Methods to get cheaper bus fares.

[swt class 450]

On the main railway fares section of this forum we always hear about all these tricks and loopholes to getting cheaper railway fares. This includes things such as split ticketing and many other methods. However for buses there does not seem to be much like this. I can only think of one example:

Travelling within Brighton on Go Ahead Metrobus (routes numbers 270/271/272/273): Within the Brighton area there are no Return tickets available meaning that you have to purchase a Single ticket (£2.50) or a City Saver Day Ticket (£5.00). However Return tickets are available to and from and within areas outside of Brighton. So passengers travelling within Brighton (for example Brighton to Patcham) can simply purchase a Return from Brighton to Pyecombe for just £4.50 total (saving 50p). This ticket is valid for a Return journey within Brighton (for example Brighton to Patcham) as it is a shorter than Brighton to Pyecombe is.

Can anyone think of anything similar to this or any other tricks or loopholes for bus tickets anywhere in the UK? Are there any bus journeys where split ticketing would work and give you cheaper Single and Return fares?

 

[overthewater]

That would only work if your traveling from near the centre of town, and I highly doubt the driver would allow return travel.

 

[Mutant Lemming]

Getting old seems to be the best option - although for many on here by the time they qualify for free travel there will probably be very few buses to travel on.

 

[swt class 450]

I believe i have found another one on Go Ahead Brighton & Hove route 84. To travel from Woodingdean to Brighton University (Falmer) costs £2.00 for a Single but to travel from Woodingdean to Sussex University (Falmer) costs £2.60 for a Single. However it is free for all passengers to travel between Brighton University (Falmer) and Sussex University (Falmer) as they are both within the Falmer free zone area. So someone who wants to travel from Woodingdean to Sussex University (Falmer) can simply buy a ticket from Woodingdean to Brighton University (Falmer) and then stay on the same route 84 bus and travel for free on the Brighton University (Falmer) to Sussex University (Falmer) section saving 60p total. The same also works in the other direction. I am surprised that they charge different fares for these journeys considering that somebody can pay the cheaper fare by doing this. It would make more sense for them to charge the same fare for both destinations.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Getting old seems to be the best option - although for many on here by the time they qualify for free travel there will probably be very few buses to travel on.

You say that but it amazes me how many fit and able young enthusiasts have concessionary cards.

 

[herb21]

You say that but it amazes me how many fit and able young enthusiasts have concessionary cards.

It is worth remembering that certain mental health conditions qualify for concessionary cards. People I know with them, on a good day you would think they were perfectly healthy, on a bad day would struggle to leave the house.

 

[bb21]

Such phenomenon is much less common on buses, more common to see different operators charging (sometimes substantially) differing prices for the same journey, even for similar buses sometimes.

A split I see atm is Kinchbus's Skylink, Leicester - Loughborough single is £3.80, Loughborough - East Mids Apt single is £3.40, but Leicester - East Mids Apt is £7.30. The same anomaly has existed for at least 5 years iirc.

When First (Western National) used to run Exeter - Barnstaple's 315 route about 12/13 years ago, I remember being told off for using a return Exeter - Copplestone, boarding the return journey at Crediton. The return fare for the former was £3.10, while apparently the return for Exeter - Credition was £4.10, and ended up having to pay a £1 excess fare despite doing a shorter journey. I can only imagine it was possibly due to the former being a subsidised fare by the county council, and the latter a commercial fare(?). In comparison, Stagecoach charged £3.30 single/£4.50 return on the commercial 50 bus between Exeter and Crediton, but at least with newer/better vehicles.

 

[nw1]

Such phenomenon is much less common on buses, more common to see different operators charging (sometimes substantially) differing prices for the same journey, even for similar buses sometimes.

A split I see atm is Kinchbus's Skylink, Leicester - Loughborough single is £3.80, Loughborough - East Mids Apt single is £3.40, but Leicester - East Mids Apt is £7.30. The same anomaly has existed for at least 5 years iirc.

When First (Western National) used to run Exeter - Barnstaple's 315 route about 12/13 years ago, I remember being told off for using a return Exeter - Copplestone, boarding the return journey at Crediton. The return fare for the former was £3.10, while apparently the return for Exeter - Credition was £4.10, and ended up having to pay a £1 excess fare despite doing a shorter journey. I can only imagine it was possibly due to the former being a subsidised fare by the county council, and the latter a commercial fare(?). In comparison, Stagecoach charged £3.30 single/£4.50 return on the commercial 50 bus between Exeter and Crediton, but at least with newer/better vehicles.

Not sure if the fares were different but some years ago (2006) I bought a return ticket Winchester-Cheriton on the 67 (Stagecoach) and tried to use it on a 64 (Alton-Winchester, also Stagecoach) at Alresford to return to Winchester having walked from Cheriton to Alresford; Alresford is between Winchester and Cheriton and it was the same operator (if not the exact same route, the 64 runs direct along the A31 while the 67 diverts via Itchen Abbas) so my assumption was that it would be valid. It was not and I had to buy an additional single.

This was about an hour before dark in August so the 64 was the only way of returning to Winchester anyway, the 67 having ceased for the day by then.

 

[tom73]

Split ticketing works for me on Megabus. Journey A to C £5.75 but splitting A to B (£2.00) and B to C (£2.00) saves £1.75, A to C being roughly 200 miles.

 

[Bungle965]

First often make it cheaper to buy your ticket on your mobile by simply putting up the price of the ticket when bought on board and freezing the mobile one.
Often Plusbus is significantly cheaper than buying a ticket on the bus, however you do have to have a rail ticket to take advantage of it.
Sam

 

[Bletchleyite]

Split ticketing works for me on Megabus. Journey A to C £5.75 but splitting A to B (£2.00) and B to C (£2.00) saves £1.75, A to C being roughly 200 miles.

£1.75 isn't much of a saving for the risk of them running reliefs or similar and thus the "connection" missing.

 

[Mwanesh]

£1.75 isn't much of a saving for the risk of them running reliefs or similar and thus the "connection" missing.

It will be the same bus .

 

[Bletchleyite]

It will be the same bus .

It might not be if bookings are high and so they decide to run a relief for part of the route.

 

[Mwanesh]

It might not be if bookings are high and so they decide to run a relief for part of the route.

Megabus dupes normally do full routes direct.Service buses do all stops.

 

[Ianno87]

First often make it cheaper to buy your ticket on your mobile by simply putting up the price of the ticket when bought on board and freezing the mobile one.
Often Plusbus is significantly cheaper than buying a ticket on the bus, however you do have to have a rail ticket to take advantage of it.
Sam

PlusBuses, especially if Railcard discounted, can often be cheaper than even a single bus fare.

Very, very occasionally, a short distance rail ticket rail ticket plus PlusBus is cheaper than the local bus day ticket!

 

[route101]

Megabus dupes normally do full routes direct.Service buses do all stops.

Often dupes on London to Glasgow runs.

 

[route101]

I use plusbus when in Edinburgh with railcard , around £2.60 for dayticket .