Frequently Asked Questions

Popular Questions

What is pre-pay?
Prepay lets you use your contactless payment card to travel on participating bus services. Your card acts as your bus pass or pre-purchased tickets—no paper tickets or cash needed. We have specifically introduced pre-pay for school bus travel where some schools have banned mobile phones.

Pre-pay lets you use a contactless payment card as a bus pass, or pre-loaded cards such as Go Henry, or Nat West Rooster. 

Does my contactless card store money?
No. Your card doesn’t hold any balance or stored value—it simply links to your pre-purchased travel ticket from the pre-pay web portal.

Can I use pre-pay on other bus companies?
Currently pre-pay is only available on for certain buses passes (usually in relation to a dedicated school bus route) on  Bluestar, Morebus, Damory, Salisbury Reds, Swindon's Bus Company and Southern Vectis.

What happens if I forget to tap off?
If you don’t tap off when leaving the bus, the system may charge you the default maximum fare for that route. If you find this happens, please contact customer services for further advice.

Getting Started

What do I need to travel with pre-pay?
All you need to do is to visit our pre-pay portal, set up a profile, and link whatever contactless cards you want to use to pay and travel to your profile. This needs to be the prepay card you will be using on the bus. 

How do I link my card to my pre-pay account?
When you buy a bus pass via the portal, you’ll be asked to nominate a contactless card to make payment. That card will then be the one linked automatically to your ticket.

Please DO NOT enter any of your own card details as you will not be able to transfer the payment to your child's card once you have done this.

All card details entered MUST be for the child's payment card only.

Can I use my phone instead of a physical card?
No, this needs to be physical contactless card.

Using Your Card

How do I travel with pre-pay?
Tap your nominated card on the ticket machine reader when boarding. Wait for the green light or beep to confirm your tap.  When you are leaving the bus you must also tap again.  This can be via the tap off reader or the driver's ticket machine.

What happens if I use the wrong card?
If you tap with a different card than the one linked to your ticket, your ticket won’t be recognised, and you may be charged for your journey.

Can I use one card for more than one person?
No. Each traveller must have their own card and valid ticket.

Tickets and Validity

How long are my tickets valid for?
Tickets are stored inactive for 12 months from purchase. the first journey you make after purchase will activate the pass and it will remain valid for travel for the period stated on it (for example, a Monthly pass).

Do I need to buy a new bus pass when my old one expires?
Yes. Once your bus  pass expires, you’ll need to buy a new one before travelling again, or you may be charged for subsequent journeys.

Can I travel immediately after buying my bus pass?
Yes, activation of your bus pass happens the first time you tap on the driver's ticket machine.

Lost or Replaced Cards

What should I do if my card is lost or stolen?
Log in to your pre-pay  account and unlink the lost card. Then link your replacement card before your next journey. Please be aware the replacement card has to be by the same issuer to transfer your existing bus pass.  

What happens if my bank sends me a replacement card?
You’ll need to update your account with your new card details. Travel cannot be validated until your new card is linked. 

Can someone misuse my lost card?
Until your card is unlinked from the pre-pay, it could still be used. Please unlink it via the pre-pay portal as soon as you become aware it’s been lost to prevent misuse.

Refunds and Problems

Can I get a refund on my ticket?
 If you are eligible in line with conditions of carriage rules, terms and conditions, please contact Customer Services on 01202 338 420

What should I do if I believe I’ve been overcharged?
Contact customer Services via our email address [email protected] with your card details and journey information. They’ll investigate and issue a refund if appropriate.

What if the reader doesn’t work when I try to tap?
If the reader is out of order, inform the driver. They may allow travel and log the incident manually.

Inspections and Penalties

Can drivers or inspectors ask to see my card?
Yes. You may be asked to present your nominated card at any time during travel for verification that it is connected to a valid ticket.

What happens if I can’t show my nominated card?
You may be treated as travelling without a valid ticket and could receive a penalty fare.

Data and Privacy

What personal data does pre-pay collect?
Only the information needed to link your card to your account and validate your travel.

How is my data protected?
Your information is handled in line with UK data protection laws, including DPA 2018.

Further Help

Where can I find more help?
Call customer services on 01202 338420 or email [email protected] for assistance with your account, refunds, or card linking.

Who do I contact if I can’t access my account?
If you’re having login issues, use the “Forgot Password” option or contact Customer Services on 01202 338420 to reset your access.