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PlusBus launches of E-Ticket trials to promote truly integrated travel
06 February 2025A new trial is being launched in West Yorkshire which allows passengers to add West Yorkshire bus travel when they buy rail tickets on their smartphones, providing a truly integrated public transport experience.
PlusBus, the ticket that adds bus travel to train journeys at 280 locations across the UK, has announced it is trialing e-Tickets at nine locations across the country, including West Yorkshire, which will make it easier for customers to purchase bus and train tickets together in one seamless transaction. Train passengers travelling to or from seven stations in West Yorkshire including Leeds, Bradford, Halifax, Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Keighley and Wakefield can now add a PlusBus e-Ticket when they purchase their rail ticket via leading rail industry apps such as trainsplit.com, LNER, Great Western Railway and Trans Pennine Express.
Richard Armitage, Chair of MCard commented “Here in West Yorkshire, we are really pleased to be involved in the initial PlusBus e-ticket trial. We know from first-hand experience with our MCard Mobile app that customers want to have the option to buy and use digital bus and train tickets. With this new ticketing initiative, we look forward to welcoming more train users from across the UK on our local bus network”.
“We listened to customer feedback and have worked hard with rail and bus companies, local authorities and the Rail Delivery Group to develop the PlusBus eTicket,” said Julie Gray, CEO of PlusBus. “We’re proud to be able to launch the trials in West Yorkshire, as well as Cambridge and Weston Super-Mare ahead of a roll out across England, Wales and Scotland, which will be a huge step towards delivering frictionless integrated transport for customers across the UK.”
PlusBus, which is managed by Traveline Information Ltd. who promote integrated public transport through their national online journey planner and call centre, is using rail industry barcodes for its e-Tickets. During the trial customers will show their e-Ticket to the driver on their smartphone to validate travel when boarding the bus. Work is underway to scan the e-Ticket on bus ticket machines and is expected to be completed during the trial phase. Subject to a successful outcome of the trial, the eTicket option will be rolled out at all 280 PlusBus locations across the UK in 2025.
A wide range of visitor attractions in PlusBus areas provide rewards or discounts when visitors arrive by public transport. To improve the offer further, PlusBus and Traveline have been working closely with Good Journey, which champions car-free leisure travel in the UK, to provide discount offers for PlusBus ticket holders at attractions across the UK. All participating attractions can be found at www.goodjourney.org.uk.
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