2012-01-20T00:24:00.000-08:00

You can use your bus pass

If you live outside England

Find out about free bus travel in other parts of the UK

If you're eligible for a free bus pass, you can use it anywhere in England during 'off-peak' times. Off-peak is:

between 9.30 am and 11.00 pm Monday to Friday
all day at weekends and on public holidays

Services outside England

The England bus pass only covers travel in England. It doesn't give you free bus travel in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. If you live outside England, you'll need to apply for a different pass from your local council.

Information for travelling in Ireland

Everyone aged 66 and over living permanently in the State is entitled to the free travel scheme. Certain people under that age are also entitled. In some cases, a free companion pass may be available to allow a person to accompany the free travel pass holder. If you qualify for free travel, you will be issued with a pass that you must carry with you when using public transport. Free travel passes are non-transferrable and can only be used by the named person.
Free travel is available on all State public transport (bus, rail and Dublin's LUAS service). Free travel is also available on a limited number of services that are operated by private bus transport companies. Private bus transport operators that have opted in to the Free Travel scheme accept free travel passes. To check whether your private bus operator accepts free travel passes, you should contact the Department of Social Protection - see 'Where to apply' below.

Spouses, civil partners, cohabitants and companions

If you have a free travel pass and you are married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting, you are entitled to a Free Travel Pass which allows your partner to accompany you free of charge when travelling. (This does not apply to person's under age 66 who are getting Carer's Allowance or who are nominated carers for people getting Constant Attendance Allowance or Prescribed Relatives Allowance from the Department of Social Protection).
In addition, some people who are unable to use the pass because they are unable to travel alone may get a Companion Free Travel Pass. This allows the holder to be accompanied by any person over 16 years of age, free of charge.

Senior SmartPass for travelling in Northern Ireland

The All Ireland Free Travel Scheme allows a Free Travel passholder (those aged 66 and older) to travel free of charge on all bus and rail services within Northern Ireland using a Smartpass card. Similarly, Northern Ireland Senior Smartpass holders are entitled to travel for free on services in Ireland using their existing Senior Smartpass. If your Free Travel Pass allows you to be accompanied by a spouse/civil partner/cohabitant or companion they may continue to travel with you for free on cross-border journeys but they cannot accompany you for free on public transport within Northern Ireland.
Free Travel Pass holders wishing to avail of the All Ireland Free Travel scheme within Northern Ireland must first obtain a Senior SmartPass card. To get a Senior SmartPass card you must fill in application form (FTNI1). (It isnot possible to get this form online, to get a form you must contact your Social Welfare Local Office).
The application form must be filled in with black ink only and returned in person (not posted) to your local social welfare office. You must bring the following items with your application form to your local social welfare office:

Your current Free Travel Pass and
Evidence of your address, (for example, a gas, electricity, phone bill or bank statement) and
Evidence of your identity, (for example, your drivers licence, passport or another form of photo identification) and
A recent passport standard colour photograph.

It may take up to six weeks to process your application. There is further information on the extension of the Free Travel Scheme.
You should continue to use your current Free Travel Pass for travel in this State.