glasgow bus travel card

How It Works

Unlimited bus travel in and around Glasgow for less than £25 per week

One ticket, five bus companies, thousands of routes.

Travel with First Glasgow, McGill’s, West Coast Motors, Stagecoach West and Whitelaws, with the same ticket. No need to buy multiple bus tickets anymore! With the option to choose between daily, weekly and flexi day bundles – you can enjoy unlimited travel across thousands of routes!

You can buy all Tripper tickets via the mobile app of McGill’s, First Glasgow and West Coast Motors or sign up for your Glasgow Tripper smart card today – and start enjoying great bus travel across the city.

There’s a ticket that will suit your travel plans whether it’s for work, study of just getting out and about!

*based on an adult weekly ticket at £24.60 (price from 2 April 2023).

Glasgow Tripper offers great-value bus travel in and around the city. Hop on and off thousands of buses from the city’s main bus companies, as often as you want, from less than £25 per week.

And it’s easy to get started! Download the mobile app from First Glasgow, McGill’s or West Coast Motors, create an account and buy your ticket!

We also offer a Tripper Smartcard. Sign up for your Tripper card (it costs £1.75) and once you receive it in the post, simply log into your online account and buy your ticket. It’s that easy!

Watch our video

Where Can I Go With My Ticket?

Tripper tickets can be used across 1000s of buses. Click on the map to see a detailed map of all the routes we cover. You can travel on any First Glasgow, McGill’s, West Coast Motors, Stagecoach West and Whitelaws buses within the light blue area.

Using your Tripper ticket you can get to plenty of Glasgow’s iconic sights including Glasgow Cathedral, Kelvingrove Park, The Burrell Collection as well as to top shopping destinations including Braehead, Silverburn and more.

Still have some questions for us? Check out our FAQs or you can give us a call on 0345 241 1595 or email us at  [email protected] .

Get your Glasgow tripper card today

GlasgowTripper

Tripper smartcard.png.

The Glasgow Tripper ITSO smartcard is available to you for travel around Glasgow. Sign up online for your Tripper smartcard, buy your ticket online or on bus, tap your smartcard on the ticket machine and your ticket will be waiting for you. The Tripper card costs £1.75 and will be posted to you within 10 days. Any ITSO smartcard can be used to store Tripper tickets for travel.

• Glasgow City Council
• > News and Events
• > Glasgow Tripper announce multi-operator mobile ticket

Glasgow Tripper announce multi-operator mobile ticket

Published: 5 october 2023.

Bus travel in and around Glasgow just got even easier, with the arrival of a multi-operator mobile ticket, now available from the apps of major bus operators.

The  Glasgow Tripper  offers a selection of multi-operator tickets including day, weekly, and flexi travel bundles. 

Previously available only with a registered smartcard, all Tripper tickets can now be bought on the mobile apps of First, McGill's and West Coast Motors. The tickets can also be used for travel on Stagecoach West Scotland and Whitelaw's as 'show and pass'. All five operators are part of the Glasgow Bus Alliance.

Offering unlimited travel, bus users can access hundreds of routes in and around Glasgow, with one ticket - removing the need to purchase multiple bus tickets from different operators.

The Tripper ticket range is available on McGill's, First and West Coast Motor mobile apps, all available to download from the App Store or Google Play.

Duncan Cameron, Glasgow Bus Alliance Vice Chair and Managing Director of First Scotland  said: "The new Tripper mobile app ticket is part of our ambition to create a convenient, connected, dependable and affordable bus network. Our collaboration on the mobile Tripper ticket now makes it easy for people to hop from bus operator to the next in a seamless way using a multi-operator app ticket. We hope that this helps our existing bus users with their travel and encourages people to try using bus to reach their destination rather than using the car."

Alex Hornby, Group Managing Director at McGill's  added: "We believe that having multi-operator Tripper ticketing available across each of our apps is the first initiative of its kind, demonstrating how powerful our partnership can be for customers in giving them clear, open options for buying their travel across each of our buses, irrespective of who may operate them. We are responding to the call for simplicity and transparency for bus users. This forms part of our ongoing focus as a bus alliance on delivering easy bus travel for everyone living and working in Greater Glasgow." 

John Elliot, Chair of Glasgow Tripper  believes the new mobile Tripper tickets are great news for any customers needing to use more than one bus operator and said "it will make it much easier for customers to travel and enjoy the benefit of multi-operator discount."

Councillor Angus Millar, City Convener for Transport and Climate  said: "I'm delighted to see that the Glasgow Tripper tickets are now available across operators' apps, making integrated ticketing across different bus services more accessible for people across Glasgow. This type of initiative makes it simpler and more convenient to get around the city region and is a great way to encourage fewer private car journeys and support people to take the bus."

For more details visit the Glasgow Tripper webpage.

Related content

• Glasgow City Region Bus Partnership

Council Services

• Council Tax/Benefits
• Bins and Recycling
• Schools and Learning
• Roads and Parking
• Planning and Building
• Parks and Leisure
• Social Care and Health
• Services in My Area
• More Services

• Accessibility
• Work For Us

National Entitlement Card and Young Scot Card

Everything you need to know

Your National Entitlement Card (NEC) gives you access to free bus travel across Scotland. If you’re over 12, then your card will be a Young Scot card. This gives you money off the things you love, exclusive rewards, proof of age and much more.

The best way to apply for your card for the first time is online.

Young Persons' Free Bus Travel Scheme

All 5 to 21-year-olds are eligible for free bus travel in Scotland using an NEC or Young Scot Card. Only a few services will not accept the card. These include premium-fare night buses and City Sightseeing buses. Please contact the bus company before you travel if you're unsure.

Children and young people need to apply for a new or replacement card. This is the case even if you had a card before the scheme started.

Parents or guardians must provide approval for children aged 5 to 15 to access the scheme. They can do this by applying on their behalf. If you're 16 to 21, then you can apply online by yourself.

You can find more information about the scheme at freebus.scot

Find out what you need to apply online

Before applying, you’ll need electronic copies of your photograph (if you’re over 11), proof of person and address. You can find guidance and terms and conditions at nec.scot

If you can't apply online, here's what to do

Forms should be available from your school office. If you’re over 11 then you will need to supply a head and shoulders photo on a light-coloured background. You will also need to get a teacher to fill in the photo referee part of the form.

You won’t need to prove your address or date of birth as we check these against the details held by your school.

If you have left school, then visit your local library for a form or download it .

You’ll need all the same proofs as you would if you’re applying online to do this. The library staff will check your form and send it to the admin team for processing.

If you don’t have the proof required, email us at [email protected] for advice on how best to get your card.

Replacement cards

If you have lost your card, had it stolen or it’s not working any more, then you can fill out our online form to request a new one. 

You can't use this form if you:

• Need to provide a photo for the first time
• Need to update your photo

You’ll need to contact us at [email protected] with your updated photo and provide your name, date of birth, card number (if you know it).

Find out more about Young Scot

Young Scot is the National Youth Information Service for young people aged 11 to 26. Visit young.scot to:

• Find information and opportunities
• Access discounts and rewards
• Get involved in issues that matter to you
• Find out more about how to use your card

You can get Young Scot Reward Points for taking part in positive activities online and in your community. These include volunteering, attending events and completing surveys. Sign up for an online account to access these.

Hundreds of discounts are also available through your Young Scot Card. This includes retailers like Hostelling Scotland, PureGym, Footasylum, Vue Cinemas and more.

Get your card online

You can upload all your information by heading over to the National Portal.

Lost your card?

More young scot card information.

Get informed

If you require any assistance or guidance, please contact us by emailing [email protected]

Give feedback about this page

Your feedback will help us improve this website. We will not respond directly to comments left here, so please do not include any personal information in your feedback. If you would like a response, use our contact form instead.

Forgot your password? Register

Have a First Bus App account?

We're sorry but you’ll need to register separately for a web account at the moment.

• Your Shopping Cart
• Journey planner
• Forthcoming Fare Changes
• Explore by bus
• What's On?
• Glasgow Life
• Shopping and Leisure Facilities
• U22 Free Travel Scheme
• Campus Services
• Glasgow Warriors
• Partick Thistle F.C.
• Electric Buses
• Bus service guide for commuters
• Extra Help to Travel
• Glasgow City Centre TRC Information
• Flexible Tickets
• Ticket prices
• Contactless payments
• Tap On, Tap Off
• Family Ticket
• Concessions
• Discounted Tickets for Glasgow Job Seekers
• mTickets FAQ's
• Online tickets
• Network maps
• Glasgow Airport Express tickets
• Buy Tickets
• Service 9/9A
• News and service updates
• Current issues
• Planned changes
• Help and support
• Lost Property
• The Hate Crime Charter
• See what we're doing with your feedback
• Local market report

• Ticket types
• Where to buy

No cash? No problem. Secure contactless payments are accepted on all of our buses.

Paying with contactless is a simple and secure way to pay for tickets without cash.  

One tap of your contactless card, Apple Pay  (now with Express Mode) or Google Pay and you’re aboard and ready to go, no need to worry about having the right change.

You can buy tickets up to the value of £45, quickly and securely with contactless. So whether it’s a last minute trip or a regular journey, paying for your ticket has never been more convenient.

Apple Pay - Express Mode

Enjoy unlimited travel on thousands of buses in and around the city, from just over £3.50 per day - with a Glasgow Tripper Card! Find out more about the Tripper Card here: https://www.glasgowtripper.co.uk/

Check your contactless payments

Your Questions Answered

Sometimes the payment will be taken from your account at the end of the day, and if you make multiple journeys on the same day, the cost of these journeys might be combined and taken from your account in a single transaction.

You can check what you’ve been charged for each journey on our customer portal :

Contactless is a simple and secure way to pay for bus travel without needing cash. Contactless payments can be made for any tickets up to the transaction value of £45 by placing your contactless card or device on the ticket machine’s reader. Simply tap and go!

You can also check whether your device is Apple Pay or Google Pay capable by searching for them on the relevant app store.

You will need first to set up Apple Pay. On iPhone, simply open the Wallet app, tap +, and follow the steps to add your credit or debit cards.

To enable Express Mode for Apple Pay take the following steps:

For iPhone:

• Open Settings, scroll down and tap Wallet & Apple Pay
• Tap Express Travel Card
• Select a card. You will then need to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID or passcode.

For Apple Watch:

• Open the Watch app on your iPhone and select the My Watch tab.
• Select Wallet & Apple Pay, then tap Express Travel Card.
• Select a card, then authenticate with your Apple Watch passcode.

Find more information on Apple Pay on their website

If you’re using a pre-paid card, please ensure you have enough credit before trying to purchase your ticket as unfortunately this could result in your card being rejected.

Most contactless cards issued outside of the UK will be accepted on our ticket machines, however, if you find that your card didn’t work this time please contact your bank or card issuer. Please be aware that cards issued outside of the UK may incur overseas transaction fees applied by your bank or card issuer.

You can use contactless to purchase any of our tickets up to a total value of £45. This can include more than one ticket in a single transaction, e.g. an adult and a child ticket so long as the total price does not exceed £45.

For purchases of more than £45 we recommend using mTickets on the First Bus App. For FAQs on mTickets click here .

The limit for contactless payments in the UK is usually £45, unfortunately we’re unable to process single contactless transactions above this value.

From time to time, we authorise a payment for a nominal amount. This allows us to check with your card issuer that the card is valid and will be replaced by the full transaction amount in the next 24-48 hours.

Unfortunately, our drivers are only able to cancel contactless transactions at the point of purchase.

If you require a refund after the point of purchase, you will need to contact our customer services teams on:

03300 947 577 Normal opening hours: 7am – 10pm, seven days a week.

To help our customer service agents to resolve your request they will need you to provide the following information:

• The service on which the ticket was purchased
• The price of the ticket you purchased (as shown on your ticket)
• The date and time (as shown on your ticket or receipt)
• The first 6 and last 4 digits of your card (this will be how it is shown on your receipt)
• Whether you paid via Apple or Google Pay

Unfortunately, due to the nature of contactless payments, our drivers will not know why a payment has failed. However, if for any reason a payment fails, you may wish to try a different card or pay using an alternative payment method such as; using an Apple or Google Pay enabled device, or purchasing a ticket via our First Bus App.

Tickets are often cheaper as mTickets on the First Bus App, so why not buy before you travel?

Below are just some of the more common reasons why a contactless transaction may have failed:

• The card hasn't been approved by the bank for the transaction.
• This can occur as a result of several contactless transactions in a short space of time which can trigger automated fraud risk management policies with your bank or card issuer.
• The card hasn’t been used at a Chip and PIN terminal for a certain period.
• Most banks and card issuers require a chip and PIN transaction every so often to help make sure it really is you using that card. Usually once a chip and PIN transaction has been seen by your card issuer, this temporary block will be removed.
• More than one card has been detected by the reader at the same time.
• If this happens the reader won’t take any payment and the driver will be notified that this is the case. Don’t worry though, simply make sure that one card is presented to the reader and try again.

If you use a card for a payment which is subsequently declined for insufficient funds, unfortunately your card will be automatically blocked by our ticket machines.

However, we will try again to recover the money owed automatically after a few days or when you try to use the card again on our buses. As soon as the amount outstanding is settled with your bank or card issuer, your card will be unblocked by our ticket machines and you can make contactless payments on our buses again.

Yes, you will get a receipt once your transaction has gone through, along with a ticket for your journey. Please ask your driver for your receipt as well as your ticket if you’re unsure you have received one.

Contactless payments are more secure than carrying cash for several reasons:

The information on your card is protected with secure Chip and PIN technology. Data transmitted during transactions is encrypted and protected with a digital signature that is much harder to forge than a handwritten one.

If your card is lost or stolen, you’re protected against unauthorised payments provided you inform your bank as soon as you realise it’s gone. Your card will be blocked immediately.

If your card does fall into the wrong hands, the maximum amount per transaction is £45, and after repeated payments, the person will be asked for a PIN. For payments over £45, authorisation is required, so nobody can make purchases without your PIN or device passcode.

Each time your contactless device interacts with a payments terminal, it generates a one-time-only electronic signature and cryptogram, making it just as secure as a normal Chip transaction.

Your bank may notice unusual spending patterns or locations and request a Chip and PIN transaction.

Express Mode for Apple Pay is entirely secure, but we understand that paying without authentication is not for everyone. We encourage you to use Express Mode as it helps you boarding the bus quicker, however you can still pay with Apple Pay using Face ID, Touch ID or passcode.

To turn off Express Mode, you should take the following steps:

• Navigate to Settings on your devices
• Tap on Wallet & Apple Pay
• Select “None” or “Off”

Disabling this mode will not stop Apple Pay from working as normal on the bus.

We don’t currently accept contactless payments for topping up smart cards on our buses as we believe this may increase boarding times and therefore, delay our buses.

All payments are processed by FirstGroup Holdings Ltd on behalf of First Bus.

Travel Alerts

6th may bank holiday service levels.

On Monday 6th of May, we will be operating a Sunday timetable across all of our services. 

Night Bus services will not operate.

Please refer here for the relevant Sunday timetable for your service.

Night Bus Changes: 17th May

From the 17th of May, the following Night Bus services will operate a revised timetable.

Service N18 - City Centre to East Kilbride, Greenhills

Service N240 - City Centre to Cleland

Service N267 - City Centre to Hillhouse

Service 57/57A Thornliebank Road Closure

Due to works by Network Rail, Thornliebank Road will be closed from 2nd April 2024 until Thursday 12th June 2025.

Thornliebank Road will be closed at Thornliebank Railway Station. This will have a resulting impact on services 57 & 57A, which will operate a diversion as a result of the road closure. 

The services will divert as follows;

Service 57 will operate;

From Shawlands;

Normal route to Thornliebank road, left via Auldhouse Road - Nether Auldhouse Road - Kilmarnock Road - Fenwick Road - Orchard Drive - Orchard Park Avenue - left to Thornliebank Main Street where the route will continue as normal. 

Towards Shawlands the route will operate the same diversion in reverse. 

Service 57A will operate;

Normal route to Thornliebank road, left via Auldhouse Road - Nether Auldhouse Road - Kilmarnock Road - Fenwick Road - Orchard Drive - Orchard Park Avenue - right into Thornliebank Main Street and left into Boydstone Road where the route will continue as normal. 

Please note  that during the closure of Thornliebank Road at Railway Bridge, bus stops on Nether Auldhouse Road, Kilmarnock Road and Fenwick Road  will not be served by Service 57/57A.

Service 57A will serve  the following on Thornliebank Road:

(To Kennishead)

(To City/Shawlands)

Both 57/57A will serve the temporary stops on Auldhouse Road. Service 57 will use the last stop on Orchard Park Ave for Silverburn - the 57A  will not.

Please note that stops in the area affected by the road closure, and along the diversion route will not be served during this time, to allow the service to continue to travel without journey times being extended. 

Click here to view timetable for this diversion.

Click here to view diversion map. 

Click here to view route map. 

Service 90 Shields Road closure.

Service 90 Shields Road

To allow for bridge works on Monday 28 th  August 2023 until Friday 30 th August 2024 Shields Road will close. During this closure the following diversions will be in operation: Service 90 towards QEUH/Partick Will operate Nithsdale Road, Dumbreck Road, M8 & Seaward Street.

Services 60/A 61 & M3 Phoenix Road.

Services 60 60A 61 & M3

Phoenix Road

To allow for works, on Saturday 22nd July until early 2025 Phoenix Road will fully close.

During the closure the following diversions will be in operation:

Services 60,60A & 61 towards Parkhead

Will divert St Georges Place, left St Georges Road right Garscube Road normal route.

Services 60,60A & 61 towards Maryhill

Will divert Garscube Road, left St Georges Road, right St Georges Place, right Maryhill Road normal route.

Service M3 towards City Centre

Will divert Garscube Road.

Service M3 towards Milton

• Sign in or create your account

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.   If you continue without changing your settings, we'll assume that you are happy to accept these cookies. You can change your cookies settings at any time.

Your Support Your Way Glasgow

• Reduce text size
• Default text size
• Increase text size
• Turn on high contrast yellow text on black background
• Turn on high contrast black text on yellow background

Concessionary Travel Scheme

Sign in now.

Your notes for "Concessionary Travel Scheme" shortlist entry:

MyPad lets you save links to providers you've found and want to go back to. You can also add your own notes in this box and update them whenever you wish.

Service summary

Elderly and disabled residents in the Strathclyde region can save money on public transport with the National Entitlement Card (NEC). The card gives holders free bus travel in Scotland and, through the Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme, reduced fares on trains and Subway in the Strathclyde area. If you live on an island or peninsula within Strathclyde you can also receive reduced ferry fares with a Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Ferry Card. SPT support the administration of the elderly (60+) and disabled concessionary travel schemes only. Please visit freebus.scot for information regarding Young Persons' (Under 22) Free Bus Travel. For further information on the Concessionary travel scheme available within Scotland please visit the Transport Scotland website.

Opening times

Area served, main address.

Concessionary Travel Card Unit Buchanan Bus Station 10 Killermont Street Glasgow G2 3NW

Main telephone

0141 333 3211

Organisation email

[email protected]

www.spt.co.uk

Contact email

Browse happy.

this website works best on the latest version of Internet Explorer and you appear to be using an older browser. You can dismiss this message and continue, but some screens might not work as well for you.

You can find out more about upgrading your browser here: Browse Happy

60+ or disabled

If you are over 60 or have a disability, you could be eligible for free bus travel to get around Scotland and your local area. You can access this via the National Entitlement Card, your pass to free bus travel in Scotland.

The National Entitlement Card scheme also allows for free travel for companions where required by eligible disabled people of any age (including children under 5).

How to apply

To apply for a National Entitlement Card, you should contact your local authority or Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) for details of the application process in your area. There may be a different process if applying on age grounds as opposed to grounds of disability. Your local authority will be able to tell you if you need to complete an application form and what you need to do when you apply.

We are unable to send out forms as these should be obtained from your local authority/council office. It is not possible to download forms from the website or send these by email.

In order to make the application process as smooth as possible, you will need:

• a completed application form (not all local authorities require this, check with yours to confirm the process in your area)
• a recent passport type photograph
• proof of age or disability
• proof of your current address

Check the National Entitlement Card website for more information on proofs required to confirm your identity and address.

If applying on grounds of disability, check the eligibility section on the Transport Scotland website for more information on proofs required.

Objectives and benefits

The scheme provides free travel on registered local and long-distance bus services throughout Scotland, at any time of day for any number of journeys, for those aged 60 and over, as well as for eligible disabled people who live in Scotland.

Cardholders living in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles receive two free return ferry journeys each year to the Scottish mainland.

The key objectives of the concessionary travel scheme are to:

• allow older and disabled people, improved access to services, facilities and social networks, promoting social inclusion
• improve health by promoting a more active lifestyle for the elderly and disabled
• remove the restrictions of the previous local off-peak concessionary fare scheme which was limited in offering access to facilities
• promote a modal shift from private cars to public transport
• maintain a viable position for bus operators with a standard reimbursement rate
• provide opportunities for improvements to public transport, such as assisting development of multi-operator ticketing and the use of electronic ticket machine technology
• facilitate a more effective administration of the system by adopting a standard reimbursement rate and shifting operational responsibility from local authorities to Transport Scotland
• provide a stimulus to the introduction of smart ticketing

Where can I travel?

Almost everywhere in Scotland and as far as Carlisle and Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Your National Entitlement Card gives you free travel throughout Scotland on nearly all local registered and long-distance scheduled bus services. Only a few services, such as premium-fare night buses and City Sightseeing buses, do not accept the card.

So many of Scotland's major towns and cities are easily accessible with the National Entitlement Card. Use the Visit Scotland website to find out how you can reach some of the country's best attractions by bus.

Some local authorities offer other discounts on rail, tram or subway for their card-holders. Your card-issuing Local Authority can tell you more – a contact number can be found on the back of your card when you receive it.

Using your card

You can use your National Entitlement Card to get a ticket in advance or on the bus. Advance tickets must be collected in person.

When you get on the bus, look for the electronic ticket machine by the door to the driver's compartment. Place your card on the machine with your photograph facing up and tell the driver your stop. The driver will help you if you need assistance. If there isn't a ticket machine like this, just show the driver your card and tell them your stop.

Remember you can only use your most recently issued National Entitlement Card on the bus. Any other cards will not work and you will not be allowed free bus travel.

If the electronic ticket machine did not recognise your card it may have expired or be damaged. If this is the case, please contact your Local Authority immediately to arrange a new card. You should allow at least two weeks to receive your card. If this will take longer, your local council will tell you about this when you apply.

If the card appears to be valid but does not work on the machine, the driver will give you the option to pay the full fare and keep your card or hand over your card in exchange for a seven day temporary pass. The temporary pass will be valid for free travel for you but the companion element will not be available. You should then contact your Local Authority immediately to request a new card. You should allow at least two weeks to receive your card. If this will take longer, your local council will tell you about this when you apply.

Eligibility

Over 60s eligibility.

To be eligible for the NEC, you must be:

• Aged 60 or older
• A resident of Scotland

Disabled people eligibility

If you're a resident in Scotland and meet one of the following criteria, you're entitled to free bus travel with the National Entitlement Card:

• You receive a qualifying DWP benefit - Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, War Pension Constant Attendance Allowance, or the  higher  rate of the mobility component or the  higher or middle  rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance.
• You receive a qualifying Social Security Scotland benefit - Pension Age Disability payment, Adult Disability Payment, or receive the higher rate of the mobility component or the higher or middle rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment.

When applying you will need to take along a copy of your benefit award letter from the DWP or Social Security Scotland confirming your eligibility.  The letter must be dated within the last 18 months and confirm the length of benefit entitlement. For details on getting your award letter, please contact the DWP or Social Security Scotland. 

• You live in a care/residential home or hospital and are eligible for Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Adult Disability Payment, Pension Age Disability Payment or the higher or middle rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance or Child Disability Payment. In many cases a DWP or Social Security Scotland benefit may be suspended whilst someone is in care or hospital – in that case you can provide a letter from the hospital/care home confirming that you are eligible for one of the above benefits, you live there, and receive 24 hour care.
• You are a Blue Badge holder . Take your Blue Badge, or your latest V11 vehicle licensing reminder from DVLA or DLA404 from the Department for Work and Pensions when you apply for your card. Please note that a valid Blue Badge issued outside Scotland, in the rest of the UK or by the authorities of another EU member state will be acceptable.
• You are profoundly or severely deaf . Take along a recent letter from your Audiologist, Hospital Consultant or Registered Society for the Deaf when you apply. The letter must show that you have bilateral hearing loss greater than or equal to 70dBHLs averaged over 1, 2 and 4KHz. If you have been deaf since birth, a letter from your GP confirming this is fine too.
• You have a sight impairment . If you are aged 16 and over you will need to provide a copy of  the Certificate of Vision (CVI) Scotland form.  As of 1 April 2018 the CVI Scotland form replaced the previous BP1 form.

If you are aged under 16 you should provide a letter from a VINCYP team member Visual Impairment Network for Children and Young People . You can also provide a letter from a health professional such as an ophthalmologist or paediatrician which states that you ‘meet the criteria for visual impairment as defined by VINCYP'. In addition, parents / carers of children and young people under 16 with a visual impairment may be able to use letters from other registered societies or voluntary sector organisations supporting people with sight loss (where they are happy to provide such a letter).

• You have been told not to drive based on medical grounds . Take the DVLA confirmation letter as evidence when you apply showing that your licence has been revoked or your application has been refused on medical grounds. If you have epilepsy and been told not to drive because you have had a seizure in the last 12 months, you should use the NCT003 certificate. The NCT003 certificate is only valid where the applicant is 16yrs and over (the earliest date they can apply for a provisional licence). Collect the certificate from your Local Authority and ask your Hospital Consultant, GP or Epilepsy Specialist Nurse to sign. For other medical conditions where you have been told you would not be allowed to drive and if you were to apply for a licence, would be refused, you may be able to provide a recent letter from your GP or Hospital Consultant depending on your circumstances to confirm this. For further information, please check with your local authority.
• You have a mental health condition that is recognised under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 and has lasted for more than a year. You must need to travel to health or social care appointments as part of treatment activities, care or a rehabilitation programme. Your ability to travel must also be impaired. Please contact your Local Authority for advice on how and where to apply using the NCT002 form.
• If you have a learning disability and you need to travel to see a Support Worker or get to appointments or activities you will need to get a NCT002a form. Read our guide on how to apply
• Please note: The BASRiS form will replace the DS1500 for Scotland's new forms of Disability Assistance
• Read Social Security Scotland’s guide on when to complete a BASRiS form
• You have a progressive degenerative condition . Conditions such as Parkinson's Disease that severely impede your mobility may entitle you to free bus travel. Ask your hospital consultant or other specialist medical professional who is responsible for providing any treatment and support (such as your Specialist Nurse), to provide a letter confirming that your diagnosed health condition is considered ‘progressive degenerative' and that it severely impedes your mobility and ability to carry out day to day activities. Any letter from a medical professional must clearly confirm these qualifying criteria otherwise it cannot be accepted.
• You have lost one or more limbs . If you have lost one or both legs, both arms or an arm and a leg you are entitled to free bus travel. Request a letter from your prosthetic clinic/centre, physiotherapist or rehabilitation centre for your application.
• You are an injured veteran with mobility problems. Provide a Veterans UK or Ministry of Defence letter certifying award of lump sum payment within Tariff levels 1-8 under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme , or provide a letter from Veterans UK or Ministry of Defence certifying award of a lump sum payment due to a permanent and substantial disability causing inability to walk or considerable difficulty in walking.
• You receive a War Pensioner Mobility Supplement. Please provide a letter from Veterans UK or Ministry of Defence confirming receipt of this benefit in your application.

The National Entitlement Card scheme also allows for free travel for one companion where required by an eligible disabled person of any age (including children under 5).

Companions can make travel much easier, helping you to get on and off buses, carrying shopping and communicating with the driver. You can stay free and mobile, while making full use of your NEC.

Companions can travel for free with all NEC holders that have the +1 logo on their card.

Your companion and journey can vary, but your companion can only travel for free when they are with you. You are not obliged to travel with a companion, but the entitlement is there for when you need it.

Please note that companions must be aged 5 or over .

Your companion is entitled to travel for free if you meet one of the following criteria:

• You live in a care/residential home or hospital and are eligible for Attendance Allowance, the higher or lower rate of the daily living component of the Personal Independence Payment or the higher or middle rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance. In many cases DWP benefit may be suspended whilst someone is in care or hospital – in that case you can provide a letter from the hospital/care home confirming that you are eligible for one of the above benefits, live there and receive 24 hour care.
• You live in a care/residential home or hospital and are eligible for the higher or middle rate of the care component of the Child Disability Payment or are eligible for the standard or enhanced rate of the daily living component of the Adult Disability payment or are eligible for the Pension Age Disability Payment. In many cases Social Security Scotland benefit may be suspended whilst someone is in care or hospital – in that case you can provide a letter from the hospital/care home confirming that you are eligible for one of the above benefits, you live there and receive 24 hour care.
• You receive the higher or middle rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance
• You receive the higher or lower rate of daily living component of Personal Independence Payment
• You receive Attendance Allowance
• You receive the Child Disability Payment – higher or middle rate of the care component.
• You receive Pension Age Disability Payment
• You receive Adult Disability Payment – standard or enhanced rate of the daily living component
• You are severely sight impaired (blind)
• You receive war pensions constant attendance allowance

If you receive one of the qualifying benefits you'll need a letter to confirm your eligibility. The letter must be dated within the last 18 months and confirm the length of benefit entitlement. For details on getting your letter, please contact the DWP or Social Security Scotland. If you live in a care or residential home or hospital and your qualifying benefit is suspended a letter from them is needed confirming that you are eligible for the benefit, you live there and receive 24 hour care.

If you are severely sight impaired (blind), please provide a copy of your registration certificate - CVI Scotland form if aged 16 or over.  If aged under 16, you must provide a letter from VINCYP/medical professional or other registered society or voluntary sector organisation stating that you have a severe sight impairment that has been confirmed by an ophthalmologist or paediatrician.

Armed Forces Compensation Scheme

If you are a disabled veteran, you could qualify for free travel with a National Entitlement Card.

You will qualify if you have received a lump sum benefit under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme within tariff levels 1 - 8 (inclusive) and the Secretary of State certifies that you have a permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking.

You will need to produce a certification letter from Veterans UK. You will also qualify under the same criteria if your injuries do not hinder your mobility but the injury can be cross referenced to the descriptors within the AFCS Injuries Table as detailed below.

Getting and using your card

When you get your card.

Please check that the photograph and personal details on your new card are correct. If any are not, or if this card is for someone who is no longer at the address, telephone the number on the back of the card to report this. If your new card replaces an existing card,  you need to start using it immediately and destroy any old cards you have as these will not work on the ticketing machines.

Using the card

Your card has been issued to give you free bus travel throughout Scotland under the concessionary travel scheme. In some areas your card may get you discounts on other modes of transport depending on where you live.  For information and advice on local non-bus concessions you should phone the number on the back of your card. It is possible to book in advance with your National Entitlement Card but you may incur a booking fee. Some bus operators may waive the fee, check before you book.

This card has been issued to you and should only be used by the eligible person named on the card. It is for your safekeeping and it should not be given to anyone else. Transport Scotland has a fraud policy and any person(s) found to be misusing any aspect of the scheme may have their entitlement to free bus travel withdrawn and incidents of misuse may also be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

Cardholders also have a duty to report any changes of circumstances which may affect their entitlement, including changes of address, to the local authority. Check the back of your card for the right number.

You can use your card on any local or long-distance registered bus service throughout Scotland, excluding late night services where a premium fare is charged, tours or excursion services and group hire services.

Full details of the NEC terms and conditions

Travel using a National Entitlement Card is subject to the normal regulations and conditions of carriage of each transport operator. Your card gives you the same rights as a full-fare paying passenger.

Tickets for Concessionary Bus Travel

The National Concessionary Travel Scheme legislation does not require paper tickets to be issued to cardholders for concession journeys. The issuing of paper tickets to passengers is an operational decision at the discretion of the bus operator.

When a National Entitlement Card is placed on the ticket machine this will automatically record the boarding stage, to receive reimbursement for the journey the driver must accurately record the requested destination stage. Whilst this information forms the record of this journey, all concession claims undergo comprehensive audit compliance and analysis checks before any reimbursement is made.

Concerns of misuse of the Concessionary Travel Schemes should be reported to our 24-hour dedicated Freephone line 0800 328 5690. If you have any other questions about concessionary bus travel, please email us at [email protected]

Travel outwith Scotland

Your National Entitlement Card is valid for services that operate wholly within Scotland or northern England only, you can use it on services to and from Carlisle and on services to and from Berwick-upon-Tweed from anywhere in Scotland, however, your card is not valid for travel within these towns or anywhere else out with Scotland.

Please note, National Express services operating in Scotland unfortunately do not meet this criteria as they do not operate wholly within Scotland or Northern England, as such, they do not accept National Entitlement Cards on their services. National Express previously allowed concession cardholders to travel for free covering the costs themselves, however, in 2019 they made a business decision to remove this provision and Transport Scotland cannot influence their company operational decisions.

Lost, stolen and damaged cards

If your card is lost, stolen or damaged you should contact your Local Authority to request a replacement. This applies to all cardholders whether your card is issued on grounds of age or disability.

If you change address, phone the number on the back of your card to let your card issuer know. However, if you move to another Local Authority to live you must also let the new authority know.

For any questions please contact the number printed on the back of your card.

Renewing and replacing cards

Contact your Local Authority or Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) Travel Card Unit if:

• your National Entitlement Card is lost, stolen or damaged
• the card did not work when you used the ticket machine
• you want to change your name, address or photo

Your National Entitlement Card may have an expiry date on the front. If you're 60 or over, your new card won’t have an expiry date on it and is valid for life, providing you continue to live in Scotland.

If you have a card on grounds of disability, it will have an expiry date - your local authority may be in touch 4-6 weeks before the card runs out. If you don't hear from them, or need assistance renewing your card, contact them directly. Please note that SPT no longer send out renewal forms to cardholders. You should provide an acceptable proof of eligibility document at least five weeks before the card expires to allow time for this to be processed and a new card to be issued.

If you apply to renew a card for Disabled Concessionary Travel before the expiry date, your previous card will stop working a few days after your new card is processed so please start using your new card as soon as it arrives and destroy your old card.

Concessionary travel contacts

Your local authority can provide further information on the eligibility criteria, offer advice on the application process and how to report lost or stolen cards and vouchers.

• Contact telephone numbers and links to local authority websites

General enquiries

For general information on the concessionary travel scheme for those aged 60 and over and disabled people, or if there's anything you're not sure about, contact:

Concessionary Travel and Smart and Integrated Ticketing, Transport Scotland, George House, 2nd Floor, 36 North Hanover Street, Glasgow, G1 2AD.

Email: [email protected]   

Policy and legislation

Agreements with the bus industry.

Transport Scotland and the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) agreed terms in January 2019 setting budgets and reimbursement rates to operators under the Scotland-wide Free Bus Travel Scheme for Older and Disabled People for 2019-2020.

Building on agreements reached in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2018, the new agreement ensures bus operators continue to be fairly reimbursed for carrying passengers under the scheme and safeguards free bus travel for older and eligible disabled people living in Scotland.

Similar to the 2013 agreement, changes were required to the legislation underpinning the scheme. Amended legislation detailing changes to the budget and reimbursement rates to operators  came into force on 1 April 2019.

Under 5s Extension to Disabled Companion Concessionary NECs

Transport Scotland has extended the existing Scotland-wide Free Bus Travel Scheme to disabled children under 5.

The Scottish Parliament passed legislation, on 3 March 2021, that extends the existing National Concessionary Travel Scheme (NCTS) to eligible disabled children under the age of five, allowing free bus travel for them and an accompanying companion.

This new entitlement is available from 1 April 2021.

2019 Agreement with the Bus Industry

• Transport Scotland agreement letter to CPT
• CPT agreement letter to Transport Scotland
• The National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons (Scotland) Amendment Order 2019

Past agreements

2018 agreement with the bus industry.

• The National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons (Scotland) Amendment Order 2018

2017 Agreement with the Bus Industry

• (Draft) The National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons (Scotland) Amendment Order 2017

2015 Agreement with the Bus Industry

• CPT agreement response to Transport Scotland
• The National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons (Amendment) Scotland Order 2015

2013 Agreement with the Bus Industry

• CPT response to Transport Scotland
• The National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons (Scotland) Amendment Order 2013 from 1 April 2013

Background to the scheme

In 2004, the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) and the Scottish Executive committed to an unrestricted scheme providing free bus travel for people living in Scotland aged 60 and over, as well as eligible disabled people. The process is documented in the agreement letter from the Scottish Executive and the response from the CPT.

• Scottish Executive agreement letter to CPT
• Agreement response from CPT

In 2005, a public consultation exercise followed these initial agreements. The consultation asked questions that covered topics such as proposed eligibility criteria and technical aspects of the scheme.

Following on from the consultation and stakeholder discussions, the Scottish Executive prepared two Scottish Statutory Instruments that underpinned the terms of the scheme. These were approved by the Scottish Parliament and came into force from 1 April 2006.

• SSI 2006/107 - The National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons (Scotland) Order 2006
• SSI 2006/117 - The National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons (Eligible Persons and Eligible Services) (Scotland) Order 2006

Changes to legislation for welfare reform

As part of the UK Government’s welfare benefit reforms Disability Living Allowance has been replaced by Personal Independence Payment. Receipt of certain components and rates of Disability Living Allowance are included in the eligibility criteria for the concessionary travel scheme.

To mitigate the effects of these reforms and ensure that eligible disabled people continue to have access to the scheme, the Scottish Government extended the scheme’s eligibility criteria to include recipients of Personal Independence Payment. The changes to the eligibility criteria are set out in legislation which came into force on 8 April 2013 and are described below:

• The extension of the eligibility criteria to include Personal Independence Payment maintains access to concessionary travel for eligible disabled people in Scotland.
• All recipients of Personal Independence Payment (or PIP) are eligible for concessionary travel and all recipients of the Daily Living component of PIP will be eligible to receive a companion card (enabling a companion to travel free with them).
• If when reassessed for PIP you find you are not eligible for that benefit, you are able to continue using your concessionary travel card until its expiry date.

Passenger feedback

Following an Audit Scotland review in 2010, Transport Scotland commissioned research in 2012 to gather feedback and develop an understanding of the views of older and disabled people who are eligible and have applied to access the Scotland-wide Free Bus Travel scheme.

The research project, by Research Resource and ODS Consulting, took place over two years (2013-2014), with telephone surveys of over 3,000 representative NEC holders in each year to collect feedback, alongside a series of focus groups.

Card holders were asked about:

• their use of the NEC in daily travel
• the value they placed on the NEC
• their views on misuse or abuse of the scheme
• the difference the scheme made to their lives

The findings, documented below, are being used to inform and improve the scheme.

• In 2014, 99% of respondents stated that they were either very or fairly satisfied with the scheme overall. Satisfaction with bus travel generally was also high with over 9 in 10 respondents (93%) expressing satisfaction when travelling by bus.
• There was also evidence that the Scheme is encouraging modal shift, with 41% stating that they use the car less. It is also encouraging some cardholders to walk more to and from bus stops.
• 48% of respondents said they now make journeys that they would not previously have made.
• For respondents with a Disabled or Visual Impairment card, the provision of independence was a key benefit. Younger participants in particular, felt that having the card gave them the opportunity to get out and about without relying on parents or carers for support.
• The research confirmed the Scotland-wide Free Bus Travel Scheme is greatly valued and works well for card holders for a number of reasons including financial savings, reducing isolation, engendering a sense of greater independence and increasing confidence in their own ability to travel.
• The research highlighted how cardholders perceive the scheme as having improved their mental and physical well-being.

For full feedback, you can read the reports below.

The findings from the year one research can be found on the Customer Feedback Research - Year One Report and from year two on the Customer Feedback Research - Year Two Report .

Concessionary travel privacy policy

This Privacy Policy outlines how we use, store and share the personal information we hold about you in connection with our national concessionary travel schemes.

Awesome, you're subscribed!

Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon!

The best things in life are free.

Sign up for our email to enjoy your city without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush).

Déjà vu! We already have this email. Try another?

By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions.

• Things to Do
• Food & Drink
• Arts & Culture
• Coca-Cola Foodmarks
• Los Angeles

Get us in your inbox

🙌 Awesome, you're subscribed!

This major UK city could trial free public transport

Glaswegians aged 22 to 59 could be getting bus and subway travel on the house

Glaswegians — we don’t want to get your hopes up, but your city could be on its way towards offering totally free public transport. 

Glasgow City Council has officially been given support to develop a pilot that will give locals access to buses and the subway on the house. It hopes that providing free transport would help reduce inequality in the city and be a step towards achieving net zero carbon emissions.

A pilot would see 1,000 people between the ages of 22 to 59 given free access to public transport for nine weeks straight. People outside of that age range already have free bus travel in the city. 

The scheme would work by providing each participant with preloaded travel cards, allowing them to access all modes of transport within zones 1 and 2 of the city. 

Obviously, the pilot won’t come cheap. It’s expected to cost around £250,000, and while funds have been allocated to support the development of the trial, no money has been allocated for its actual delivery yet.

Once more funding is secured and the pilot goes ahead, data and responses from participants would be used to ‘feed into wider decision-making on the future of public transport within Glasgow’. 

If it was to be rolled out, a study revealed that offering every Glaswegian age 22 to 59 free public transport over nine weeks would cost around £95.7 million. And that’s not including extra back office and admin costs. 

Everything is still in its early stages, but watch this space! Transport in one of the UK’s biggest cities could soon get a radical overhaul. 

Public transport in the UK

With millions of us relying on buses, trams and trains day in and day out, it’s only right that we at Time Out keep you updated on all goings on in the world of public transport. For example, these are the British cities doing public transport best , this is apparently England’s worst bus operator  and this city is officially the UK’s electric bus capital . And of course, we’ve got a regularly updated guide to train strikes across the country . 

Did you see that   one of the UK’s most legendary nightclubs is closing for good ?

Plus:  Young Brits could soon get freedom of movement in Europe .

Stay in the loop:  sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter  for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country.

• Amy Houghton Contributing writer

Share the story

An email you’ll actually love

Discover Time Out original video

• Press office
• Investor relations
• Work for Time Out
• Editorial guidelines
• Privacy notice
• Do not sell my information
• Cookie policy
• Accessibility statement
• Terms of use
• Modern slavery statement
• Manage cookies
• Advertising
• Time Out Market

Time Out products

• Time Out Worldwide

• Skip to main content

Information

You appear to be using an unsupported browser, and it may not be able to display this site properly. You may wish to upgrade your browser .

We use cookies to collect anonymous data to help us improve your site browsing experience.

Click 'Accept all cookies' to agree to all cookies that collect anonymous data. To only allow the cookies that make the site work, click 'Use essential cookies only.' Visit 'Set cookie preferences' to control specific cookies.

Your cookie preferences have been saved. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

What is the under 22s bus pass

Young people aged 5 to 21, who live in Scotland for at least 6 months a year, can apply for a free bus pass. You can use this to travel on most bus services in Scotland for free.

Your Young Scot Card (Young Scot NEC) or other National Entitlement Card (NEC) will be your bus pass. You can either:

• update your existing Young Scot Card or other NEC
• apply for a new card online  or through your local council

For more information about the under 22s bus pass scheme, visit freebus.scot .

There is a problem

Thanks for your feedback

Your feedback helps us to improve this website. Do not give any personal information because we cannot reply to you directly.