Bus Fares and Tickets
Fares are given as a guide only - for latest details see the operators' websites. Note that Stagecoach and Excel single bus fares are capped at £2.00 until the end of December 2024 as part of the Government's Help For Households initiative, rising to £3.00 from January. This offer does not apply to Stagecoach summer route X12.
Single tickets between any two points are, of course, available from the driver. Payment by contactless debit or credit card is available on all buses. You may be able to find the prices of Stagecoach single fares online.
Stagecoach no longer issues return tickets but day tickets offer good value and can be used for multiple journeys during the day (within the area of validity). Tickets for periods of longer than a week may have to be loaded onto a smartcard, either on the bus or online. Stagecoach DayRider and MegaRider tickets (including the Cambridgeshire Plus variants which cover a larger area) can be shared by family and friends when you are not using them.
StagecoachSmart
StagecoachSmart is a reusable electronic card that stores your dayrider or megarider tickets to use on the bus. You will receive the card with your first purchase (note that cards have to be purchased online and can no longer be obtained from the driver). Place your card on the reader when you get on the bus. When the ticket runs out you can top up the card with a new ticket. You can do this by paying the bus driver, or you can do it online through the tickets section of the Stagecoach website. If you use the website you can choose a start date, but allow two days for your card to be updated. For most 7-day tickets, the card can be topped up on the bus or online, but for longer periods the tickets have to be purchased online for your smartcard.
For regular Stagecoach bus users with the Smart card, megarider Xtra tickets can be purchased online which automatically renew every month by direct debit from your bank account or a recurring payment from a debit or credit card. Details of the areas available are shown below. On the Stagecoach website they are listed as "Longer than a month tickets".
Mobile ticketing
Certain Stagecoach tickets as listed below can be purchased using a smartphone. The ticket is downloaded to the device using the Stagecoach Bus App, available for IPhone and Android. You activate your ticket when you are ready to board, and show your phone to the driver.
STAGECOACH EAST TICKETS
Stagecoach is participating in the Government's maximum £2 single fare initiative (guaranteed until December 2024). This offer does not apply to Stagecoach summer route X12. Regular users, families or groups, or users making multiple journeys may benefit from one of the tickets or passes listed below.
Note that Youth is defined as under 19's (that is ages 5 to 18) and Students with valid ID. A Small Group is up to 3 people of any passenger type travelling together. A Large Group is up to 5 people of any passenger type travelling together. Children under five travel free. There are no return tickets but Dayrider tickets and tickets for longer periods offer good value. Principal details are shown below but for full details see Stagecoach East's Guide to Tickets.
Service X4 - note that service X4 Peterborough - Oundle - Corby - Kettering - Northampton is operated by Stagecoach Midlands and a different range of fares is available. See information on Stagecoach Midlands Tickets.
STAGECOACH: PETERBOROUGH CITY AREA
Area covered: All Stagecoach city routes (1 to 6, also 60, 61, 63), service 62 as far as Werrington, X4 to Lynch Wood, 31/33 to Whittlesey, 37 to Masons Bridge (just beyond Eye Green), 904 to Norman Cross. A map is available on the Stagecoach website.
Peterborough DayRider
Peterborough Dayrider gives one day's unlimited travel for £5.50 Adult, £3.90 Youth. Buy on the bus as a paper ticket or using your smartcard, also available as a mobile ticket through the Stagecoach Bus App. Flexi 5 gives a bundle of 5 Dayrider Tickets for £22.00 Adult (£4.40 per day), £15.60 Youth (£3.12 per day), valid for use anytime within 12 months. Similarly, Flexi 10 gives a bundle of 10 Dayrider Tickets for £38.50 Adult, £27.30 Youth. Flexi tickets are only available through the Stagecoach App.
Group Tickets: Peterborough Small Group DayRider (up to 3 passengers) £8.50; Peterborough Large Group DayRider (up to 5 passengers) £12.00.
7 Day MegaRider
Peterborough 7-day MegaRider gives 7 days' unlimited travel for £22.00 Adult, £15.60 Youth. Available from the driver, online for your smartcard, or as a mobile ticket using the Stagecoach Bus App.
28 Day MegaRider
Peterborough 28-day MegaRider gives 28 days' unlimited travel for £76.00 Adult, £54.00 Youth. Available online for your smartcard, or as a mobile ticket using the Stagecoach Bus App.
Monthly by recurring payment
Peterborough MegaRider Xtra: monthly ticket available online to smartcard holders for £76.00, payable by monthly direct debit or recurring charge from a debit/credit card.
STAGECOACH: CAMBRIDGESHIRE PLUS ZONE (includes Peterborough)
Area covered: All Stagecoach services in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire. The area is bounded by Elton, Spalding, March, Ely, Haverhill, Saffron Walden, St Neots. On service 905 can be used only between Cambridge and Eaton Socon.
Cambridgeshire Plus DayRider
Cambridgeshire Plus Dayrider gives one day's unlimited travel for £9.00 Adult, £6.40 Youth. Buy on the bus as a paper ticket or using your smartcard, also available as a mobile ticket through the Stagecoach Bus App. Flexi 5 gives a bundle of 5 Dayrider Plus Tickets for £36.00 Adult, £25.60 Youth, valid for use anytime within 12 months. Similarly, Flexi 10 gives a bundle of 10 Dayrider Plus Tickets for £63.00 Adult, £44.80 Youth. Flexi tickets are only available through the Stagecoach App.
Group Tickets: Cambridgeshire Plus Small Group DayRider (up to 3 passengers) £12.00; Cambridgeshire Plus Large Group DayRider (up to 5 passengers) £19.00.
7 Day MegaRider
Cambridgeshire Plus 7-day MegaRider: seven days' unlimited travel for £36.00 Adult, £25.60 Youth. Available from the driver, online for your smartcard, or as a mobile ticket using the Stagecoach Bus App.
28 Day MegaRider
Cambridgeshire Plus 28-day MegaRider: available for £115.00 Adult, £82.00 Youth. Available online for your smartcard, or as a mobile ticket using the Stagecoach Bus App.
Monthly by recurring payment
Cambridgeshire Plus MegaRider Xtra: monthly ticket available online to smartcard holders for £115.00, payable by monthly direct debit or recurring charge from a debit/credit card.
STAGECOACH: EAST ZONE
Area covered: valid across the Stagecoach East network and beyond including Peterborough, Cambridge, Bedford, Kings Lynn (from Spalding), Northampton, Milton Keynes, Bicester and Oxford (see map).
East Gold DayRider
East Gold Dayrider: one day's unlimited travel: £17.80 Adult, £12.70 Youth. Buy on the bus as a paper ticket or using your smartcard, also available as a mobile ticket through the Stagecoach Bus App.
Group Tickets: East Small Group DayRider (up to 3 passengers) £20.80; East Large Group DayRider (up to 5 passengers) £36.60.
Other tickets available for the East Zone: Flexi 5, Flexi 10, 7-Day MegaRider, 28-Day MegaRider, MegaRider Xtra - see the Stagecoach website for fares.
MULTIBUS throughout Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Area covered: all services within Cambridgeshire and Peterborough operated by Stagecoach (except X12 and Busway routes A/B/C), A2B Travel, Dews Coaches, Stephensons and Whippet.
One day Multibus: costs £8.00.
Seven day Multibus: costs £33.00.
Buy from: the driver of the first bus you board, provided it is one of the operators listed above.
FIRST Norfolk & Suffolk (Excel)
Firstbus is participating in the Government's maximum £2 single fare initiative (guaranteed until December 2024), which includes the Excel routes A, B, C and D. Regular users, families or groups, or users making multiple journeys may benefit from one of the tickets or passes listed below.
First Norfolk & Suffolk (which is the trading name of First Eastern Counties) operate the Excel service Peterborough - Wisbech - Kings Lynn - Norwich. The Excel Zone Day Ticket costs £12.00 adult, £9.00 young person (aged 5-19), £22.00 High5 Group (up to 5 people, max 2 adults) and is valid all day on the Excel routes (A, B, C, D), allowing you to break your journey wherever you wish.
Network Ticket
One day's unlimited travel on the Excel route and all other services operated by First Norfolk and Suffolk (basically around Norwich, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft). Adult fare £14.00, young person (aged 5-19) £10.00, High5 Group £25.00 (up to 5 people, max 2 adults).
Buy from: the driver of the Excel bus. A range of tickets is available covering longer periods - see the First Norfolk & Suffolk website.
DELAINE
Area covered: all Delaine services.
Day Rover: one day's unlimited travel, adult fare £5.70.
7 Day Rover: seven day's unlimited travel, adult fare £24.00.
For other tickets including Duo (2 people) and Group tickets see the Delaine website.
VECTARE
See the Routes page for links to Vectare's fares in the Peterborough area.
PLUSBUS day or season ticket (rail ticket add-on)
Area covered: unlimited travel on Stagecoach and First Excel buses in Peterborough city area and out to Werrington, Thorney, Whittlesey, Yaxley, Norman Cross and Elton. A map is available on the Plusbus website. Can only be used with a valid rail ticket to or from Peterborough, on the day that the rail ticket is valid, and must be purchased at the same time as the rail ticket.
Day Ticket: fare £3.80, child under 16 £1.90, railcard holder £2.50.
Season tickets: available in conjunction with rail season tickets for 7 days, 1 month, 3 months and 1 year. For prices see the Plusbus website.
Buy from: rail ticket outlets including the railway station and railway company websites (including LNER, Great Northern and Greater Anglia websites).
Other cities: Plusbus tickets are available for over 200 rail-served towns and cities across Britain. Prices vary.
Concessionary Fares for Senior Citizens
The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) commenced on April 1st 2008, allowing free travel for senior citizens throughout England, but not Scotland or Wales. Initially the scheme was for those aged 60 and over, but if you were born after 5 April 1950, the age you become eligible is now tied to the State Pension age.
Free Travel is available between 09.30 and 23.00 on Mondays to Fridays and all day on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays on production of a special photo pass. Since 1st February 2023 there is a new procedure for applying for or renewing bus passes. Applications should be made online to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority through www.thebuspass.com. You can renew up to six weeks before your pass expires. An email address and passport sized photo are required. It is no longer possible to apply with a paper application form or in person at the Town Hall, but assistance in renewing online is available by phoning 0345 045 1367 or at local libraries (you may need to make an appointment). The pass is not valid on National Express coaches or some special services. Note that in certain areas of the country travel before 09.30 on Mondays to Fridays may be permitted.
Disabled: The scheme also applies to those who are registered as disabled. If you have a pass because you are blind or partially sighted you can use it at any time, as long as your journey starts or finishes in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire. If you use it outside of Peterborough and Cambridgeshire, you will only be able to use it from 09.30 to 23.00 Mondays to Fridays and all day at weekends and bank holidays.