Plusbus
{{short description|Add on rail ticket providing travel on buses}}
{{Multiple issues|{{promotional|date=August 2023}}
{{independent sources|date=August 2023}}}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2025}}
File:Arriva Shires & Essex 3300 on Green Line 797.JPG bus advertising Plusbus]]
File:Uno PlusBus bus 153.jpg bus advertising Plusbus]]
Plusbus is an add-on ticket, which can be purchased with National Rail train tickets in the United Kingdom. It allows unlimited travel on participating bus and tram operators' services in the whole urban area of rail-served towns and cities.
History
The Plusbus scheme was launched in October 2002 across an initial 35 railway stations.[https://web.archive.org/web/20030525004404/http://www.plusbus.info/ What is Plusbus?] Plusbus Since 2021, the scheme has been oprerated by Traveline,{{cite web |last1=Team |first1=routeone |title=Journey Solutions Commercial Director Jonathan Radley steps down |url=https://www.route-one.net/news/journey-solutions-commercial-director-jonathan-radley-steps-down/ |website=routeone |access-date=2 June 2025 |date=25 March 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Halford |first1=Paul |title=PlusBus add-on is finally available via e-ticket fulfilment |url=https://www.route-one.net/news/plusbus-add-on-is-finally-available-via-e-ticket-fulfilment/ |website=routeone |access-date=2 June 2025 |date=12 June 2024}} and was previously administered by Journey Solutions, a not for profit partnership of bus operators Arriva, FirstGroup, Go-Ahead, National Express and Stagecoach, the Confederation of Passenger Transport and the Rail Delivery Group.[http://www.plusbus.info/ Home] Plusbus[http://www.journeysolutions.com/node/127 PlusBus management] Journey Solutions
Plusbus won the International Road Transport Union Eurochallenge Award in 2007 for its model of private partnership providing outstanding social and customer value.[http://www.iru.org/index/en_event2007_eurochallenge_press IRU Eurochallenge Award 2007 – Press Release – UK's Plusbus wins IRU Eurochallenge Award.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081118201131/http://www.iru.org/index/en_event2007_eurochallenge_press# |date=18 November 2008 }} IRU. 18 October 2007. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
Rail and bus ticketing
Plusbus is available in 290 towns and cities, London is a notable exception.Travelcards give unlimited travel on trains, trams and buses in the London fare zones, which can be integrated onto National Rail return tickets as outboundary travelcards. It gives the rail traveller unlimited local bus travel around the whole urban area of the origin and/or destination town(s) of their rail journey. It is not valid with train journeys made within the same city or town. Prices start from £2.50 for a day's travel, in addition to the rail fare. Season tickets are available for most destinations. Railcard holders get one-third off Plusbus day ticket prices. Children (aged under 16 years old) get 50% off Plusbus day ticket prices.[http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/plusbus.aspx PlusBus] National Rail
Plusbus tickets can be purchased with train tickets from all National Rail station ticket offices, by phone, through National Rail travel agents and selected self-service ticket machines. Over 200 bus and tram operators participate in Plusbus schemes across Britain. Tickets are also sold by all train operating companies online and most third-party online rail ticket retailers.
Originally issued in traditional paper format, some operators have facilitated its inclusion on their smart card platforms.[https://web.archive.org/web/20181208103741/https://www.go-ahead.com/en/media/news/2012/industry-first--plusbus-is-the-key-for-southerns-new-smartcard.html Industry First: Plusbus is the key for Southern's new smartcard] Go-Ahead Group 11 December 2012[http://stagecoach-group.production.investis.com/media/news-releases/2018/2018-07-27.aspx Integrated Smart Travel Introduced Through Plus Bus Scheme] Stagecoach 27 July 2018 Since 2024, it has also been available in electronic ticket format.
References
{{Reflist}}