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The National Bus Pass (2021)Back

The National Bus Pass (2021)Back

Using your bus pass

Using your bus pass

Your pass must be shown to the bus driver on all journeys.

Most buses now have smart-card readers. Simply hold your pass against the reader to register your fare. You are not usually issued with a ticket for ‘smart’ journeys.

If you are issued with a ticket you must retain it for inspection.

When you can use your pass

Your pass is valid for free travel from 9:30 am to the end of service on weekdays, and all day at weekends and on bank holidays.

Pass holders making any bus journey before 9:30 am on weekday mornings will have to pay for their journey except where there is an eligible bus service before 9:30 am but no further service until after 12:00 pm.

A current list of bus services where this applies is available from the Concessionary Bus Travel Office. Please contact us for further details.

If you are using your pass outside of the Devon County Council area, please check for local travel variations. The statutory concession is 9:30 am until 11:00 pm on weekdays, unlimited travel at weekends and on bank holidays.

What is not included

Your bus pass is not valid for:

  • car parking charges at Park and Ride sites
  • long-distance coaches (for example, the Stagecoach Falcon service)
  • coach excursions and holiday tours
  • rail-replacement buses
  • ring and ride services, taxis, private hire cars or fare cars

You cannot use your bus pass on services operated as ‘sight-seeing tours’, those operated primarily for the purposes of tourism, those with only one type of premium fare or those on which the majority of seats can be reserved in advance of travel.

A list of the excluded services in Devon can be found on page 14 of the full scheme details document.