Yes, you can pay cash on Oxford buses, but it's highly recommended to have the exact fare as drivers often can't give change, especially for Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel services, although contactless is preferred and faster. You can also use contactless payments (card/phone) or buy tickets via the Oxford Bus Company or Stagecoach apps for all major operators in Oxford, with apps offering digital tickets and cash-free travel.
Children above 0.9m in height and below 7 years old can apply for a Child Concession Card at SimplyGo Ticket Office to travel for free on basic bus and train services. Travellers may also opt to pay in cash on buses. Please prepare the exact fare as no change will be given.
Look for the contactless symbol on your credit or debit card to see if your card is contactless enabled. Then, board a bus with the contactless symbol and instead of paying with cash, simply tap your card or contactless-enabled device onto the reader and wait for the beep.
Just tap your card once on the ticket machine when you board, and once on the tap-off reader when you depart the bus. The tap off reader is located to the left of the door as you exit. Every time you use contactless, we will calculate the best fare for your journey so that you don't have to worry.
You can pay for buses in the UK primarily with contactless payments (card, phone, watch), mobile apps (Apple Pay/Google Pay), or sometimes cash, but contactless is easiest as it automatically caps fares and works nationwide on most operators like Stagecoach, First Bus, and TfL (London). Just tap your contactless card/device on the reader when boarding, and for London buses, you only tap in; in other areas, you often tap both on and off for the best fare, using the same device to ensure capping.
No need for a ticket just tap on tap off with your contactless bank card. You can also pay the driver cash if you prefer a paper ticket, but we ask that you have the right change if you can. This £1 fare is not available on N1. N2 or N5.
Why am I seeing a $0.10 charge when paying for public transport?
When you tap your GXS FlexiCard on the fare gantry, a S$0.10 pre-authorisation charge is made to ensure your card is active and ready. Don't worry, this isn't your actual fare. It will be promptly returned once the final transaction details from SimplyGo are processed.
Is it cheaper to buy a bus ticket online or on the bus?
It's almost always cheaper to buy your bus ticket online or via the operator's app before you board, with savings on single fares and significant discounts on multi-day or monthly passes, as onboard purchases often incur a premium or require exact change, making digital booking more convenient and economical.
We've made buying tickets simple for everyone. Tickets can be bought in advance on our app, paid for with cash or contactless on board, online via the Stagecoach website or via the Stagecoach app.
All major bus operators have journey planners built into their apps. In Oxfordshire, the Oxford Bus Company journey planner is currently the most comprehensive as it also includes most bus services provided by other operators. You can find the Oxford Bus Company journey planner here.
You can pay for Oxford buses using contactless (card or phone), the Oxford Bus App (recommended for best value), cash (exact change appreciated), or a smartcard called 'the key', with options varying slightly between operators like Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach, but contactless and app payments work across most services for easy, cashless travel.
You will be charged the single fare to the end of the route, so always remember to tap off in order to pay the correct fare. If you do forget to tap off and are overcharged as a result, please get in touch, where you'll be able to view your journeys and request that the charge is reviewed if necessary.
Answer. Drivers should provide change where it is reasonable to do so. If they cannot, it may be possible for other passengers to help. If not, the driver should issue an 'Unpaid Fare Notice' and allow the passenger to travel.
The 10p payment is to check that the card is valid and has some balance. The charge will get updated to the correct amount once the day has completed and TfL have been able to calculate where you went and how much they need to charge you.
If you don't tap off the bus, you'll typically be charged the single fare to the very end of the route, which is usually the highest possible fare for that bus, rather than the shorter distance you actually traveled, leading to overcharging. This often means you miss out on fare capping and pay more than intended, but you can usually contact the bus company's customer service to get a refund for the overcharge.
London buses are all cashless, so you need an Oyster card, Travelcard or contactless payment card to ride. The bus fare in London is £1.75, and a day of bus-only travel will cost a maximum of £5.25. You can make unlimited free transfers to other buses and trams within one hour of touching in for your first journey.
The UK's £2 bus fare cap, originally ending in 2023, was extended multiple times and eventually transitioned to a £3 cap in England (outside London) from January 2025 to December 2025, funded by the government to help with living costs. However, some regions, like Liverpool City Region and Telford, have stepped in with local funding to keep their specific £2 caps running longer, with Liverpool aiming for 2026, while the national scheme shifted focus to the £3 cap to support bus services long-term.
Where to buy your ticket: In public transport with contactless payment. You can pay for your trip using your contactless bank card (debit or credit), smartphone or smartwatch. Every STIB bus, tram and metro station is equipped with a specific contactless payment device.
mTickets: One of the best ways to buy tickets is to use mTickets on the First Bus App, it's quick, easy and cash free. Download the app and follow the instructions, it's that simple.
