Bus Fares?

starrymarkb · 28th June 2012, 09:55

Why is it so difficult to find out bus fares in advance of travel. Is there any reason why they are not publicised in journey planners? I know you can phone the bus company but often they have limited opening hours

WatcherZero · 28th June 2012, 10:23

Because they quite often vary by company operating the same route.

WestCoast · 28th June 2012, 10:30

No idea really, most bus companies don't publish single fares in booklets or on the website. Maybe it's not to put people off..

For one-off users, they'll usually show the day ticket price (which astonishingly is actually cheaper than some of the single fares on a Stagecoach route I use!).

Some of the city operators do tend to show all fares that they offer, examples being the likes of Brighton & Hove, NXWM, Lothian and near me Preston Bus. Although, those operators tend to offer a more limited range of single tickets, so that's feasible.

I did once, however, stumble upon one Stagecoach operating division that has put faretables on the website in the tickets section. Perhaps an example to follow?

radamfi · 28th June 2012, 14:06

There are a couple of companies that don't have flat fares that have fare tables for all their routes:

Metrobus
http://www.metrobus.co.uk/travel-info/

Oxford Bus Company
http://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/main.php?page_id=21

Most operators can't be bothered to show their fares partly because they follow the complicated traditional stage carriage fare system, and also because fares can change at any time with no notice.

Needless to say, things are better in the more advanced countries of Europe. Normally there is a zonal system where you are allowed to change buses/trams or trains as often as you want in a certain amount of time and you simply pay for the number of zones crossed. The Netherlands have recently switched to a pay per km system. The website www.9292ov.nl will give you the fare for any journey in the country.

flymo · 28th June 2012, 14:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by WestCoast

Maybe it's not to put people off..

Many a true word spoken in jest. 20 years ago my family took the bus because we couldn't afford a taxi, nowadays we take a taxi because we can't afford the bus fares.

No joke.

bb21 · 28th June 2012, 15:43

Wellglade-owned trentbarton and Kinch both allow you to query fares on their website. NCT used to publish faretables too on the website but ceased doing so a number of years back. Now there is no need as they have a flat-fare structure.

The practice dates back decades. Historically it was very difficult to obtain fares information mostly from municipals. I have read an article regarding this issue a number of years back. I'll see if I can dig it out.

jcollins · 28th June 2012, 15:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by flymo

Many a true word spoken in jest. 20 years ago my family took the bus because we couldn't afford a taxi, nowadays we take a taxi because we can't afford the bus fares.

No joke.

Taxis are indeed sometimes cheaper provided you can get multiple people in the taxi.

When I was at uni around 8 years ago the First Bus fare in to town was £1.10. One taxi company offered £2.50 if booked in advance (or £5 for a vehicle licenced to carry 8) and if using a hackney cab it was £4.

bb21 · 28th June 2012, 16:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcollins

Taxis are indeed sometimes cheaper provided you can get multiple people in the taxi.

When I was at uni around 8 years ago the First Bus fare in to town was £1.10. One taxi company offered £2.50 if booked in advance (or £5 for a vehicle licenced to carry 8) and if using a hackney cab it was £4.

This is the case with trains sometimes as well. If you can get 3/4 people to share a taxi, along some routes, especially in areas without fares subsidy from the local government or GroupSave, a taxi could be considerably cheaper in total.

heart-of-wessex · 28th June 2012, 19:40

If I want to go by bus around here for a day, I just get a First Day South West or a Wiltshire Day Rover, depending where I am going. They are both round the £7 mark, and even if I want to just go to Bath, the FDSW is around the same as a return anyway, so it's effectively free travel after. Going to Weston-super-Mare is an epic free ride because of that!

radamfi · 28th June 2012, 20:32

It is certainly the case that it if you travel on at least 2 buses with the same bus company in a day it is often best to get a day ticket as single fares have risen to outrageous levels, whereas day tickets have gone up by less.

Badger · 28th June 2012, 20:59

I swear I'm charged a different amount every time I travel on an Arriva bus here (always the same stops). National Express West Midlands, however, are a fixed £1.90 single, £3.80 day, fare. (You can pay £1.70 for a short hop, but I believe those are being phased out and replaced with £1.00 if you stay within the city boundaries).

MCW · 28th June 2012, 23:28

funny we should mention fares, I caught the bus to work the other morning as I was running behind like a rat's a**e again and gets on my fav bus! (which is 4617 of arriva Leicester) and driver said £1.40, I didn't hesitate, in fact i slammed my money down faster! normally costs me £1.70 and sometimes £1.80....

weird.

bb21 · 29th June 2012, 01:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by MCW

funny we should mention fares, I caught the bus to work the other morning as I was running behind like a rat's a**e again and gets on my fav bus! (which is 4617 of arriva Leicester) and driver said £1.40, I didn't hesitate, in fact i slammed my money down faster! normally costs me £1.70 and sometimes £1.80....

weird.

Haha. Where did you go? I might be able to tell you whether you were undercharged that time or overcharged normally. Hang on, 4617 is a Wigston bus so I have a general incline.

£1.80 is a Citybus fare. Arriva only has £1.70.

GodAtum · 29th June 2012, 10:17

TFL buses show their fares on the website

Deerfold · 29th June 2012, 11:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by GodAtum

TFL buses show their fares on the website

Though it's nice and easy as there's only 1 fare per method of paying.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Quote:

Originally Posted by bb21

Wellglade-owned trentbarton and Kinch both allow you to query fares on their website. NCT used to publish faretables too on the website but ceased doing so a number of years back. Now there is no need as they have a flat-fare structure.

The practice dates back decades. Historically it was very difficult to obtain fares information mostly from municipals. I have read an article regarding this issue a number of years back. I'll see if I can dig it out.

It used to be a lot easier with a lot of muinicipals - many would produce a booklet with all the timetables and fare tables in (but I'm going back a long way here). Back then though there would only generally be significant change to services and/or fares once or twice a year.

I was quite surprised to see full fares tables for Harrogate Coach Travel at:

http://www.harrogatecoachtravel.com/...-and-fares.htm

(Though I've never actually paid a fare on one of their buses as I've always been on a Dayrover or Metrocard.)

28th June 2012, 09:55	#1
starrymarkb Established Member Join Date: 4 Aug 2009 Location: Exeter Posts: 4,051	Bus Fares? Why is it so difficult to find out bus fares in advance of travel. Is there any reason why they are not publicised in journey planners? I know you can phone the bus company but often they have limited opening hours __________________ My Rail and Aviation Videos \| My Flight Diary Classes Travelled in 2013: 2009TS, 401, 411, 442, 481, A319

28th June 2012, 15:43	#6
bb21 [Fares Advisor] Moderator Join Date: 4 Feb 2010 Location: Leicester Posts: 8,062	Wellglade-owned trentbarton and Kinch both allow you to query fares on their website. NCT used to publish faretables too on the website but ceased doing so a number of years back. Now there is no need as they have a flat-fare structure. The practice dates back decades. Historically it was very difficult to obtain fares information mostly from municipals. I have read an article regarding this issue a number of years back. I'll see if I can dig it out. __________________ Owns 5726 142014 \| The Prediction League

28th June 2012, 19:40	#9
heart-of-wessex 319 ned! Established Member Join Date: 11 Jun 2005 Location: Trowbridge Posts: 1,703	If I want to go by bus around here for a day, I just get a First Day South West or a Wiltshire Day Rover, depending where I am going. They are both round the £7 mark, and even if I want to just go to Bath, the FDSW is around the same as a return anyway, so it's effectively free travel after. Going to Weston-super-Mare is an epic free ride because of that! __________________

28th June 2012, 20:59	#11
Badger Member Join Date: 16 Oct 2011 Location: Wolverhampton Posts: 614	I swear I'm charged a different amount every time I travel on an Arriva bus here (always the same stops). National Express West Midlands, however, are a fixed £1.90 single, £3.80 day, fare. (You can pay £1.70 for a short hop, but I believe those are being phased out and replaced with £1.00 if you stay within the city boundaries). __________________ My pet project: Afar, free MMORPG

28th June 2012, 23:28	#12
MCW Long Haired Yeti Member Join Date: 29 Dec 2011 Location: Leicester station broom cupboard Posts: 550	funny we should mention fares, I caught the bus to work the other morning as I was running behind like a rat's ae again and gets on my fav bus! (which is 4617 of arriva Leicester) and driver said £1.40, I didn't hesitate, in fact i slammed my money down faster! normally costs me £1.70 and sometimes £1.80.... weird. __________________ check out my channel for railway vids. updated fairly regularly.**

28th June 2012, 10:23	#2
WatcherZero Established Member Join Date: 25 Feb 2010 Posts: 4,161	Because they quite often vary by company operating the same route.

28th June 2012, 10:30	#3
WestCoast Established Member Join Date: 19 Jun 2010 Location: West Midlands Posts: 4,526	No idea really, most bus companies don't publish single fares in booklets or on the website. Maybe it's not to put people off.. For one-off users, they'll usually show the day ticket price (which astonishingly is actually cheaper than some of the single fares on a Stagecoach route I use!). Some of the city operators do tend to show all fares that they offer, examples being the likes of Brighton & Hove, NXWM, Lothian and near me Preston Bus. Although, those operators tend to offer a more limited range of single tickets, so that's feasible. I did once, however, stumble upon one Stagecoach operating division that has put faretables on the website in the tickets section. Perhaps an example to follow?

28th June 2012, 14:06	#4
radamfi Established Member Join Date: 29 Oct 2009 Posts: 2,476	There are a couple of companies that don't have flat fares that have fare tables for all their routes: Metrobus http://www.metrobus.co.uk/travel-info/ Oxford Bus Company http://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/main.php?page_id=21 Most operators can't be bothered to show their fares partly because they follow the complicated traditional stage carriage fare system, and also because fares can change at any time with no notice. Needless to say, things are better in the more advanced countries of Europe. Normally there is a zonal system where you are allowed to change buses/trams or trains as often as you want in a certain amount of time and you simply pay for the number of zones crossed. The Netherlands have recently switched to a pay per km system. The website www.9292ov.nl will give you the fare for any journey in the country.

28th June 2012, 20:32	#10
radamfi Established Member Join Date: 29 Oct 2009 Posts: 2,476	It is certainly the case that it if you travel on at least 2 buses with the same bus company in a day it is often best to get a day ticket as single fares have risen to outrageous levels, whereas day tickets have gone up by less.

29th June 2012, 10:17	#14
GodAtum Member Join Date: 11 Dec 2009 Posts: 918	TFL buses show their fares on the website __________________ My Blog