PlusBus Tickets

[Fiyero]

I understand it will be a requirement soon. Hopefully it'll be one that actually gets followed.

I hope so!

On my journey yesterday the driver took the phone from me when I couldn't scan it and put it right on the card reader so it read the card in the back of my phone case. I said it didn't say Aztec code, he said it worked. I didn't want to hold up the queue, but I have a pending card charge.

Could say it is my own fault for having the card in my phone case, but I really don't think they thought about Aztec codes and contactless on phones when they put the barcode reader right above the card reader!

 

[cocoiadrop]

Could say it is my own fault for having the card in my phone case but I really don't think they thought about Aztec codes and contactless on phones when they put the barcode reader right above the card reader!

Usually ticketing apps with Aztec codes will tell the phone’s OS to disable NFC while the code is visible to avoid triggering Apple/Google pay; obviously that won’t stop a physical card. There are some cases or MagSafe wallets that have an RFID shield to stop physical card payments.

I’m never a fan of someone taking my phone, but I can get why they tried.

 

[Chonner]

Does anyone know if there is any retailer that supports Outboundary Day Travelcard fulfilled via ITSO Card or ToD combined with PlusBus fulfilled via Eticket in a single transaction? Had a look back through the thread but cant see that being explicity mentioned as impossible, I doubt any retailer can do it but worth asking I guess.

This is GWR land (Reading specifically) and obviously Outbound Day Travel cards are not eticket compatible because TfL but can be fullfilled to GWR Touch ITSO for instance, while PlusBus is not fullfilled via ITSO as far as I am aware, leaving only ToD for both as the fulfillment method everywhere I look, but that negates the point of the PlusBus as I would use it to get from home to the departure station, so requires me to purchase and collect in advance of the day of travel which I can't always do.

 

[Haywain]

Does anyone know if there is any retailer that supports Outboundary Day Travelcard fulfilled via ITSO Card or ToD combined with PlusBus fulfilled via Eticket in a single transaction? Had a look back through the thread but cant see that being explicity mentioned as impossible, I doubt any retailer can do it but worth asking I guess.

I don't believe any retailer can do that, different fulfilment methods within the same transaction are not permitted* and therefore they will default to ToD.


*I think I've seen somewhere that this might change but it makes things more complex for retailers and may well require some development work so wouldn't be an overnight change.

 

[Chonner]

I don't believe any retailer can do that, different fulfilment methods within the same transaction are not permitted* and therefore they will default to ToD.


*I think I've seen somewhere that this might change but it makes things more complex for retailers and may well require some development work so wouldn't be an overnight change.

Thanks, sadly as I expected but good to have it confirmed. I also assume there is nowhere to buy PlusBus on its own in a separate transaction as that would probably be open to abuse. This is probably quite a niche I am in that is unlikely to addressed anytime soon, so will do ToD when I can in advance and pay the extra couple of quid for a Reading Buses day ticket when I cant.

 

[Haywain]

I also assume there is nowhere to buy PlusBus on its own

Only at a station ticket office and then you would need to show that you already have a ticket for a relevant journey.

 

[dk1]

Only at a station ticket office and then you would need to show that you already have a ticket for a relevant journey.

Or from any on train conductor. That’s where I usually purchase mine.

 

[fishball]

Had quite a bizarre encounter with the Man Picc ticket office today regarding Plusbus.

Holding a Stockport plusbus ticket, I had decided to inquire about the valid areas of the ticket considering the plusbus website lists the zones for Manchester plusbus and Stockport plusbus as identical, following a refusal to board a bus earlier in the day.

Staff at Piccadilly station proceeded to inform me that Greater Manchester and Stockport were two different tickets, that Stockport plusbus was not valid in Manchester, and even that railcards were not valid for plusbus. When challenged about where exactly the ticket is valid, he claimed that only Stockport station would have a map of the valid zone and that I should have asked for a Manchester plusbus if I wanted to travel in Manchester, also claiming that any changes to the ticket would need to be made with TPE as I travelled into Stockport with them.

I thought this was rather bizarre and would like to seek some clarity. Is Stockport plusbus valid in all of Greater Manchester or is the map on the plusbus website incorrect?

Many thanks.

 

[N1]

Had quite a bizarre encounter with the Man Picc ticket office today regarding Plusbus.

Holding a Stockport plusbus ticket, I had decided to inquire about the valid areas of the ticket considering the plusbus website lists the zones for Manchester plusbus and Stockport plusbus as identical, following a refusal to board a bus earlier in the day.

Staff at Piccadilly station proceeded to inform me that Greater Manchester and Stockport were two different tickets, that Stockport plusbus was not valid in Manchester, and even that railcards were not valid for plusbus. When challenged about where exactly the ticket is valid, he claimed that only Stockport station would have a map of the valid zone and that I should have asked for a Manchester plusbus if I wanted to travel in Manchester, also claiming that any changes to the ticket would need to be made with TPE as I travelled into Stockport with them.

I thought this was rather bizarre and would like to seek some clarity. Is Stockport plusbus valid in all of Greater Manchester or is the map on the plusbus website incorrect?

Many thanks.

Valid across all of Greater Manchester

 

[OscarH]

Had quite a bizarre encounter with the Man Picc ticket office today regarding Plusbus.

Holding a Stockport plusbus ticket, I had decided to inquire about the valid areas of the ticket considering the plusbus website lists the zones for Manchester plusbus and Stockport plusbus as identical, following a refusal to board a bus earlier in the day.

Staff at Piccadilly station proceeded to inform me that Greater Manchester and Stockport were two different tickets, that Stockport plusbus was not valid in Manchester, and even that railcards were not valid for plusbus. When challenged about where exactly the ticket is valid, he claimed that only Stockport station would have a map of the valid zone and that I should have asked for a Manchester plusbus if I wanted to travel in Manchester.

I thought this was rather bizarre and would like to seek some clarity. Is Stockport plusbus valid in all of Greater Manchester or is the map on the plusbus website incorrect?

Many thanks.

As with many PTE areas, the PlusBus ticket covers a massive area, and the website is correct that both are functionally identical. The ticket office is wrong - they should have checked the website if they weren't sure, claiming railcards aren't valid and that the only map would be at Stockport station is completely insane.

Unfortunately, the setup of PlusBus fares is not how I would have done it, and doesn't help with causing confusion here (though, it doesn't excuse a lot of the nonsense that was spouted). Stations within the zone get their own PlusBus code with a name of [station]+Bus (with a fare from [station] to this location code defined), so you end up with lots of tickets that say different things that actually mean the same thing. Even worse, smaller stations don't get the PlusBus ticket defined at all because the NLC codes needed for this are in short supply, so when when there's a small station in a big zone that'll sell basically none of them it just doesn't get setup - a pragmatic ticket office will probably sell you a PlusBus from one of the big stations, but that doesn't help when you're buying online.

My personal view here is that there should be be location code per PlusBus zone with a sensible descriptive name (perhaps Greater Manchester+Bus in this case). Then you can define fares from all stations in the zone to this one location so it gets automatically retailed online for every single station in the zone, you have no issue with using excess scarce codes, there is one name for ticket offices and bus drivers to remember so they don't get confused by "we aren't in Stockport".

That is however, now where we are, so in your position I would be sending a complaint to the bus company in question (including asking for a refund if you had to pay a cash fare), and a complaint to whoever runs the ticket office at Picadilly. If it was an eTicket and you scanned the barcode and it rejected on the bus, it would be interesting to know a bit more about the operator of the bus in question, and who you bought your PlusBus ticket from.

 

[fishball]

As with many PTE areas, the PlusBus ticket covers a massive area, and the website is correct that both are functionally identical. The ticket office is wrong - they should have checked the website if they weren't sure, claiming railcards aren't valid and that the only map would be at Stockport station is completely insane.

Unfortunately, the setup of PlusBus fares is not how I would have done it, and doesn't help with causing confusion here (though, it doesn't excuse a lot of the nonsense that was spouted). Stations within the zone get their own PlusBus code with a name of [station]+Bus (with a fare from [station] to this location code defined), so you end up with lots of tickets that say different things that actually mean the same thing. Even worse, smaller stations don't get the PlusBus ticket defined at all because the NLC codes needed for this are in short supply, so when when there's a small station in a big zone that'll sell basically none of them it just doesn't get setup - a pragmatic ticket office will probably sell you a PlusBus from one of the big stations, but that doesn't help when you're buying online.

My personal view here is that there should be be location code per PlusBus zone with a sensible descriptive name (perhaps Greater Manchester+Bus in this case). Then you can define fares from all stations in the zone to this one location so it gets automatically retailed online for every single station in the zone, you have no issue with using excess scarce codes, there is one name for ticket offices and bus drivers to remember so they don't get confused by "we aren't in Stockport".

That is however, now where we are, so in your position I would be sending a complaint to the bus company in question (including asking for a refund if you had to pay a cash fare), and a complaint to whoever runs the ticket office at Picadilly. If it was an eTicket and you scanned the barcode and it rejected on the bus, it would be interesting to know a bit more about the operator of the bus in question, and who you bought your PlusBus ticket from.

Thanks for the advice, everyone.

I anticipated the confusion with plusbus and had it printed on a paper ticket so it would be more recognisable to bus drivers. It would seem that the ticket office staff at Piccadilly was somehow quite confused.

The bus I was refused boarding to was the Bee Network 101 from Wythenshawe to Piccadilly, which should be well within the Greater Manchester zone. I would not be surprised if plusbus was rather uncommon on this route. I ended up getting a 103 to Piccadilly a couple minutes later, and did not pay anything extra.

Looking at previous forum posts, it would seem that some have successfully claimed refunds from plusbus for incorrectly charged excess fares, so I shall keep that in mind for the future.

I do agree with the sentiment. A singular Greater Manchester zone would reduce confusion greatly for many such as the ticket office staff member I encountered at Piccadilly.

Once again thank you all.

 

[markymark2000]

My personal view here is that there should be be location code per PlusBus zone with a sensible descriptive name (perhaps Greater Manchester+Bus in this case). Then you can define fares from all stations in the zone to this one location so it gets automatically retailed online for every single station in the zone, you have no issue with using excess scarce codes, there is one name for ticket offices and bus drivers to remember so they don't get confused by "we aren't in Stockport".

Or, in PTE areas or areas where there the existing multi operator ticket organisation is the same scheme manager as the Plusbus zone, just scrap the +Bus with a discounted version of the existing well known multi operator tickets. Replacing Manchester Plusbus with a SystemOne and replacing West Yorkshire zones with a +Mcard Bus (you get the idea).

I have certainly had issues in some PTE areas where the Plusbus zone covers the whole PTE area and drivers claim that you aren't in the correct town.

 

[Haywain]

I would not be surprised if plusbus was rather uncommon on this route.

PlusBus is sold in very small numbers and will be "rather uncommon" on pretty much every bus route where it should be accepted across Great Britain.

 

[Wolfie]

PlusBus is sold in very small numbers and will be "rather uncommon" on pretty much every bus route where it should be accepted across Great Britain.

Arriva in Telford have a small number of drivers who question Plusbus validity even while sitting in a cab which has a "Plusbus welcome" sticker on the door..... Bad training only goes so far as an excuse.

 

[dk1]

I don’t find I get too many issues with bus driver unfamiliarity. The main problem I get is if the guard issues it on toilet paper because they haven’t got the card printer on them. I then leave it and buy at the ticket office instead.

 

[Willie Bee]

PlusBus is sold in very small numbers and will be "rather uncommon" on pretty much every bus route where it should be accepted across Great Britain.

I really do think PlusBus should be advertised more. My wife and I think it's a great idea.

A couple of years ago we visited Glasgow and EVERY driver questioned our PLUSBUS tickets .. luckily after a bit of a conversation each time, we were let on all the buses.

At the time, I made a posting here thinking it was a new scheme, but it seems it's been going since 2002

 

[markymark2000]

I really do think PlusBus should be advertised more.

I think they need to sort out their shambolic approach to validity data before they try and attract more customers. The website has more faults than I don't know what, and I know that they are in no hurry to sort it out.

 

[N1]

I think they need to sort out their shambolic approach to validity data before they try and attract more customers. The website has more faults than I don't know what, and I know that they are in no hurry to sort it out.

Being part of traveline now should indicate improvements will be made at a glacial pace. Such a good idea with so much wasted potential.

 

[markymark2000]

Being part of traveline now should indicate improvements will be made at a glacial pace. Such a good idea with so much wasted potential.

I agree, it's been so wasted. Rail Delivery Group clearly had no care for the scheme. Plusbus runs on too much of a shoestring to give basically any of the things under their control, the right amount of time and attention (seemingly everything that comes under Traveline is full of bugs and issues because there is just not enough time spent on it).

 

[ChilliSauce]

I think the Plus-Bus is actually very good as an idea but the understanding by the Bus operators concerned is sometimes a bit shakey.

As example once in Ipswich on Ipswich Buses I had it claimed that Plus Bus was only valid from the Railway Station up into the Town Centre... Obviously complete rubbish.. I later found out that Greater Anglia did in fact sell such a ticket ... So I opened a complaint with Ipswich Buses. Who initially came back to me claiming it wasn't valid...so they got sent a plus bus map and asked to respond again ...And finally in essence they did accept I was right and they were wrong.

On another occasion I bought a Doncaster Plus bus ...which despite it's name is valid across the whole of South Yorkshire (just like a Barnsley plus bus and a Sheffield plus bus are) only for it to be claimed on a bus from Barnsley heading out to Penistone it wasn't valid.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Feb 2026 ==

Had quite a bizarre encounter with the Man Picc ticket office today regarding Plusbus.

Holding a Stockport plusbus ticket, I had decided to inquire about the valid areas of the ticket considering the plusbus website lists the zones for Manchester plusbus and Stockport plusbus as identical, following a refusal to board a bus earlier in the day.

Staff at Piccadilly station proceeded to inform me that Greater Manchester and Stockport were two different tickets, that Stockport plusbus was not valid in Manchester, and even that railcards were not valid for plusbus. When challenged about where exactly the ticket is valid, he claimed that only Stockport station would have a map of the valid zone and that I should have asked for a Manchester plusbus if I wanted to travel in Manchester, also claiming that any changes to the ticket would need to be made with TPE as I travelled into Stockport with them.

I thought this was rather bizarre and would like to seek some clarity. Is Stockport plusbus valid in all of Greater Manchester or is the map on the plusbus website incorrect?

Many thanks.

This is simply the failure of ticket office staff to correctly understand Plus-Bus .. I have had exactly the same with the travel centre staff at Doncaster who tried to claim a Doncaster Plusbus was not valid in Barnsley .. which is utter rubbish as regardless of purchase of a Doncaster or Sheffield or Barnsley Plus Bus all 3 are valid across the whole of South Yorkshire. The maps on Plus Bus for all 3 are exactly the same. As indeed the map is the same for both Manchester and Stockport.

Obviously what you can't do is buy a rail ticket from Stockport to Manchester and then buy a plus bus ....because your journey must start or end outside of the area for which you are buying the plus bus.. Just like you can't buy a rail ticket Sheffirld to Barnsley and then buy a Plus-Bus.

I see no reason why it has been made so confusing ...In the case of Sheffield / Doncaster / Barnsley plus bus you are in effect buying a plus bus for the whole of South Yorkshire . So why is it not simply called "South Yorkshire Plus Bus"?

The same confusion than continues in West Yorkshire because regardless of buying a Plus Bus for either Wakefield or Leeds or Bradford they are all valid across the whole of West Yorkshire.

 

[kkong]

If you've experienced issues, I am told that what's important is:

• The exact timestamp at which the PlusBus ticket was scanned and rejected by the bus
• The specific operator and route number
• If you know the vehicle details, these are useful too - these can be looked up on https://bustimes.org

Please submit these to TrainSplit customer support and I will compile the issue reports and send over to Ticketer.

I have sent a report to TrainSplit customer support regarding the ongoing problems with PlusBus e-tickets on First Aberdeen.

Hopefully you can help get it fixed!

 

[Adam Williams]

Thanks; just for the sake of the thread, this has gone to Ticketer.

 

[Willie Bee]

Yesterday I was in Edinburgh and two bus drivers out of two looked at my PlusBus ticket as if it was new to them, whereas I was also on two trams and the ticket chap just looked and commented "Plusbus, fine" and that was that.

It seems the guys on the trams were well aware of the scheme, and the bus drivers not .. although I think both networks are operated by the same company

 

[Haywain]

It seems the guys on the trams were well aware of the scheme, and the bus drivers not .. although I think both networks are operated by the same company

They likely see more on trams than on buses.

 

[ngood77]

Hi everybody.

Next Saturday I’m travelling to Berkhamstead for a couple of hours from London. I’m then breaking my journey on the return at Hemel where I intend to use at least two Hemel buses. Ideally I’d like a PlusBus for Hemel rather than Berk but I appreciate the terms don’t allow for this. It would be good if the PlusBus zone could be chosen so long as it’s for a valid station along the route.

Does anybody have any suggestions for me here other than me simply buying ‘normal’ tickets on the buses ? Many thanks.

 

[Fiyero]

Hi everybody.

Next Saturday I’m travelling to Berkhamstead for a couple of hours from London. I’m then breaking my journey on the return at Hemel where I intend to use at least two Hemel buses. Ideally I’d like a PlusBus for Hemel rather than Berk but I appreciate the terms don’t allow for this. It would be good if the PlusBus zone could be chosen so long as it’s for a valid station along the route.

Does anybody have any suggestions for me here other than me simply buying ‘normal’ tickets on the buses ? Many thanks.

I'm not sure on the legality but I'd imagine if you have a friendly ticket office person they would sell it to you. Not too different from when I had my season ticket but didn't need plusbus every day so would buy them ad-hoc. It wasnt actually linked to the train ticket.

I actually have a similar situation today but won't have the opportunity to ask at a staffed station first so am doing tap on tap off for the bus.

 

[ngood77]

I'm not sure on the legality but I'd imagine if you have a friendly ticket office person they would sell it to you. Not too different from when I had my season ticket but didn't need plusbus every day so would buy them ad-hoc. It wasnt actually linked to the train ticket.

I actually have a similar situation today but won't have the opportunity to ask at a staffed station first so am doing tap on tap off for the bus.

Many thanks. TOTO is active on Arriva Hemel (Herts) ?

 

[Haywain]

Not too different from when I had my season ticket but didn't need plusbus every day so would buy them ad-hoc. It wasnt actually linked to the train ticket.

Was it for a different PlusBus station to that named on the season ticket? If not, it was entirely within the rules of the scheme.

 

[Fiyero]

Was it for a different PlusBus station to that named on the season ticket? If not, it was entirely within the rules of the scheme.

I just meant pressing button wise they can be issued separately front the ticket. Not sure what is actually 'legal'

 

[Smethwickian]

Was it for a different PlusBus station to that named on the season ticket? If not, it was entirely within the rules of the scheme.

We are told so many times on this forum that a season ticket is valid for journeys to and from any intermediate station on a valid route, is it not? Yet having a perfectly valid ticket to a station does not necessarily allow the sale of a PlusBus ticket for that destination? That does not seem fair or particularly logical to me.