Cotswolds Discoverer ticket, where the National Rail website is different to the Cotswolds Discoverer website, yet both are actually incorrect (handy huh?).

Below is a list of tickets (it's a work in progress so will be growing as time progresses) along with relevant information. If you know of any tickets not mentioned here, then please let me know.


Cotswolds Discoverer:

Official Website - http://www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk/visitor-info/cotswolds-discoverer/ (Out of date)
National Rail Website - http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/precdc43df594569a1a10e8117d4e562.aspx (Out of date)
Leaflet - http://www.cotswoldsaonb.org.uk/use...wolds-discoverer/discoverer-leaflet-final.pdf (Out of date)

Cost:
Adult One Day Ticket - £10.00 (£8.30 with 16-25 Railcard, Senior Railcard, Disabled Persons Railcard, HM Forces Railcard or Two Together Railcard)
Child One Day Ticket - £5.00
Adult Three Day Ticket - £25.00

Where To Purchase:
Online - http://tickets.gwr.com/gw/en/journeyplanning/roversandrangers
Any National Rail Ticket Office
Onboard The Train - From The Conductor
Onboard The Bus - Any Participating Operator
By Phone - 03457 000 125

The One Day Ticket can be purchased from any of the above sources. The Three Day Ticket is definitely sold by Johnsons Excelbus, I'm currently unsure of which other operators sell this ticket.

Routes:

Stagecoach:

A - Benhall - GLoucester College - Cheltenham - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__000066f0_TP.pdf

B - Charlton Kings - Cheltenham - Wyman’s Brook - Swindon Village - Springbank - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__00002c75_TP.pdf

C - Cheltenham - Hester’s Way - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__00002b91_TP.pdf

D/E - Hatherley - Cheltenham Railway Station - Cheltenham - P & R - Bishop’s Cleeve - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__000066ef_TP.pdf

F - Leckhampton - Cheltenham - St Mark’s - Benhall - Gloucestershire Airport - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__000076db_TP.pdf

41 - Cheltenham - Tewkesbury - Ashchurch Railway - Northway - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__00002675_TP.pdf

42/42A - Cheltenham - Walton Cardiff - Tewkesbury - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__000053d5_TP.pdf

51- Swindon - Cricklade - Cirencester - Cheltenham - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__00007f11_TP.pdf

51A - Swindon - Cricklade - Chesterton - Cirencester - Stratton - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__000004ba_TP.pdf

61 - Cheltenham - Painswick - Stroud - Stonehouse - Dursley - Woodmancote - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__000061dc_TP.pdf

63 - Forest Green - Nailsworth - Stroud - Whiteshill - Gloucester - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__00007676_TP.pdf

66E/66Q/66S - Stroud - Stonehouse - Quedgeley - Gloucester - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__00001c46_TP.pdf

66F - Gloucester - Quedgeley - Frampton on Severn - Arlingham - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__00002272_TP.pdf

71 - Gloucester - Twigworth - Norton - Walton Cardiff - Tewkesbury - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__0000330c_TP.pdf

94 - Gloucester - Longlevens - Churchdown - Benhall - Cheltenham - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__00004b6e_TP.pdf

97/98 - Gloucester - Longlevens - Innsworth - Churchdown - Cheltenham - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__00000e96_TP.pdf


Johnson Excelbus:

1/2 - Moreton-in-Marsh - Chipping Campden - Stratford-upon-Avon - Bishopton Park & Ride - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__00007053_TP.pdf

Pulhams Coaches:

K - Cheltenham - Up Hatherley - The Reddings - Benhall - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__000023a2_TP.pdf

P - Cheltenham - Little Cleevmount - Ewens Farm - Charlton Kings - Cheltenham - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__00001781_TP.pdf

Q - Cheltenham - Charlton Kings - Ewens Farm - Little Cleevemount - Cheltenham - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__00007172_TP.pdf

608 - Cheltenham - Chipping Campden - Mickleton - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__00006e46_TP.pdf

801 - Moreton in Marsh - Bourton on the Water - Andoversford - Cheltenham - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__000001c7_TP.pdf

802 - Bourton-on-the-Water - The Rissingtons - Stow-on-the-Wold - Kingham Rail Station - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__00000923_TP.pdf

803 - Bourton on the Water - Upper Oddington - Longborough - Moreton in Marsh - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__0000203a_TP.pdf

804 - Temple Guiting - Brockhampton - Shipton Oliffe - Andoversford - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__00002830_TP.pdf

832 - Cold Aston - Notgrove - Turkdean - Compton Abdale - Andoversford - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__000030b4_TP.pdf

855 - Bourton-on-the-Water - Northleach - Bibury - Cirencester - http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__0000564f_TP.pdf -

882 - Gloucester - Cirencester - Kemble - Tetbury http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/TTB/EFA01__000060dc_TP.pdf


Cotswolds Green:

Unsure of validity currently

Swanbrook:

Unsure of validity currently

National Rail:

Valid between Swindon and Ashchurch for Tewkesbury.
Valid between Gloucester, Cam & Dursley and Yate.
Valid between Oxford and Moreton-in-Marsh.
Not valid before 08.50am Monday to Friday.

AvonRider:

Information to follow.

Freedom Travelpass:

Information to follow.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

The Avon Rider is valid in Weston, Bristol and Bath. However its not valid in South Gloucester as an operator (Stagecoach?) isn't part of the scheme. There are also three rail zones too for the AvonRider Zone A covers the inner Bristol stations, Zone B those further out and Zone C covers Weston.

Worth noting that the Wiltshire Day Rover can be used to travel to Bath on the 265, the X31 and also on the 271 & 272. Unlike the Day Rover the AvonRider is only valid up to the county boundary on the bus and as far as Pilning, Yate, Freshford and Weston Super Mare on the Avon rail network.

 

[carlberry]

The Avon Rider is valid in Weston, Bristol and Bath. However its not valid in South Gloucester as an operator (Stagecoach?) isn't part of the scheme. There are also three rail zones too for the AvonRider Zone A covers the inner Bristol stations, Zone B those further out and Zone C covers Weston.

It is valid in South Gloucestershire on First/Servenside/Wessex. It isnt valid on the Stagecoach services in South Gloucestershire as the local council couldnt be bothered to make it a condition of the contracts for the services.
There are no zones for Avonrider and it isnt valid on rail services. There are seperate Bristol, Bath and Weston riders however.

 

[Marc]

It is valid in South Gloucestershire on First/Servenside/Wessex. It isnt valid on the Stagecoach services in South Gloucestershire as the local council couldnt be bothered to make it a condition of the contracts for the services.
There are no zones for Avonrider and it isnt valid on rail services. There are seperate Bristol, Bath and Weston riders however.

stagecoach will be joining avonrider eventully.

 

[Martin1988]

I brought a Cotswold Explorer ticket on the Swanbrook Gloucester to Oxford service back in August.

When I went to catch the train back from Gloucester to Yate later in the day the station staff were unconvinced that the ticket was valid until I went online and found the leaflet about it.

I used to regularly purchase Avon Rider tickets to get to/from work. This was back when the X27 was worked by Wessex and I had to use a combination of both First and Wessex buses to get to work.

Did have a number of instances where drivers from both First and Wessex got funny about accepting Avon Riders on the basis that the ticket had been issued on the other operator's service, including one driver who refused to accept it at all.

Also remember Wessex drivers being very unkeen about accepting Freedom Travelpasses. Particularly on the 620 to/from Bath and on the Yate to Kingswood routes.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I brought a Cotswold Explorer ticket on the Swanbrook Gloucester to Oxford service back in August.

When I went to catch the train back from Gloucester to Yate later in the day the station staff were unconvinced that the ticket was valid until I went online and found the leaflet about it.

I used to regularly purchase Avon Rider tickets to get to/from work. This was back when the X27 was worked by Wessex and I had to use a combination of both First and Wessex buses to get to work.

Did have a number of instances where drivers from both First and Wessex got funny about accepting Avon Riders on the basis that the ticket had been issued on the other operator's service, including one driver who refused to accept it at all.

Also remember Wessex drivers being very unkeen about accepting Freedom Travelpasses. Particularly on the 620 to/from Bath and on the Yate to Kingswood routes.

I can appreciate both your points there.

I had an Avon Rider a couple of years ago and used the 312 from UWE to Downend for the fun of heading through Frenchay. The driver questioned it as it was issued by First but he was fine with it once I explained.

Got a Freedom Travelpass last year to travel with a mate who fancied seeing some of the local rail network as well as the buses. The poor driver from Wells on the 173 who then had to try and find it on his ticket machine - I guess he'd never issued one before.

 

[Martin1988]

I didn't realise that Freedom Travelpasses could be used on the 173 to/from Wells. Or did you travel to somewhere else on the route?

I remember on the first day that Wessex were operating the 620 catching the driver off guard by presenting him with a Freedom Travelpass. Having never heard of it he allowed me to travel with it but it took a few days before Wessex emailed me back and confirmed they were valid.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

It is valid in South Gloucestershire on First/Servenside/Wessex. It isnt valid on the Stagecoach services in South Gloucestershire as the local council couldnt be bothered to make it a condition of the contracts for the services.
There are no zones for Avonrider and it isnt valid on rail services. There are seperate Bristol, Bath and Weston riders however.

I've looked at this:

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/travelwest/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/avonrider-leaflet-prior-to-august-changes-2015.pdf

I've also realised that I've looked at the local Freedom Travelpass for the rail zones thinking hat its part of the AvonRider range. Suppose its easily done.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I didn't realise that Freedom Travelpasses could be used on the 173 to/from Wells. Or did you travel to somewhere else on the route?

I remember on the first day that Wessex were operating the 620 catching the driver off guard by presenting him with a Freedom Travelpass. Having never heard of it he allowed me to travel with it but it took a few days before Wessex emailed me back and confirmed they were valid.

From Radstock into Bath but that means Wells drivers would have to issue!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

This flurry of posts earlier this year inspired me to take a trip out using the Cotswold Discoverer. So having booked the day off, here's the record of my day out. NOTE: I did take a copy of the leaflet with me and I was glad that I did; not one of five Stagecoach drivers had heard of the ticket! Anyway, hope it is of interest...

I began in Bicester, driving to Kingham station where I parked my car, grabbed a coffee from the small van and waited for my first bus of the day. This was the 0700 X8 operated by Pulhams, essentially a rail link service for Chipping Norton and was subsidised until last year. Pulhams took it on commercially but they are withdrawing it. When it arrived (a 57 plate Solo), one passenger got off - this was at peak so no wonder it's going. No problem getting my ticket and I travelled to CN, gaining one passenger and being delayed by the local hunt exercising their foxhounds on the road!

After 30 mins break, it was time for the X9 to Witney with a newish Solo SR also of Pulhams that was reasonably loaded, arriving in time for me to walk straight onto an older Stagecoach Solo on the 233 for Burford. This serves Brize Norton and Carterton, weaving around the two places before heading to the lovely Cotswold town. Another reasonable load of about 10 - I was last to get off and had a short chat with the driver. He asked to re-read my leaflet on the Discoverer and was sufficiently convinced; we then talked about the cuts to council funding to services, with him disclosing the personal financial impact to him as a result of less overtime. Sometimes we forget the impact on the staff of all these cuts.

I bade him goodbye and went for breakfast in one of Burford's many cafes before ascending the hill out of town and heading for the A40. My next bus was the 853 operated by Swanbrook. A older lady was dropped off by her husband and waited with me at this outpost and we had a chat. Her main bugbear with the 853 was, it transpired, was the timekeeping but she said this was much improved now. This is often the case - passengers care more about reliability than the perceived importance of other issues that enthusiasts champion. The Swanbrook coach (a Scania Irizar) duly arrived and I got on - no question from that driver about my ticket

It was a short hop to Northleach where I got off before catching the 855, another Pulhams Solo! It was notable as we had a lot of Japanese tourists waiting, and even more already on board when it arrived. The Japanese, it transpires, love the Cotswolds with most joining throngs more in Bibury! For those who don't know, Bibury is a stunningly beautiful village and tourist trap. After that, we headed out across more open countryside with crops ripening and continued on though to Cirencester where I had time for a wander round and have a coffee. I like a relaxed trip out!

My next bus was the 882 to Tetbury and this was yet another Pulhams Solo - spotting a trend? I showed my ticket to the driver and we left with two pensioners for Kemble. When we got to the village, the driver asked to see my ticket - he was concerned I'd been sold the wrong ticket and been overcharged (instead of a Pulhams day ticket) but I explained I was ok and showed my printed leaflet. Good on him for being bothered though!! We dropped off one passenger, and headed for Kemble Station - this being the long standing rail link for Cirencester. No one left, no one joined, and we headed for Tetbury.

This is where things got tricky. The 69 was formerly the Cotswold Green 29 listed in the leaflet so I expected to have to explain. However, the driver didn't know anything about the ticket and this meant me showing the leaflet but the offending service was missing. However, he seemed to appreciate my situation and my having an honest face so let me on. This was the one Tetbury to Stroud service to serve Nailsworth and so had a really noisy and rattly ex Inverness Dart as we headed through the superb countryside around Avening. A really cracking little run and we banged and clattered into Nailsworth - I'd had the bus to myself since leaving the edge of Tetbury!

I was now expecting trouble and the next service was another ex Cotswold Green service that Stagecoach had won on tender. What had been the 35 was now the 65 and so I got on last. The driver was equally if not more sceptical as the previous. I explained to him, showing him the leaflet. He said he'd never heard of the ticket and rightly stated that the 65 wasn't listed. I explained it was the old 35 listed and in the end, he relented. This service is another cracker, climbing out of the small bus station and past Forest Green Rovers before going through intensely rural roads towards Nympsfield and Uley. A decent load on another Dart with some staying the course into Dursley. I chatted to the driver and thanked him; he was ok though he said he'd never seen/heard of the ticket and he'd worked for Stagecoach for more than 20 years!

My next bus was an e200 for the main 62 route to Gloucester though this was branded for the 12. I was now fearing the worst but the driver seemed to sense my fear. He thought I was lost but I explained the problems I'd had. He was really good though - he read the leaflet and just said show that if an inspector gets on. The 62 heads out and then fairly speeds along the A38 to Gloucester though it does get bogged down by a noticeable lack of bus priority.

On arrival, I noticed that Gloucester bus station that had been in a state of demolition last year....was noticeably unchanged. Nothing had happened in the 10 months since my last visit when it was first being pulled apart. What's happened? I wandered straight across to the 94 stop opposite to get some new Gold e400mmc luxury - the driver seemed to accept my explanation on the ticket without question. Again, he was unfamiliar - since then, I've contacted Stagecoach to ask what's the score? I may have inadvertently pulled a flanker if they are no longer a participant but no-one seems to have ever heard of the Cotswold Discoverer or seen one.

We made our way in stately luxury through the traffic, taking time to wait and maintain the schedule. We arrived on time in Cheltenham and I wandered off for a last coffee and then to Royal Well bus station for my last bus of the day. This was Pulhams 801 and so we were back to form with the driver being fine with my ticket. I can only assume that Pulhams get more being in the heart of the Cotswold tourist hotspots as well as smaller rotas so they see them (more). The bus was also a treat - a Citaro demonstrator that is on loan for driver familiarisation. Well, what a machine. We left Cheltenham and got bogged down in the traffic out to Charlton Kings. Then we hit the hill to Andoversford - it absolutely flew up there with very nearly a full load, overtaking pensioners in Honda Jazz's. We dropped off passengers and headed at some speed across the open countryside, arriving at Bourton on the Water where the bus filled with more Japanese tourists. In fact, I think we had more Japanese than non by the time we left.

Again, we sped off across to the open landscape, beasting the hill into Stow where we gained a Russian (?) family with the mother looking every inch the Soviet matriarch! We arrived in Moreton in Marsh at the station where probably a dozen got off, most Japanese. Such is the number that the signs at MiM station are bilingual - smart idea!

I waited for my train and a slightly delayed First GW 180 duly arrived to take me back the short distance to Kingham and my car.

The Cotswold Discoverer is a great ticket but the publicity is two years out of date, woefully advertised and clearly, Stagecoach have not briefed their drivers. A memo from 2015 may have been issued but they can be forgiven for not remembering and with such poor take up, they never see them either! So go for it but beware and print the leaflet off beforehand!

Hope this is of interest

 

[LordCreed]

That was an interesting read. It doesn't surprise me that the bus drivers are unaware of the tickets, they're not exactly common.

With regards to Stagecoach, they definitely accept the ticket on the list of services in my first post, as this was confirmed by their customer services. The list is: 66S, 66F, 66E, 66Q, 63, 61, 41, 42, 42A, 51, 51A, 71, 94, 97, 98, A, B, C, D, E and F.

Seems you managed to blag a journey on a few routes where it wasn't technically valid!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

That was an interesting read. It doesn't surprise me that the bus drivers are unaware of the tickets, they're not exactly common.

With regards to Stagecoach, they definitely accept the ticket on the list of services in my first post, as this was confirmed by their customer services. The list is: 66S, 66F, 66E, 66Q, 63, 61, 41, 42, 42A, 51, 51A, 71, 94, 97, 98, A, B, C, D, E and F.

Seems you managed to blag a journey on a few routes where it wasn't technically valid!

The 65/69? They were valid when they were Cotswold Green 29/35 and you'd think that the tender would also specify but I suspect it's something that was never even considered when they went to Stagecoach.

A ticket with such potential and yet so poorly marketed - seems it doesn't really have an owner.

 

[OwlMan]

The page http://www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk/visitor-info/cotswolds-discoverer/ is described as the 2017 edition and shows the following bus routes as valid

Cotswold Green
28: Stroud - Minchinhampton - Nailsworth
29: Stroud- Minchinhampton - Tetbury
40: Stroud - Wotton-under-Edge
54/54A: Stroud – Chalford – Cirencester
881: Cirencester - Kemble - Tetbury
Johnsons Excelbus
1: Moreton in Marsh – Batsford Arboretum – Bourton on the Hill – Blockley – Broadway – Chipping Campden – Mickleton – Stratford upon Avon
2: Moreton in Marsh - Batsford Arboretum – Bourton on the Hill – Blockley – Chipping Campden – Mickleton – Stratford upon Avon
3: Stratford - Ilmington - Shipston on Stour - Moreton in Marsh
Pulham's Coaches
801: Cheltenham – Bourton on the Water – Stow on the Wold – Moreton in Marsh Station
852: Gloucester - Cirencester
854: Winson - Chedworth - North Cerney - Cirencester
855: Kemble - Cirencester - Moreton in Marsh
X8: Chipping Norton-Kingham station
X9: Chipping Norton-Charlbury-Witney
Swanbrook
853: Oxford - Witney - Burford - Northleach - Cheltenham
Stagecoach in Oxfordshire
233: Woodstock - Witney - Burford (Weekdays)
Stagecoach West
14: Gloucester - Stroud
21: Stroud - Uley
41: Cheltenham - Tewkesbury
46: Cheltenham - Nailsworth
51: Swindon - Cheltenham
71: Gloucester - Tewkesbury
93: Gloucester - Stroud
94: Gloucester - Cheltenham
Go Ride CIC
C1: Charlbury - Leafield
X8A: Kingham station – Shipton-under-Wychwood – Ascott-under-Wychwood
T1: Leafield - Charlbury
233: Chipping Norton - Burford - Witney (Sundays)


The three day ticket is no longer avaialale.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The page http://www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk/visitor-info/cotswolds-discoverer/ is described as the 2017 edition and shows the following bus routes as valid

Cotswold Green
28: Stroud - Minchinhampton - Nailsworth
29: Stroud- Minchinhampton - Tetbury
40: Stroud - Wotton-under-Edge
54/54A: Stroud – Chalford – Cirencester
881: Cirencester - Kemble - Tetbury
Johnsons Excelbus
1: Moreton in Marsh – Batsford Arboretum – Bourton on the Hill – Blockley – Broadway – Chipping Campden – Mickleton – Stratford upon Avon
2: Moreton in Marsh - Batsford Arboretum – Bourton on the Hill – Blockley – Chipping Campden – Mickleton – Stratford upon Avon
3: Stratford - Ilmington - Shipston on Stour - Moreton in Marsh
Pulham's Coaches
801: Cheltenham – Bourton on the Water – Stow on the Wold – Moreton in Marsh Station
852: Gloucester - Cirencester
854: Winson - Chedworth - North Cerney - Cirencester
855: Kemble - Cirencester - Moreton in Marsh
X8: Chipping Norton-Kingham station
X9: Chipping Norton-Charlbury-Witney
Swanbrook
853: Oxford - Witney - Burford - Northleach - Cheltenham
Stagecoach in Oxfordshire
233: Woodstock - Witney - Burford (Weekdays)
Stagecoach West
14: Gloucester - Stroud
21: Stroud - Uley
41: Cheltenham - Tewkesbury
46: Cheltenham - Nailsworth
51: Swindon - Cheltenham
71: Gloucester - Tewkesbury
93: Gloucester - Stroud
94: Gloucester - Cheltenham
Go Ride CIC
C1: Charlbury - Leafield
X8A: Kingham station – Shipton-under-Wychwood – Ascott-under-Wychwood
T1: Leafield - Charlbury
233: Chipping Norton - Burford - Witney (Sundays)


The three day ticket is no longer avaialale.

Can't see where it says 2017 - the links go through to the 2015 leaflet and those service numbers for Stagecoach are the old ones from 2015 too (e.g. the 93 is now the 63 etc)

 

[OwlMan]

Can't see where it says 2017 - the links go through to the 2015 leaflet and those service numbers for Stagecoach are the old ones from 2015 too (e.g. the 93 is now the 63 etc)

see attached image from page info. they have also updated the copyright statement - © 2017 Escape to the Cotswolds. All Rights Reserveds

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

see attached image from page info. they have also updated the copyright statement - © 2017 Escape to the Cotswolds. All Rights Reserveds

Well, the info contained is most certainly not 2017!!