My wife and I are planning a month long trip to England next spring. We'll be renting a car for a week in Cornwall, but are planning on using a Britrail pass and busses in the Cotswolds and the Lake District. Is there a bus equivalent of a Britrail pass? I think I saw you can buy week long or month long bus passes with specific bus companies, but I don't want to do that, and then need to use another bus company to get somewhere I want to go. Does anyone have suggestions? I know renting a car is easiest, but we would really like the social interaction you get with public transportation, though I know it's slower and more restrictive. Thanks for any advice!
Posted by
Lincolnshire, UK
2285 posts
Unfortunatley the anwser is 'no' - unless isn31c can come up with something?
Posted by
Lake District, England
7858 posts
There isn't a Britrail for buses.
But in the Lake District all buses are run by Stagecoach (*). They have a ticket for all of their buses (from Chester to Dumfries, Skipton and Newcastle) which is very good value- Weekly £36 and monthly £118 (which are called North West Gold Megariders). They are issued on a smartcard with the 28 day one only being available on their app. 7 day is either on the app or bought on bus.
(*) The caveat is that Cumberland Council have been given £5 million by the Government to enhance the already good services. A summit meeting has been called for January with anyone in the County who has a bus to work out how to spend it. So there is a chance of new entrants during next Spring/Summer. Part of the debate is around a new all operator ticket if new companies come into the fray.
The Cotswolds would depend on where you are staying. If you are using mainly Stagecoach then they will probably have regional 7 and 28 day Megariders as for the Lake District.
If using mainly Pulhams (more likely) the Oxford Bus Company have a 7 day ticket for £39.50 (All OBC, Thames Travel and Pulhams) and a monthly for £128.
There is a daily all operators ticket but not a longer period one that I have heard of.
Posted by
Oxford, United Kingdom
5457 posts
There is a Mybus Oxfordshire 7-day ticket for £25. Valid on a large percentage of local buses in Oxfordshire plus extensions into some neighbouring counties. Details including exceptions here. Available only online (websites / apps) from participating operators. Daily version for £6.50 can be bought on buses.
Posted by
Lake District, England
7858 posts
In the Cotswolds Stagecoach have a West Gold 7 Day Megarider for £31 and 28 Day for £122.
It is not valid to Stratford on Avon, but is valid from Daventry and Banbury to Oxford then through the Cotswolds on their services to Cheltenham, Gloucester, Hereford, Bristol, Bath, Swindon, Chippenham and Hungerford (Berkshire)- another vast area.
Bus Connections are available from Daventry to rail stations at Long Buckby, Northampton and Rugby.