Rangers and PlusBus

[David Goddard]

Hi all

Is is possible to buy a PlusBus addon when using a Day Ranger ticket?

Going to Bristol using a Heart if Wessex Day Ranger and looking at bus travel in Bristol

 

[Ken_Ilworth]

My experience is try, try, and try again. Ask nicely and have a rail ticket valid to a station for the PlusBus zone you want (ranger/rover obviously will be). Even if your ticket destination isn't actually to the official PlusBus interchange station you'll probably be sold it eventually..
(But by rights you should have a ticket to the correct interchange station)

 

[class17]

My experience is try, try, and try again. Ask nicely and have a rail ticket valid to a station for the PlusBus zone you want (ranger/rover obviously will be). Even if your ticket destination isn't actually to the official PlusBus interchange station you'll probably be sold it eventually..
(But by rights you should have a ticket to the correct interchange station)

I had a Northern day ranger yesterday, the one with vouchers. I asked for a day ranger and received one. No issues.

 

[Watershed]

It's possible; the only prerequisite for buying PlusBus is that you have a rail ticket which is valid for travel to/from the relevant station. It doesn't matter what kind of ticket you hold - indeed, even those with season tickets or staff travel facilities can buy PlusBus.

If the first ticket office you get to isn't willing to sell you it, try again later or at another ticket office. You could also ask any guard - most get commission, so have every incentive to sell you the ticket (although it may then be on the dreaded "loo roll" stock).

 

[APT618S]

It's possible; the only prerequisite for buying PlusBus is that you have a rail ticket which is valid for travel to/from the relevant station.

To clarify the ticket must be from OUTSIDE the PlusBus area to the relevant station. (or vice-versa)
See Q&A 12:

frequent questions & answers

Please click on the relevant question (below) to read our reply.

www.plusbus.info

I have never had any problems buying a PlusBus with an All Line Rover at various stations but have always bought it away from PlusBus area I have required.

 

[MrJeeves]

OUTSIDE the PlusBus area to the relevant station

Unless you're trying for Brighton!

you have a rail ticket which is valid for travel to/from the relevant station.

I thought it required a rail ticket with the origin/dest of the desired PlusBus area, as per the iKB? (Except rovers and rangers)

Hi all

Is is possible to buy a PlusBus addon when using a Day Ranger ticket?

Going to Bristol using a Heart if Wessex Day Ranger and looking at bus travel in Bristol

Definitely allowed. The internal knowledgebase clearly states:

Rover - PlusBus Day (PBD)

- issue a PlusBus Day ticket for town within Rover area for each day customer requests

Ranger - PlusBus Day (PBD)

- issue a PlusBus Day ticket for town within Ranger area

PlusBus General Information | NRE Internal Knowledgebase

The gateway to Britain's National Rail network. A portal into UK rail travel including train company information and promotions; train times; fares enquiries; ticket purchase and train running information

internal.nationalrail.co.uk

 

[Tester]

Unless you're trying for Brighton!


I thought it required a rail ticket with the origin/dest of the desired PlusBus area, as per the iKB? (Except rovers and rangers)


Definitely allowed. The internal knowledgebase clearly states:

PlusBus General Information | NRE Internal Knowledgebase

The gateway to Britain's National Rail network. A portal into UK rail travel including train company information and promotions; train times; fares enquiries; ticket purchase and train running information

internal.nationalrail.co.uk

That is interesting to know. I have generally bought without difficulty, but was politely turned down at Wolverhampton because 'the ticket has to have the Plusbus station name on it', which sounded a bit made up.

 

[Willie Bee]

Speaking about PlusBus, my wife and I were in Glasgow recently and purchased PlusBus tickets.

We took 5 buses and on EVERY ONE the driver initially refused to let us board the bus, as the tickets wouldn't scan, but after some discussion, we were let on. A bit annoying certainly. Maybe the PlusBus scheme is just too new for their ticket machines

I contacted PlusBus on our return and received this reply .. "We apologise for your experience in Glasgow. We are working to ensure all operators provide bus drivers with the proper training regarding PlusBus and hope this issue does not occur for customers in the future."

 

[MrJeeves]

We took 5 buses and on EVERY ONE the driver initially refused to let us board the bus, as the tickets wouldn't scan

I've never seen a scannable PlusBus ticket! I assume it was on the thin paper "bog roll" rather than credit card sized stock?

Don't think they're supposed to be scannable on the buses and you should just show them to the driver.

 

[Willie Bee]

I've never seen a scannable PlusBus ticket! I assume it was on the thin paper "bog roll" rather than credit card sized stock?

Don't think they're supposed to be scannable on the buses and you should just show them to the driver.

When we got on the buses we just showed the driver the tickets and it was them who asked us to see if they would scan ... maybe they hadn't seen these type of tickets before .. Yes, as you say, just a wee scap-sized piece of paper

 

[CyrusWuff]

I've never seen a scannable PlusBus ticket! I assume it was on the thin paper "bog roll" rather than credit card sized stock?

Don't think they're supposed to be scannable on the buses and you should just show them to the driver.

PlusBus is theoretically enabled for Smartcard fulfilment, though probably shouldn’t be given bus ticket machines are unlikely to have the necessary operator ID data to be able to read them.

And a bus reader is unlikely to be able to read the Aztec barcode on an e-ticket, so it should be a visual inspection only.

 

[MrJeeves]

PlusBus is theoretically enabled for Smartcard fulfilment, though probably shouldn’t be

That's used on GTR land for PlusBus on the Key for MetroBus and Brighton & Hove buses

 

[CyrusWuff]

That's used on GTR land for PlusBus on the Key for MetroBus and Brighton & Hove buses

Of course. I'd forgotten about that.

 

[kkong]

It's also said to be possible to load PlusBus onto a ScotRail smartcard, although I've not tried it.

 

[David Goddard]

Thank you all for your comments and discussion on this. Will give it a go with my next rover or ranger, but probably when I start the journey as opposed to when I get there!

 

[redreni]

That is interesting to know. I have generally bought without difficulty, but was politely turned down at Wolverhampton because 'the ticket has to have the Plusbus station name on it', which sounded a bit made up.

Maybe the clerk at Wolverhampton had read FAQ 19 on the website and had not read the (semi-secret) internal knowledge base (quoted above) that qualifies it by saying Rangers and Rovers valid to/from the interchange station are also fine?

The wording of the FAQ couldn't really be any more explicit:

You can only buy a PlusBus ticket for a location that is named as either the origin and / or the destination on your train ticket. So, in order to buy a Birmingham PlusBus ticket, you have to have Birmingham named on your train ticket (as either an origin and / or the destination station).

Quite why PlusBus thinks it's a good idea to put information on it's website that makes PlusBus seem less useful than it actually is, I'm not sure. I suspect there's no particular thought process behind it - just sloppy wording.

 

[Tester]

Maybe the clerk at Wolverhampton had read FAQ 19 on the website and had not read the (semi-secret) internal knowledge base (quoted above) that qualifies it by saying Rangers and Rovers valid to/from the interchange station are also fine?

The wording of the FAQ couldn't really be any more explicit:

Well yes - what can I say?

If only the railway could just stop shooting itself in the foot!

 

[redreni]

Well yes - what can I say?

If only the railway could just stop shooting itself in the foot!

All of this makes me wonder whether other tickets valid at the interchange station, but without naming the interchange station as an origin or destination, are okay?

Can I, for example, buy a train ticket from London to Ely with a Cambridge PlusBus ticket? I might want to get off at Cambridge, take the bus to my parents' house, then later the same day take the bus back to Cambridge station and continue my train journey to Ely. An itinerary that would benefit greatly from integrated timetabling (fat chance) and ticketing. But is it allowed?

 

[MrJeeves]

All of this makes me wonder whether other tickets valid at the interchange station, but without naming the interchange station as an origin or destination, are okay?

Can I, for example, buy a train ticket from London to Ely with a Cambridge PlusBus ticket? I might want to get off at Cambridge, take the bus to my parents' house, then later the same day take the bus back to Cambridge station and continue my train journey to Ely. An itinerary that would benefit greatly from integrated timetabling (fat chance) and ticketing. But is it allowed?

No, this is not allowed.

...but staff have still sold me tickets like that every time I've asked

 

[redreni]

No, this is not allowed.

...but staff have still sold me tickets like that every time I've asked

 

[Ken_Ilworth]

No, this is not allowed.

...but staff have still sold me tickets like that every time I've asked

Exactly a scenario I've encountered in a different location. I've often wanted a Redhill PlusBus, but my day rail ticket is destination Reigate (within the Redhill PlusBus zone). Can't add PluBus online unless I buy to Redhill but then would loose the Redhill to Reigate rail validity I need. Apparently shouldn't be sold, but asking nicely in a few locations usually results in a sale..

 

[MrJeeves]

Exactly a scenario I've encountered in a different location. I've often wanted a Redhill PlusBus, but my day rail ticket is destination Reigate (within the Redhill PlusBus zone). Can't add PluBus online unless I buy to Redhill but then would loose the Redhill to Reigate rail validity I need. Apparently shouldn't be sold, but asking nicely in a few locations usually results in a sale..

Yeah, all my experiences like this have been on GTR