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Free bus pass

(82 Posts)
Allsorts Wed 21-May-25 07:24:56

I was thinking of nothing in particular when a random thought came into my head. What is the furthest anyone has travelled using only public transport and bus pass.

junie1 Wed 21-May-25 09:01:34

Hi
I have a Welsh bus pass, and travelled all over wales with it.
Don’t think I can use it in the uk
Others will come on soon and be able to help more.
Have a lovely day

Homestead62 Wed 21-May-25 10:51:48

I only get free travel in Scotland, so furthest I have been is Inverness. Furthest Ive been in UK using only public transport has been London, Oxford, Belfast and Dublin.

Mogsmaw Wed 21-May-25 11:05:46

I went to Venice on a free train ticket in the 70’s from Scotland but I’ve been all over Scotland on the busses since I got my pass.

silverlining48 Wed 21-May-25 11:36:02

When we went to Wales last summer we couldn’t use our bus passes but were told that people from Wales could use theirs in England.

silverlining48 Wed 21-May-25 11:38:42

There was a film about a man travelling from John o’groats to lands end son a bus. A gentle film famous actor but can’t remember his name.
Given the irregularity of so many buses it woukd take a long long time.

LadyGracie Wed 21-May-25 14:23:07

No, we can’t use our Welsh bus passes in England, I tried in Durham recently.

Lizzies Wed 21-May-25 14:28:15

silverlining48

There was a film about a man travelling from John o’groats to lands end son a bus. A gentle film famous actor but can’t remember his name.
Given the irregularity of so many buses it woukd take a long long time.

Timothy Spall, “ The Last Bus”. A real tear jerker.

Blossoming Wed 21-May-25 14:32:16

The furthest I have been is Fleetwood, which is about 25 miles from here. That was a disabled person’s bus pass, not sure if the rules are different. I can’t use public transport at the moment but perhaps in the future, who knows?

Whiff Wed 21-May-25 16:10:04

Can travel from the city to Chester for free and all of Merseyside plus on the ferry . Men and woman get free bus pass from 60 here.

avitorl Wed 21-May-25 16:17:02

Whiff,unfortunately Mersey rail and ferry are only free if you live in the area and not for all bus pass holders.

Samsara1 Wed 21-May-25 16:20:17

Melton to Nottingham - and back!

Homestead62 Wed 21-May-25 17:15:57

Apologies to anybody from Ireland, I hadn't meant to include Dublin as travelling in the UK. That's what I get for not concentrating.

silverlining48 Wed 21-May-25 18:48:29

That’s the film Lizzie, thanks, and yes it was .

Grammaretto Wed 21-May-25 21:29:12

I love showing off my fabulous free bus trips!
When I first got my pass 16 years ago, I went to Orkney, from here south of Edinburgh, for a long weekend.
It was brilliant. The bus backed onto the ferry at John o' Groats, crossed the Pentland Firth and continued to Kirwall. There was a small charge for the ferry but otherwise free.

Since then I've been twice to the Isle of Skye and back; to the Mull of Kintyre; many times to Banchory near Aberdeen when my DD lived there; more recently to the Isle of Cumbrae.
(partly by train) and I use our local buses several times a week.

I have very few complaints.

silverlining48 Thu 22-May-25 10:40:41

That sounds wonderful Grammaretto. There is nothing near as lovely a bus ride where I am. Enjoy.

Whiff Thu 22-May-25 11:07:37

avitorl sorry should have said for people living in Merseyside. But if you have bus pass issued by different county once you have your state pension you can use it on buses in Merseyside but not on trains or ferry .
I changed my pass last year for a disabled one so I don't have to wait until 9.30am to use it so I can have early appointments at GPs and hospital.

Was on holiday in Llandudno last week had a day ticket which would have cost £6.50 but with my pass it cost me £4.30. As they offer concessionary fares to pensioners and disabled with a pass.

Allsorts Thu 22-May-25 21:43:14

Grammaretto, you win the prize for best trip.

ExaltedWombat Sat 24-May-25 13:38:23

www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/pensioner-travels-2200-miles-around-25628101

Neilspurgeon0 Sat 24-May-25 13:48:15

Although I did it over several days, I went from near Portsmouth, via London to Dover and then right along the south coast back home. Most of it on the front seat of double decker busses. Brilliant holiday staying in Youth Hostels and B and Bs. Took of bit of planning but great fun

Longest individual one day run is Fareham to Brighton and back on the Southdowns Coastliner 700.

mokryna Sat 24-May-25 13:49:15

I have never had a free bus pass in France nor a winter fuel allowance moreover there is not a triple lock guarantee on the pension but I do believe the social health service is a tiny bit better off in big towns and of course there are free school places from the age of 3 and sometimes 2 in someplaces.

Nannan2 Sat 24-May-25 13:50:42

Juniel- wales IS in the uk.Despite what the other countries think, the United Kingdom is made up of 4 countries🤨

lighty Sat 24-May-25 13:51:57

I am lucky that the borough of London that I live in provides a free pass that can be used on buses, tube trains & overground all through London & the far outskirts

CariadAgain Sat 24-May-25 13:53:19

junie1

Hi
I have a Welsh bus pass, and travelled all over wales with it.
Don’t think I can use it in the uk
Others will come on soon and be able to help more.
Have a lovely day

There are two odd quirks to getting a Welsh one.

1. You can travel to the rest of the country on it - BUT the journey has to start in Wales (so no changing buses with it basically).

2. I've managed to travel on it a few times back visiting in England and it depends what driver you have. As in - it's very obvious I'm English (my Southern English voice I guess) and I tend to make the point it's wierd to be restricted to only being able to use it in part of the country (ie Wales only) and so sometimes I get a sympatique driver and I get to use it there too/sometimes I don't and I have to pay in the same way someone from another country would!! Always feels very wierd if I'm treated as "foreign" and expected to pay...if it's an unhelpful driver.

Lizbethann55 Sat 24-May-25 13:54:55

I read/ saw an article about someone, an ordinary person,not a celebrity, who travelled the length of the uk using a bus pass.