Fiyero
Member
I thought there must be a way! Not sure if I am brave enough to try unless it is with a 'tame' driver!
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PlusBus Tickets
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RailUK Forums
Recent posts suggest my decision to keep using card PlusBus tickets and physical cards for contactless won’t change anytime soon.
No problems with a card PlusBus in Dundee recently. One driver looked closely then remarked thay had never seen such a thing before, the others just waved me on - whether that was because they were familiar with PlusBus or didn’t care what I was showing, who knows.
As an aside, when trying to pay contactless for a longer journey the driver entered it as a concession card which obviously didn’t work. He looked at the bankcard and asked for my concession card, I said I only had a English one at which point he finally realised I was attempting to pay.
No problems with a card PlusBus in Dundee recently. One driver looked closely then remarked thay had never seen such a thing before, the others just waved me on - whether that was because they were familiar with PlusBus or didn’t care what I was showing, who knows.
As an aside, when trying to pay contactless for a longer journey the driver entered it as a concession card which obviously didn’t work. He looked at the bankcard and asked for my concession card, I said I only had a English one at which point he finally realised I was attempting to pay.
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Well, it's now September, and Ely PlusBus still seems to be available to buy, though there are precisely zero buses it can now be used on! Hopefully some agreement can eventually be found with A2B and/or Stephensons to take PlusBus, but I can't imagine it is a priority.
Bought Bath plusbus Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday this week. Used an e-ticket on Wednesday and paper on the rest. All trips on First.
On Tuesday I showed it to the driver who was literally looking out the window to the other side. Once I got bored waiting I assumed he just didn't care so walked on then got an "oi" and "what is that..." He let me on though so not too bad.
Wednesday I had some trouble purchasing and the bus driver was kind enough to let me on while I bought it and show it at the next stop. Of course it then didn't scan ("barcode invalid") and she said something like "oh it won't scan but I can put it in manually that's fine".
Finally Friday the driver didn't seem to care in the slightest.
Overall a pretty acceptable experience. Of course this is only referring to the ticketing experience: the last 2-3 buses were cancelled both wednesday and Thursday nights and I was forced to get taxis.
Interestingly First customer service seem quite willing to reimburse my taxi fare based on the west of England passenger charter's "last bus promise" even when I was paying contactless on Thursday and hence had no ticket for the bus they cancelled.
On Tuesday I showed it to the driver who was literally looking out the window to the other side. Once I got bored waiting I assumed he just didn't care so walked on then got an "oi" and "what is that..." He let me on though so not too bad.
Wednesday I had some trouble purchasing and the bus driver was kind enough to let me on while I bought it and show it at the next stop. Of course it then didn't scan ("barcode invalid") and she said something like "oh it won't scan but I can put it in manually that's fine".
Finally Friday the driver didn't seem to care in the slightest.
Overall a pretty acceptable experience. Of course this is only referring to the ticketing experience: the last 2-3 buses were cancelled both wednesday and Thursday nights and I was forced to get taxis.
Interestingly First customer service seem quite willing to reimburse my taxi fare based on the west of England passenger charter's "last bus promise" even when I was paying contactless on Thursday and hence had no ticket for the bus they cancelled.
A successful use of PlusBus CCST this morning on Stagecoach South. Undercuts the Guildford Park & Ride return ticket! And Shalford station is only 3 minutes away for an easy ticket printing experience.
I'm currently on my annual holiday, following my wife's favourite band around the country.
Have Aztec PlusBuses for everywhere we're visiting.
In Grimsby and Barnsley had no trouble at all, though I have no idea how Stagecoach verify a ticket is valid as they have no scanners. One driver asked what it was, but was happy with the explanation.
In Edinburgh the first driver flatly refused to accept it as they don't accept any tickets with Aztec codes on, so we've had to pay again.
As with the last time I had a problem on Lothian I've realised customer services isn't open on a Saturday so not looking forward to the other two trips we need to make today (and have canned another two I'd considered making as I don't need more hassle).
Have Aztec PlusBuses for everywhere we're visiting.
In Grimsby and Barnsley had no trouble at all, though I have no idea how Stagecoach verify a ticket is valid as they have no scanners. One driver asked what it was, but was happy with the explanation.
In Edinburgh the first driver flatly refused to accept it as they don't accept any tickets with Aztec codes on, so we've had to pay again.
As with the last time I had a problem on Lothian I've realised customer services isn't open on a Saturday so not looking forward to the other two trips we need to make today (and have canned another two I'd considered making as I don't need more hassle).
redreni
Established Member
I had no trouble with CCST Plusbuses in Weston Super Mare. Never do.
I would want to see the success rates people are reporting here to improve *drastically* before I would get a digital one.
I didn't want to be right, but I did say when this was announced that it would make things easier if the scanners were configured correctly, but would increase hassle otherwise, as drivers would take the rejection by the scanner as a reason for scepticism.
I would want to see the success rates people are reporting here to improve *drastically* before I would get a digital one.
I didn't want to be right, but I did say when this was announced that it would make things easier if the scanners were configured correctly, but would increase hassle otherwise, as drivers would take the rejection by the scanner as a reason for scepticism.
My problem has been that the 3 areas I've visited have not had scanners.
I caught another 2 buses in Edinburgh. One driver was dubious but let us on, the other seemed to know exactly what we were showing him.
Currently heading to Newcastle. Anyone had any experiences there?
redreni
Established Member
Yes, those without scanners are in the same position as London Underground when it comes to e-tickets. And seemingly taking the same unhelpful stance on validity.
Ideally PlusBus would talk to those operators and agree a way forward. Making the Plusbuses in the relevant areas not fulfillable as e-tickets might be a good idea.
Willie Bee
Member
Can you buy PlusBus tickets on the Forum's ticket site
I am going to buy CDF - Bath tickets and would like a PlusBus ticket for Bath
I am going to buy CDF - Bath tickets and would like a PlusBus ticket for Bath
I bought a plusbus for Bath from the forum's ticket site. Very easy, just requires checking a box at the bottom of the page detailing the tickets. You can get both paper and etickets for Bath, my experience is that neither are more likely to be recognised by the driver so stick with your preference. Although a paper ticket doesn't run the risk of accidentally tapping in with google/apple pay.
Yes, but only together with a ticket. If you already have a ticket you can visit any ticket office to get one
Willie Bee
Member
many thanks
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
Thank you
Man of Kent
Member
- Joined
- 5 Jul 2018
- Messages
- 903
I suspect the problem is that the volume of any form of PlusBus ticket in most areas is so low, that drivers do not remember them amongst the myriad of everything else they are expected to recognise. However, PlusBus does supply material for operators to display to staff, but I can't hand on heart say it is actually on a notice board at all the depots for which I'm responsible. And the ticketing handbook once issued to drivers has long since disappeared.
Something I've noticed is that it isn't possible to get a PlusBus for Blackpool South only North, seems bizzare
Buzby
Established Member
I was in Kilmarnock yesterday, and boarded a Stagecoach bus (Service 1). To the right of the entrance doors was a 20” x 6” sticker showing a row of icons with text beneath saying “WAYS TO PAY’ - which included: Contactless, Cash, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Concessions and PLUSBUS!
Due to the way PlusBus is implemented in the fares database, it requires a 1 to 1 mapping between interchange stations and PlusBus locations. This uses up a significant number of location codes, particularly in PTE areas where PlusBus is available for the entire area.
As such, there was a rationalisation in around 2008 that removed infrequently used locations.
It doesn't help with online sales, but I'd like to think that a member of Ticket Office or on-train staff would be willing to sell a PlusBus ticket from an alternative station in such cases, providing you had an appropriate rail ticket.
For example: Selling a Birmingham+WM PlusBus if you held a ticket to Tyseley.
It gets worse. Northern launched a 'new' bus and tram add on for Blackpool. From platform to the promenade: Northern teams up with Blackpool Transport to offer combined train, tram and bus tickets
This is added as two destinations. Blackpool North Bus/Tram and Blackpool South Bus/Tram. The price is exactly the same as plusbus, but only available from certain Northern station origins. Also there aren't any advance fares setup for these destinations.
I emailed Northnern press release team and they basically admitted it is the same as plusbus. They claimed that the rail destinations were valid on Stagecoach like plusbus, but I couldn't see that written down anywhere.
You have to read that article very carefully, the tickets are not new in 2025, what's new in 2025 is being able to by them on the app, the tickets themselves have existed since 2022.
Unless my memory is failing me, when the "bus/tram" tickets were introduced back in 2022 they were more expensive than blackpool plusbus but covered a larger area. It looks like since then the plusbus area has been expanded to match the "bus/tram" area.
https://web.archive.org/web/2021062...s.info/sites/default/files/pdfs/Blackpool.pdf shows the old plusbus area.
Willie Bee
Member
It's a pity that there's no PlusBus scheme for Belfast, or indeed anywhere in Northern Ireland.
I hope to visit the city early in 2026 and have always found PB tickets handy when visiting other UK cities, especially in Edinburgh, £3.30 with a railcard for buses and trams
I hope to visit the city early in 2026 and have always found PB tickets handy when visiting other UK cities, especially in Edinburgh, £3.30 with a railcard for buses and trams
TheSel
Member
That's true, but having been in Belfast last week, I can recommend the Metro 'dayLink' card. Link [no pun intended!] here. Costs £4 per day, plus £1 for the card if you've not already got one.
There is also the 'Belfast Visitor Pass' - link here. Similar principle, but this one's £6 for one day, £12 for two, and £16 for three - again plus a one-off £1 for the card if you've not already got one. This is not only vald on all Belfast 'Metro' (i.e. city) services, but also for journeys on NI Railways (zone 1) services between Belfast and Cultra, Jordanstown, Mossley West and Derriaghy and all stops in between, Ulsterbus services to some places just outside the City such as Holywood and Newtownabbey, and - very handy if you're arriving at Belfast City (George Best) airport - Airport Express 600 services to and from George Best Belfast City Airport.
Apply on line, and allow "... five working days..." (mine took about 10 actual days).
Great for a Belfast Area pub crawl! Oh - and there's always a bit of sightseeing available too, I guess!
Northern Ireland has far superior integrated travel tickets that knock the spots off PlusBus
Had my first successful PlusBus scan today on Metrobus (Go-Ahead).
Travelled on plusbus in Bangor, both paper and etickets were accepted despite the eTicket not scanning. It's getting a little ridiculous now since it would be trivially easy to make a fake plusbus eTicket and it would be indistinguishable from the real thing by the bus drivers.
This risk was pretty well known about at the launch. Some people worked hard behind the scenes to prevent it becoming PlusBus mTickets...!
The tougher problem in another sense is buying PlusBus and the refunding it as unused.
East of England stations previously allocated to the South East PlusBus region now have their own matching region.
Out of curiosity, which zone(s)?
Only took 6 months!
Out of curiosity, which zone(s)?
markymark2000
On Moderation
Not sure which operators you used, but Arriva has confirmed to me that ETicket plusbus has been sorted in Wales as of 2nd week in September (not sure on the specific date that it got fixed). If this isn't the case, I'd encourage you to contact them.
Other operators their Ticket machines are almost entirely set up by Transport for Wales and many operators there lack the knowledge on how to sort these things themselves (that is if these operators can even sort these things themselves, it may be that TFW has to sort it all for them as part of the contracts they have).
It was on an arriva bus in Bangor on the 3rd October. The driver seemed perfectly happy to accept the rejected eTicket so I don't really think there's much for me to complain about. It just seems a little ridiculous to me that they didn't manage to get their barcode scanners to accept the plusbus etickets before they introduced them.
markymark2000
On Moderation
I'd still suggest contacting them, even if not to complain (you dont even have to mention the journey that you took so nothing comes back on the driver), but more just to let them know that they haven't properly sorted the scanning and they can look into it. I admit that Arriva making a mess with the ticket scanning has stopped me buying Plusbus tickets as Chester depot drivers were much less forgiving and most of them just outright said 'it doesn't scan, it's not valid. No ifs or buts' sort of thing. Arriva is more than happy to take any revenue from the scheme, but less happy to actually accept the tickets.