Purchasing Plusbus add-on

[generalvegitable]

I have just bought some train tickets for a future trip and I have realised that I forgot to add plusbus when I was booking them, I was wondering whether it is possible to excess the tickets to have plusbus or whether I need to buy completely new tickets with plusbus added to them. the plusbus website says that they cannot be bought online on their own and must be bought with a train ticket.

In a nutshell what I am asking is, can I excess my tickets to include plusbus?

 

[Intermodal]

http://www.plusbus.info/frequently-asked-questions

See FAQ #2

 

[generalvegitable]

ah, I didn't notice that, thanks

 

[lyesbkz]

Anyway PlusBus isn't an excess or a ticket type really, it's a completely separate coupon

 

[Bedpan]

I tried to buy a ticket to Leicester with Plusbus from a local station recently, and was told that they were unable to issue one to me and that I should go to the ticket office in Leicester when I arrived there to buy the Plusbus ticket - so that is what I did; I encountered no problem at all (apart from initially not being able to get one from my departure station).

 

[tony_mac]

It depends on the staff!
I was told on arrival in Manchester that they couldn't issue them within Greater Manchester.

 

[rmt-driver]

Some areas with PTE's can not issue them when travel is for entirely within the PTE area..

I.E. Sheffield to Doncaster ticket, can not be plus bussed for either Sheffield or Donny, as they both fall under the SYPTE...

I have purchased my plusbus add-on (sometimes IDK why on RSH or EC it doesn't give the option to buy plusbus) tickets from departure, arrival or totally different stations. The only exception is, for some reason LOROL ticket office staff either never seem to know how to issue plusbus tickets, or can't. IDK if they use a different system to other TOC's but I have also been unable to purchase long distance AP tickets frm them. Also they couldn't sell me a Grand Central only super-off peak 1st open return from Kings X to Doncaster.

Don't forget you get another 1/3 off with the railcard, I have NEVER been asked when getting on the bus to show my YP railcard with the plusbus ticket tho

 

[SS4]

Don't forget you get another 1/3 off with the railcard, I have NEVER been asked when getting on the bus to show my YP railcard with the plusbus ticket tho

You aren't the only one either although I did get a strange look off one driver. Presumably because it was on train stock instead of bus stock.

iirc you can also buy plusbus once your journey is completed as long as it's for the same day

I also believe they're valid all day (ie: peak and off-peak). I've used it to leave town before half 9

 

[MichaelAMW]

iirc you can also buy plusbus once your journey is completed as long as it's for the same day

I also believe they're valid all day (ie: peak and off-peak). I've used it to leave town before half 9

Indeed, it seems that as long as you have a ticket from outside the area in question you can buy Plusbus at any time before or during the journey. I did so a few days ago on arrival at Leeds from Nottingham, on a ticket to Leeds. Excess chappie on the bridge didn't hesitate, although did check my ticket properly.

I'm not really adding any new facts here - all fully explained above - but just pointing out that my experience shows it doesn't seem to be one of those matters that involves blood and stones.

 

[TUC]

Some areas with PTE's can not issue them when travel is for entirely within the PTE area..

I.E. Sheffield to Doncaster ticket, can not be plus bussed for either Sheffield or Donny, as they both fall under the SYPTE...

Plusbus is every bit as much available within PTEareas as long as the towns nquestion as part of the scheme. http://www.plusbus.info/plusbus-your-area shows Plusbus schemes that include Doncaster, Sheffield and Manchester. The reason that Sheffield to Doncaster cannot be plusbussed is that there are separate Plusbus schemes for each town and so a journey between them is outside of the geographica area where they are valid.

 

[tony_mac]

The reason that Sheffield to Doncaster cannot be plusbussed is that there are separate Plusbus schemes for each town and so a journey between them is outside of the geographica area where they are valid.

I don't understand what that means!

Merseyside PTE is split up into zones, each zone has it's own plusbus and they are available from one zone to the next, but not on journeys inside each zone.

As regards the 'you can't buy them within Greater Manchester' - the guy was just making excuses, he knew that my ticket was from Liverpool.

 

[dvboy]

You cant buy plusbus on any journey starting and ending within west midlands pte (not sure why youd want to as there are cheaper options usually)

 

[barrykas]

You can quite happily purchase PlusBus (where available) for either or both ends of your journey...providing it's not wholly within a PlusBus area.

So, for example, Salford Central to Manchester Central Zone would NOT be eligible for PlusBus, as the journey's wholly within the GMPTE area, but Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Stations would be eligible for both Liverpool and Manchester PlusBus.

And if you book your train tickets separately, you SHOULD be able to purchase the PlusBus at ANY Ticket Office, by showing the train tickets and just asking for PlusBus.

As for the issue of London Overground stations not being able to do Advance tickets, I don't think their machines have got connections to the reservations system. The same applied in Silverlink Metro days as well.

Cheers,

Barry

 

[TUC]

You can quite happily purchase PlusBus (where available) for either or both ends of your journey...providing it's not wholly within a PlusBus area.

So, for example, Salford Central to Manchester Central Zone would NOT be eligible for PlusBus, as the journey's wholly within the GMPTE area, but Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Stations would be eligible for both Liverpool and Manchester PlusBus.


Cheers,

Barry

The issue of Plusbus tickets not being available for journeys wholly within a PTE area links to an query I've raised before and still don't feel there's full clarity on-who determines Plusbus arrangements. I understand they're overseen by ATOC and managed by Journey Solutions but what I mean is the question of who determines how the scheme operates locally. I presume it is GMPTE that has set the requirement that journeys canot be wholly within Greater Manchester but given that it is an ATOC scheme it seems to me that its not something the PTE should be interfering in.

 

[OwlMan]

The issue of Plusbus tickets not being available for journeys wholly within a PTE area links to an query I've raised before and still don't feel there's full clarity on-who determines Plusbus arrangements. I understand they're overseen by ATOC and managed by Journey Solutions but what I mean is the question of who determines how the scheme operates locally. I presume it is GMPTE that has set the requirement that journeys canot be wholly within Greater Manchester but given that it is an ATOC scheme it seems to me that its not something the PTE should be interfering in.

It is not a PTE rule it a rule of Plusbus and applies to all tickets not only those in PTE areas. A plusbus ticket can not be purchased from another station within the same plusbus scheme (for example Bletchley to Milton Keynes Central, Coventry - Birmingham etc)
A complete list is attached (no station names just their codes)

 

[TUC]

It is not a PTE rule it a rule of Plusbus and applies to all tickets not only those in PTE areas. A plusbus ticket can not be purchased from another station within the same plusbus scheme (for example Bletchley to Milton Keynes Central, Coventry - Birmingham etc)
A complete list is attached (no station names just their codes)

Although some Plusbus schemes have overlapping areas so in some cases there could be ways around it via that route-Rochdale and Manchester for example- see http://www.plusbus.info/sites/default/files/pdfs/Greater Manchester (PTE area).pdf and http://www.plusbus.info/sites/default/files/pdfs/Rochdale (GM).pdf

 

[OwlMan]

Although some Plusbus schemes have overlapping areas so in some cases there could be ways around it via that route-Rochdale and Manchester for example- see http://www.plusbus.info/sites/default/files/pdfs/Greater Manchester (PTE area).pdf and http://www.plusbus.info/sites/default/files/pdfs/Rochdale%20(GM).pdf

I don't Follow Rochdale & Manchester are in the same PlusBus zone and there is no Plusbus ticket available between the two.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I don't Follow Rochdale & Manchester are in the same PlusBus zone and there is no Plusbus ticket available between the two.

There is seven Plusbus zones in Greater Manchester. Manchester and Rochdale are not in the same zone, but do share some common areas. However, you can only get Plusbus from seven locations in Greater Manchester.

Altrincham
Bolton
Manchester Stns
Rochdale
Stalybridge
Stockport
Wigan

 

[OwlMan]

There is seven Plusbus zones in Greater Manchester. Manchester and Rochdale are not in the same zone, but do share some common areas. However, you can only get Plusbus from seven locations in Greater Manchester.

Altrincham
Bolton
Manchester Stns
Rochdale
Stalybridge
Stockport
Wigan

According to PlusBus you can use plusbus throughout Greater Manchester whichever station you buy plusbus to. See Rochdale examplr below.

A Rocdale PLUSBUS ticket gives you unlimited bus travel on participating operators’ services, around the whole urban area of Rochdale (as defined by the zone map - see PDF below) and the 'Greater Manchester' region.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Yes, ofcourse, silly me. Not sure what the point of the local area map is then, it just causes confusion. you can still only get it from the seven places named though.

 

[snail]

Yes, ofcourse, silly me. Not sure what the point of the local area map is then, it just causes confusion. you can still only get it from the seven places named though.

My guess is that it's because someone arriving in Stockport or Rochdale may think a 'Manchester Stns' Plusbus is not valid.

I've bought the Manchester on on TPE trains before now, very easy. Plusbus is a much better deal than getting a GM bus Daysaver or a First or Stagecoach day ticket, not so good if you want to use trams as well though.

 

[Deerfold]

According to PlusBus you can use plusbus throughout Greater Manchester whichever station you buy plusbus to. See Rochdale examplr below.

And even more clearly:

at http://www.plusbus.info/rochdale-plusbus-greater-manchester
Additional Information:
Your origin OR destination rail station MUST be outside the 'Greater Manchester' region in order to buy a Rochdale PLUSBUS ticket.

 

[mickey]

I wish they'd do the same thing in Merseyside - we have completely different systems for Wirral (through Birkenhead), Liverpool city and Liverpool south (airport) - would be far better to have an integrated one!

 

[Tomonthetrain]

In the WMPTE area, if say I had Wolverhampton+plusbus, it would not just be valid in the Wolverhampton +bus area but in say Cradley Heaths area, SBJ/Ts area, Coventry area because it is classed as +buswm (a CRA one makes a good saving on a National Express daysaver!)