Yes, you can still pay with cash on most buses in the UK, although it is increasingly encouraged to use contactless payments or mobile apps. When paying with cash, it is highly recommended to have the exact fare as many drivers do not carry change or may issue vouchers instead.
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.
We encourage all of our customers to buy tickets using the First Bus App or to pay by contactless card on board. If you are paying with cash, please try to use the exact fare.
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.
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Is the 2 pound bus fare extended?
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.
Simply tap your phone, card, Oyster or show your ticket for travel on a London bus. Credit: Shutterstock. Image courtesy of Shutterstock. London buses are card only, so you cannot buy a ticket with cash.
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.
10p charges from us may seem random, but here's what's happening 👇 It's a temporary check to make sure your card is valid for travel. It's replaced with the actual fare once all your travel is complete over a 24-hour period, and this amount is usually charged at 4am.
What happens if you tap on a bus but don't tap off?
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.
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.
Transport for London (TfL) has announced that cash fares will no longer be accepted on London buses from Sunday 6 July. The decision to move to cash free bus travel follows a considerable drop in the number of people paying their bus fare in cash.
Cash-in-hand payments are legal but must follow strict tax and employment law rules. You must deduct and report tax and National Insurance and ensure staff receive payslips and legal entitlements. Staff must agree to be paid in cash, and you must treat it as net pay, not gross.
Tesco caused uproar among shoppers this week when it confirmed it would ban cash payments at some of its cafes. The card-only policy will be rolled out to 40 in-store eateries. The supermarket has reportedly taken the decision after a new electronic ordering system helped to significantly cut down queues.
Yes, for London's public transport (Tube, buses, DLR), Zone 1, the central area, is generally the most expensive for single journeys and daily travel caps because it contains most major attractions, but you can sometimes find cheaper fares by cleverly crossing into it during off-peak times or by using specific Railcards, though staying out of Zone 1 usually costs less overall if you're not going far.
A Zone 1 to 2 fare in London on Oyster or contactless is typically around £3.50 peak and £2.90 off-peak, with daily caps around £8.90 and weekly caps around £44.70 as of late 2025/early 2026, though fares change annually. Cash fares are much higher, around £7.00 for a single journey.
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.
A daily bus fare cap limits the maximum you'll pay for bus travel in a day, with England's national scheme capping most single fares at £3 until late 2025, though some regions like the North East (at £2.50) and Liverpool (at £2) offer even lower local caps, while London's Oyster/contactless has its own fare capping, like £5.25 for bus/tram. These caps apply automatically to single fares, ensuring you don't exceed the daily limit, making travel more affordable.
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.
