Free bus pass

I travel on buses almost daily and frequently from just outside Edinburgh to the far north of Scotland, over 200 miles. We often plan a day out going into Edinburgh or Glasgow and then onwards from there. I can travel over the border to Carlisle. Any further south would have to be paid for. I plan to do some island hopping soon which is top of my bucket list, staing in hostels and B&Bs

Grammaretto

I realise that Allira.
It's just that the Cornishman, like the Flying Scotsman are such iconic names and trains.
It always gives me a thrill to see them.
The Cornishman ran daily from Aberdeen to Penzance taking a little over 12 hours.
It was an excellent opportunity to travel the length of our country. excluding Wales and N Ireland, sorry
I only went there and back that once.

I suppose I used to travel on the Cornishman years ago when I was a child, changing in London, going to visit my aunt in Cornwall.
We saw the Flying Scotsman going past Cullompton years ago, a crowd of people were gathered there so we came off the M5 to watch.

I have travelled from Durham to Deven bus hopping took a few days and had to do a few odd routes but it was more achievable back then in early 2000's, wouldn't know where to start now.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c753zzvd6gno

It ran for 100 years until last week.

I realise that Allira.
It's just that the Cornishman, like the Flying Scotsman are such iconic names and trains.
It always gives me a thrill to see them.
The Cornishman ran daily from Aberdeen to Penzance taking a little over 12 hours.
It was an excellent opportunity to travel the length of our country. excluding Wales and N Ireland, sorry
I only went there and back that once.

we live in Wiltshire and travelled to Southampton - paid for the ferry and then our bus pass again around the Island. Return journey the same
Years ago we met a couple who travelled around the whole of England and stayed in B&Bs. the husband had planned the whole journey and booked overnight stays in advance.

I was sorry to hear this week that the train now only goes as far as Plymouth!

Trains do still go down into deepest, darkest Cornwall.

I went to Winchester on mine from Southampton.

My bus pass, though brilliant, can only be used in Scotland.

Trams are free with a bus pass in Edinburgh but only for those who live in the city.

For our Golden Wedding I bought train tickets on the Cornishman train from Edinburgh to Penzance.
We had railcards and once in Cornwall we travelled everywhere by bus. It cost money but we got cheaper weekly passes.

It's the best way to see the countryside from the top of the bus as you can see over the tops of those amazing hedges.

I was sorry to hear this week that the train now only goes as far as Plymouth!

NC500, although locals en route need our business, weather & hotel costs in high season put a stop on it, & wardens chase you if wild camping, even in vehicles, must be on a campsite - which are not near towns.
We can use Over 60's Concession Passes for free travel on any bus/coach (except tours/trams & city sightseeing) throughout Scotland, inc on cross border services as far as the border, also reduced travel by train to/from nearest cities, .& further must be paid. Those with disabled +1 passes can take a carer free.

My bus pass was issued in Portsmouth, where I live, but I've used it sucessfully when travelling in Southampton. With the sporting rivalries between the two cities I wasn't sure if my Pompey-issued bus pass would be acceptable in a different city, but I didn't have any trouble.

For longer distances I prefer to travel by train, using my Senior Railcard.

I got all the way to Turin on Air Miles, does that count!

My local Scottish buses (W Lothian) have changed Co/routes several times & reduced services from every 15 mins to hourly, last bus 9pm, I don't use a smartphone & have to plan any travel on internet before I leave. Lately my foreign friend asked me to plan a bus trip round the NC500, some are daily/weekly or connections non-existant, but it is remotely possible with a 20 mile taxi between 2 points. Reservations & booking fees not included.

What made you do that Sandra, how long did it take you?

I've done John o'Groats to Lands End by public bus: I just had to pay for buses in Scotland but the drivers were always helpful at getting me the cheapest fare.

silverlining48

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.

No, you can't.

You can go over the border to England but not change buses to go further. They do allow you to use it to go back to Wales again as long as it's the one bus.

The furthest I have done in one day is from Brackley to Loughborough and back
Mick

When I lived in Leeds, I used to travel quite regularly to Scarborough for the day! That’s from almost the centre of the country to the East Coast.
Currently, I live in the North East, but due to mobility problems, have only travelled to the next town (Sunderland), though I use the trains and have been to Cleethorpes, Nottingham and Birmingham by that means.

I've got a Freedom pass, I love it! If a bus is in the Red Rose scheme and you are a pensioner with this symbol on your bus pass you can travel on buses anywhere locally and nationally within this scheme. Please correct me if I am wrong!

I have used my Pass probably twice.
To go anywhere, shopping centre, Surgery, Pharmacy , visiting children etc, I have to change buses, and takes about 45mins, stopping all over place. By car it takes me about 5 mins .
Sometimes cheap is not always cheerful.

I love mine, although we have to wait until state pension age to get it and it is only for busses wherever I go: not the underground or ferries, no concessions for metro or trains and when visiting it can’t be used in Scotland, Wales.
I use mine regularly to travel the 25 miles to the nearest town and back - but obviously only if the bus is running. It’s supposed to be once an hour, but usually three or four are cancelled without warning. There’s also the problem of standing for the full hour plus if it’s full (which is often). Great benefit though- wouldn’t be able to get to a bank or “local” health service without it.

I have had an English bus pass for over 25 years and have used it a huge amount. I often think what a difference a bus pass would have made to my parents. It didn't exist in their day. They didn't have a car and had very little money and used to save up their pennies in a tin box to be able to afford a rare treat of taking a bus from Hastings to Eastbourne. They could never have dreamed of anything like a free bus pass.

Free bus passes seem to only pertain to the country of issue.

I promised myself when I got my pass 15 years ago I would go and see a friend in Devon, and a friend in the Cotswolds, and the farthest I’ve been is Canterbury!! Time to use it I think but everywhere takes so long to get to!! 😉 perhaps with a tiny lottery win I could stay in B&B’s on the way 😉🤗🤞 xx

I've hardly used my bus pass locally as the services are rubbish but I've used it in Bradford, Leeds and Oxford. I live in Berkshire.
When I moved here we had a good sevice into town but over the years it has got worse and worse and most of the time I can't be bothered to look up when the buses run. I've only used it locally to collect my car from the garage after a service, and once when returning from Heatrow because the power was down on the Elizabeth line!
I'd quite like to go on an afventure by bus but most of the time I'm too busy and if I'm travelling any distance I want to take quite a lot of stuff with me so I drive. If I ever lose the ability to drive I'll be forced to use it more.