Buses aren’t always the quickest, cheapest or, heck, even comfiest means of getting about town – but they’re green, economical and don’t leave you dependent on taxis or mates with motors.Most university cities have local bus operators offering student passes and, depending on where you live, there could be massive savings to be had.
If you’re not sure whether you need one, where to get one or, dammit, where you parked the car, read on for tips and tricks to riding the road on the cheap.
Just to be clear: we’re talking everyday bus travel within your local city here, not long-distance bus travel (for that see this guide).
What’s in this guide:
Do I need a student bus pass?
If you do the same bus journey every day – and bus it on nights out and other short trips – then you’ll most likely be better off with a pass.Arm yourself with at least a hazy notion of how much your typical weekly travel costs now so you’ve got something to compare against later in this guide.
Points worth considering:
- If you live close enough, would you consider walking, cycling or running? Is it something you’re equipped for and can do safely?
- How often do you miss lectures or study sessions? Whether you turn-up or skive is your call – but if you get a pass you’ll be paying up-front for getting there
- If you have a disability you may already be entitled to funds or help getting around town, or could be eligible for free or reduced fares. Talk to your uni or service provider
- If you’re a student of 18 years or under (child genius?) you can probably already get discounted travel – get the deets from operators in your area
- Some local bus services offer return journey fare savers which can save you some cash if you don’t travel enough for a pass
- Got access to trams, metro trains or river services? Check if your journey could be cheaper on one of those (and apply this guide’s advice to score savings however you get around town)
Sum it out for yourself: Single bus fare X no. of journeys Vs.cost of a bus pass for the same number of days.
What’s the best pass to get?
Buying an annual bus pass may be a mighty initial tug on the purse strings, but does come with the greatest potential for savings and most flexibility for travelling when you want.If you bust the cash up-front you don’t have to worry about it again for a whole year, and won’t be stuck without a ride when times are lean (it could be worth allocating the cost from your first loan or grant payments).
In Lancaster, an annual Stagecoach unirider pass will set you back £350 (bringing your average fare down to 98p a day); in Liverpool it costs £255 (71p a day). On the other hand, you’ll still be paying that average fare on days when you don’t even take the bus.
Some annual passes run from an already-defined start date (normally start of the year) rather than just from whenever you buy your pass, so you’ll need to start using it as early as possible to make the biggest savings. Alternatively, look for weekly or even termly passes – they cost less per pop and you’ll only be paying for when you’re in residence.
Find out if the uni runs its own service, as they may have their own discount or pass schemes. Otherwise, bear in mind that there may be more than one student bus operator in the area – stack-up what each offers to see where you can get the best deal and service. And don’t assume you’re priced out of the pass you want: scope out thezone boundaries – you may just need to change route slightly or pick-up from a different bus stop.
You may need to provide student ID to get your pass, and might even have to show it every time you travel. Operators all have different takes on replacing lost or stolen passes, or refunding you if you want to cash-in early: find out before you get stung.
Popular Student bus passes
Now you’re sure you need a student bus pass, it’s time to work out where to get it!Different private bus operators cover different regions and cities, and routes within them. They don’t all offer discount student passes, but the big ones that cover the UK mainland are listed below.
In Northern Ireland you can check out operators such as Translink, who do a yLink card (1/3 off bus and rail journeys).
As well as our list, you can get more info about local passes from your uni or SU Welfare office, freshers’ fairs, and tourist or travel information offices.
Stagecoach UniRider
Stagecoach operate services in many university cities across England and have a strong presence in Scotland. Their student bus pass, the UniRider, is one of the best-value passes for students out there.The cost varies from city-to-city (related to variations in single ticket prices) and you can book and buy online. Click here for current prices.
Click for list of UniRider locations
First Group student passes
You’ll find the pink and white buses of First Group in a number of university cities across mainland UK, including Manchester, Leeds and Bristol (full list below).Annual, monthly and termly passes are available: visittheir student site for current prices.
Click for list of First Group student cities
Arriva Student Saver
Arriva are a major bus operator in many university cities, and do a student bus pass called Student Saver.Daily, weekly, monthly, termly and yearly passes are all on offer, though not for all areas.
Click for list of Arriva Student Saver regions
Oyster cards (London)
Buses in London are cash-free: to travel on one, you’ll need to get yourself an Oyster Card from Transport for London or use a contactless bank card.These cards can be loaded up with travelcards and passes (daily, weekly or longer) and tapped-in and out to travel on most buses, trains, tubes and river services across London.
They can also be loaded with cash and used pay-as-you-go – with a handy daily capped rate (so you won’t pay more than the equivalent day travelcard).
A single bus journey costs a flat-rate £1.50 and it’s also worth knowing that if your balance or travel card runs out, you can make one more trip without adding funds, so you won’t get stranded somewhere.
Bear in mind that if you have to switch buses during your journey, even if it’s just for a stop or two, you’ll have to tap in again and be charged another £1.50. The current Mayor of London has revealed plans to scrap this annoying technicality – we’ll let you know if/ when changes are made!
You can bag 30% off travelcard fares and bus/tram passes with an 18+ Student Card. It costs a tenner and you’ll need a London address, proof of student status and a recent photo to get one. If you’ve got a 16-25 railcard, you can combine discounts to get 34% off some off-peak fares.
Check out our London student city guide for more information on getting the most out of the Capital.
6 Ways to save money on bus tickets
If you only use the bus every now and then you’ll still want to be fare-savvy – here are our top tips on how to save on bus journeys.Use free inner-city buses
An increasing number of cities, including Manchester and Leeds, offerfree metro buses. Their routes often pass through university campuses and other student hot-spots. Check your local transport website and, if your city has one, make the most of it!Find out where the price zones are
You could save a good amount of money by simply walking to the next stop in order to enter into a different bus zone. Check the bus operator’s website for a network map and ticket prices.Avoid peak times
Try to travel when others don’t as tickets may be cheaper off-peak. Peak periods typically fall around morning/afternoon rush hour. Similarly, whereas fares tend to leapfrog after midnight (taxi, anyone?), riding the bus in the dead hours can be cheap as chips.
However you travel, please don’t compromise safety just to save a buck, though.Borrow a pass
We’re not saying you should do this (and some operators strictly forbid it) but riding on a mate’s pass – when they’re not using it, obvs – is a common student emergency trip tip.Don’t use the bus…
Walk to uni, and stick the bus fare you would have paid each time into a savings jar. You’ll have something to fan yourself with when everyone else is skint at the end of term, plus change to splurge on books, burgers or even a bike (another fare-busting option).Use the cheapest bus company
In some cities the same bus route is traveled by a number of bus companies. Check out which ones may be cheaper for you.
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