bus travel scotland free

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Apply for an under 22s bus pass through your council

If you cannot or do not want to apply online, or do not have the documents needed to apply online, you can apply through your local council. 

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Free bus pass scheme costs and uptake: FOI release

Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Information requested

• How much has the free bus pass for under 22s cost the government overall since it launched? Breakdown of these costs.
• How much is it estimated to continue to cost over the next five years?
• The government's cost/benefit analysis of the scheme so far a year on from delivery.
• What has the uptake been like for each of the local authority areas as reported to the government? Breakdown by each area and how many people have their card compared to how many do not?

1. Between 31 January 2022 and 3 February 2023 the Scottish Government spent £102,378,600.88 on the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme. This is broken down in to £97,166,918.69 of operator reimbursements costs and £5,211,682.19 of operational set-up and maintenance costs.

2. The Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme is the first of its kind globally. Therefore there is not sufficient economic, demographic or travel pattern data to make such estimates. 

In the financial year 2023-24, the scheme is expected to cost up to an estimated £189.5 million in claims.

3. Transport Scotland are undertaking an evaluation of the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme to assess whether the scheme is working as expected in achieving its objectives and benefits. A value for money assessment will be undertaken at a later stage of the evaluation programme, usually three years after the introduction of the scheme. This is to allow enough time for the benefits of the scheme to mature, and ensure an accurate and robust cost/benefit assessment.

4.   The table below shows the number of valid cardholders in the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme as of close of business on Tuesday 31 January 2023, broken down by local authority area. Please note that this information is based on live data and so will exclude those who have turned 22 or exited the scheme since its launch. This information was supplied by the National Entitlement Card Programme Office (NECPO). NECPO support the 32 local authorities by assisting with the integration of various national and local public services on the National Entitlement Card (NEC) and are the joint controller with local authorities of this data.

The estimated eligible population refers to the number of people aged 5-21 who have become eligible for concessionary travel as a result of the Young Person’s Scheme, not including those under-22s already eligible for free bus travel through the disability criteria of the Older and Disabled Persons Scheme. These figures are derived from National Records of Scotland Mid Year Population estimates for 2021, and are adjusted to take into account the fact that the scheme became operational in 2022.

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses .

Please quote the FOI reference Central Enquiry Unit Email: [email protected] Phone: 0300 244 4000

The Scottish Government St Andrews House Regent Road Edinburgh EH1 3DG

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Getting your card

Who can get free bus travel.

Every 5–21 year old living in Scotland for more than 6 months of the year can travel for free by bus if they have a valid National Entitlement Card (NEC) or Young Scot National Entitlement Card (Young Scot NEC).

If you are 5–15 years old, your parent, guardian or carer must apply for you. If you are 16–21 years old, you must apply for your own NEC or Young Scot NEC.

Children under 5 years old do not need an NEC as they can already travel for free on buses.

How do I get free bus travel?

You will need a NEC or a Young Scot NEC. You will not be able to travel for free on the bus without one. If you already have a card, you will need to apply for a replacement which will allow free bus travel.

How to apply .

What will I need to get a National Entitlement Card (NEC) or Young Scot NEC?

You will need to provide proof of identity (your name and age), proof of residence (where you usually stay) and a photograph if you are 11 years old or over. Find out what documents you can use to provide proof on the NEC website .

If you are aged 5 -15 years old, your parent or guardian must apply for your NEC on your behalf. If you are aged 16 -21 years old, you must apply by yourself.

I live in Scotland for part of the year. Can I still get free bus travel?

If you live in Scotland for most of the year (at least 6 months), then you are eligible.

I already have a disabled National Entitlement Card (NEC) for the Older and Disabled Scheme. Will I need a new card?

It is your choice. Some local council areas provide discounted travel on rail, tram or subway with a Disabled Persons’ NEC, but you are likely to have to renew that card more often. Currently, a Disabled Persons’ NEC is valid for up to three years. Further information can be found on the Transport Scotland website .

However, if you have a Disabled Companion NEC, allowing a companion to travel for free with you, then you should not change to the new scheme. The new scheme does not allow anyone to travel with you for free.

My application’s been rejected. Why?

You should be told why your application has been rejected and given advice on how to submit a successful application. Check to see that your details are all correct and your photo meets all the requirements. If that doesn’t work, get in touch with your local council.

How long do I need to wait for my new National Entitlement Card (NEC)/Young Scot NEC?

For online applications, you should allow up to ten working days (which is the same as two calendar weeks) from the date your application was submitted for it to be reviewed. However, during busy periods this may take slightly longer. Once approved the card will be dispatched within two working days. You can check the status of your online application by logging into the NEC portal on getyournec.scot .

If you have applied for a Young Scot NEC through your school, the school can provide more information on when your card will be delivered.

My details aren’t right. What do I do?

Most cardholders can update their details at getyournec.scot or get in touch with your local council to have your details amended.

Why does my parent or guardian have to apply for a National Entitlement Card (NEC)/Young scot NEC on my behalf?

If you are 5–15 years old, then your parent, guardian or carer must apply on your behalf. This will make sure they are aware that you get to travel for free by bus, so that they can ensure you are safe and well. If you are 16 years old and over, you must apply yourself.

I don’t want to throw away my old National Entitlement Card (NEC)/Young Scot NEC myself. Can it be securely disposed of?

Yes it can. If you are getting a new card and would like your old one to be securely disposed of, please send it to:

Concessionary Travel and Integrated Ticketing Transport Scotland George House 2nd Floor 36 North Hanover Street Glasgow G1 2AD

Why do parents/guardians of 5 -15 year olds have to apply on their behalf?

If you are a parent, guardian or carer of a 5–15 year old, then you must apply on their behalf. This will allow you to continue to exercise responsibility over their wellbeing and safety.

By applying on their behalf, you are agreeing for them to receive an NEC or Young Scot NEC that allows them to travel for free on any registered bus service in Scotland, as well as a limited number of local cross border services into northern England.

I am a parent, but my child doesn’t live with me. Can I apply on their behalf?

Your child can only have one National Entitlement Card (NEC) or Young Scot NEC. You should decide which parent, guardian or carer applies on their behalf.

Young people who are 16–21 years old must apply themselves. If your 16-21 year old needs additional support with their application, please contact your local council .

I don’t want my child to have free bus travel. How do I make sure that they don’t get it?

You should not apply for the free bus travel scheme. A parent, guardian or carer must apply on behalf of 5–15 year olds. If you are applying on behalf of your child for a National Entitlement Card (NEC) or Young Scot NEC, do not ‘opt in’ to the free bus travel entitlement. This will allow them to receive their card without access to free bus travel.

Once a young person is 16 years old and over, they can apply for their own NEC or Young Scot NEC and get access to free bus travel.

My child will soon be five. How soon can I apply?

You can apply for a National Entitlement Card from two weeks before your child’s fifth birthday.

Will my child’s school be arranging to help apply for cards, including getting parental approval?

Your local council will let you know if they are offering to place bulk orders for National Entitlement Cards (NEC) or Young Scot NECs in your area. These come in three types:

• a photoless NEC (primary school age)
• a Young Scot NEC (secondary school age).

My child is 16 (or older) and needs help to apply. Can a parent or guardian, do this on their behalf?

No. Anyone who is 16 years old or above must apply for their own NEC or Young Scot NEC, unless they have difficulty in applying on their own. Contact your local council if you need additional support with the application process.

I don’t read English. How do I apply for free bus travel for my child?

Please contact your local council to find out more and get support.

Should I get a Young Scot NEC or standard NEC?

If you are over 11 years old you can choose to apply for the Young Scot NEC or a standard NEC. If you choose a Young Scot NEC, you can use it to save money with in-person and online discounts – with over 500 discounts in Scotland and over 100,000 deals across Europe. It also acts as proof of age. What’s more, you can collect points by taking part in activities and exchanging these for Rewards. Find out more at young.scot/card .

Using your card

How do i use my national entitlement card (nec)/young scot nec on the bus.

In most cases, you place your card on the card reader machine next to the bus driver. Ask the driver if you have any questions.

What do I do if my National Entitlement Card (NEC)/Young Scot NEC is not working?

Very occasionally, the driver will advise you that your card has been “hotlisted” or “blocked”. This usually means that it is an old card you are trying to use, and you have requested a replacement. After you’ve applied for a new card or requested a replacement, your old card will stop working. As soon as your new card arrives, you should start using it and destroy your old card.

You can contact your local authority to request a replacement, and if you live in the Glasgow city council area, you can complete an online form to request a replacement through Glasgow life. You can also visit getyournec.scot to apply for a new card online.

For information on how to apply for a replacement card go to How to apply . You will need to pay any fares until the replacement arrives.

How much will it cost to get a replacement card?

Replacements are free of charge.

If you need to apply for a new card you can contact your local authority to request a replacement, and if you live in the Glasgow city council area, you can complete an online form to request a replacement through Glasgow life. You can also visit getyournec.scot to apply for a new card online.

My friend has lost their National Entitlement Card (NEC)/Young Scot NEC. Can they use mine?

No. It is only for you and you should not share it with anybody else.

If your card has a photo, then please keep it up to date, as the bus driver might not let you travel if you do not look like your photo. The photo on your Young Scot NEC also needs to be kept up to date to use it to prove your age for age restricted products or services.

You can update the photo for free.

Can my access to free bus travel be stopped?

Yes, if you misuse the free bus travel scheme (such as letting someone else use your card), then you might have free bus travel removed from your card.

Can I load my National Entitlement Card (NEC)/Young Scot NEC on an app rather than carrying the card?

No, you must have your NEC or Young Scot NEC with you if you want to travel for free.

Where can I go under the free bus travel scheme?

You can travel Scotland wide on local and long distance bus services, apart from a few exceptions such as premium-fare night buses, city sightseeing buses, and some airport transfer services. Check with your bus operator if in doubt.

If you are travelling to England, you will be able to travel to Carlisle or Berwick-Upon-Tweed, but it cannot be used to travel within these towns.

Does my National Entitlement Card (NEC) allow me discounts or free travel on rail, tram, subway or ferry?

The free travel scheme is for bus only. However, there may be other discounts available. Please check on the Transport Scotland website for further information.

Do children need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian to access free bus travel?

No. However, if you are in any doubt check with the bus operator before travelling. All bus operators have conditions of carriage which set out who can travel on their services and they may require younger children to be accompanied.

What are the terms and conditions for my National Entitlement Card (NEC)/Young Scot NEC?

You must ensure that your card is in good condition and presented to the bus ticket machine or other transport ticketing equipment in good working order (e.g. it’s not damaged).

Full terms and conditions can be found here .

Staying safe

What measures are being taken to support children to travel safely.

We are undertaking an awareness campaign with partners to support children, young people, parents and guardians, and bus operators.

Transport Scotland has been working closely with Barnardo’s Scotland on how to safeguard young people travelling on the bus network, including providing training material for bus drivers. This will help drivers to recognise and respond to children or young people who need support while travelling on the bus network and help ensure that they can travel safely.

Go to the staying safe section

Using the app

I’ve already applied for a new nec or young scot nec but it hasn’t arrived yet. can i use the app.

If you’ve already applied for a new card, depending on where you are in the application process, you may be able to download free bus travel onto your current card so you can use it until your new card is issued.

However this will only work temporarily until your application is processed. This is because when your new card is issued, your old card will automatically be set to stop working. You can then recycle or dispose of your old card.

If you’ve applied for a new card and your application has now been processed but you’ve not received it yet (for example, it is in the post), then you may not have free bus travel available to download via the app. But don’t worry – this means your new card is coming.

If you have applied on GETYOURNEC.SCOT , you can log back in to check the status of your application.

What if my application for a new card has been approved and a new card is sent to me after I have already used the app to get free bus on my existing card – will both work?

When your new card is issued, your old card will automatically be set to stop working and you can dispose of it.

If you would like to send us your old card to be securely disposed of, you can send it to:

Why can’t there be an app instead of a card we can use on the bus – it would be much easier?

We recognise that there is an interest in an app based travel solution. Unfortunately, the compatible technology is not yet available to provide an app for concessionary travel, but we continue to monitor technology advancements in this area.

Why can’t Young Scot cardholders under 16 use the app?

For young people aged 5-15, a parent, guardian or carer must apply on for free bus travel on their behalf. This is to make sure the parent, guardian or carer knows that the young person is able to travel for free by bus, and can ensure their child is safe and well.

During the application process, it is important to verify who the person making the application is, who the child is, and know that the person making the application is authorised to act on behalf of that child.

As the app cannot store personal data, this information cannot be captured or verified. This means that for anyone aged 5-15, parents, guardians or carers will need to apply for a new card either online or through their local council.

I am turning 16 next week/soon – can I use the app?

Yes, the system will be updated regularly so that free travel will be available to collect on your 16th birthday. Remember that this only applies if your existing application has not been processed, you already have an active NEC or Young Scot NEC, and haven’t applied for a new card since January 2022.

Can I use someone else’s card to collect my free bus travel?

No – your card is unique to you. To download your free bus travel you must use your own card.

Can I use someone else’s Transport Scot Pass Collect app to download my free bus travel?

Yes – the app will check your card with the details held on the system and will download the free bus travel for you, via anyone’s Transport Scot Pass Collect app.

Can my friend/child download their free bus travel using my phone?

Yes. The app will check their card details with the system and download the bus travel for them. You can only download the free bus travel for the intended person onto their card – you cannot download it onto your card, for example.

I couldn’t download the app from the Google Play Store or Apple Store. What should I do?

Check your smart phone is connected to the internet with good signal and you have space on your mobile device to download the app.

If you still cannot download the app your phone may not be compatible – it needs to be Android (version 6 or newer) or iOS (version 6 or newer) and have Near Field Communication (NFC) compatibility – the same function you use for contactless payment with your phone.

If you still don’t have access to the app, you can use someone else’s Transport Scot Pass Collect app to download free bus travel onto your card.

What if I have other tickets or money already loaded on my NEC or Young Scot NEC card?

The app will ignore these and download free bus travel onto the card as well.

In the unlikely event that your card is full (for example, you have lots of other travel products/entitlements already stored on your card) the app will tell you and you may need to remove some of the old tickets to free up space. You can do this by presenting your card to the relevant operators’ ticket or gate machine and it will clear them for you automatically, freeing up room for your bus pass.

Is any personal data held on the app?

• There is no data, personal or other, held or stored on the app.
• View the app terms and conditions .

How much data space does it take?

The app doesn’t take up too much space or take long to download. It’s around 100mb on Android and only 30mb on Apple – but you do need a good signal to download it (3G + or stronger).

Need more help?

If you can’t find an answer to your question, then get in touch.

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Coach service offers journeys across the UK for knockdown price of £2 each way

Hundreds of cut-price, sustainable intercity journeys are on special offer this week for trips across England, Scotland and Wales

A transport company is offering £2 tickets for coach trips across the UK to be taken up to May 12. With a £1 service fee, that means travellers planning journeys can book long-distance tickets from £3 on the FlixBus website or app.

In England there is a government-backed scheme capping local bus tickets at £2 until December 2024, but this offer opens up longer routes and also applies to journeys into and around Wales and Scotland, where the £2 cap doesn’t exist. So, if you fancy a trip through the blossoming valleys from Bristol to Swansea, or from Glasgow to Inverness via the Cairngorms, now is the time to book. The deal is available until Sunday 21 April.

The international travel tech company is celebrating three years of business in the UK. It runs in partnership with local coach companies using green, branded vehicles. Earlier this year FlixBus launched the first direct electric coach service between London Victoria station and Newport in south Wales two of around 75 UK destinations currently covered by the network.

FlixBus began as a German startup in 2013 and has grown exponentially since then to cover thousands of routes in more than 40 countries, entering the UK market in 2020. Last summer it launched the first ever regular routes from several UK cities, including Leeds and Cambridge, direct to Amsterdam. The buses aim to be cheap, sustainable, easy to book and comfortable, with free wifi and charging points on board.

The lowest-priced journeys include direct routes such as Manchester to Edinburgh, London to Bridgend, Bristol to Newcastle and hundreds more intercity connections. The whole FlixBus Scottish network is part of the £2 scheme with Inverness added as a new destination this month. In Scotland, National Entitlement Card and Young Scot cardholders can get free travel.

Andreas Schörling, managing director of FlixBus UK, said the network offers affordable tickets and “comfortable, modern vehicles” and is celebrating its third anniversary with “£2 travel around the vibrant cities and towns of the UK”. The company aims to “become the best-loved coach brand in the country”, he added, offering “reliable services to as many passengers as possible”.

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Introduction

The Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme (also known as the Under 22s scheme) commenced on 31 January 2022. All children and young people aged 5-21 resident in Scotland (including asylum seekers and refugees) are eligible to apply.

The policy aims of the scheme are to encourage more sustainable travel behaviours and tackle issues related to transport poverty and access to services by:

• embedding positive sustainable travel behaviours;
• opening up social, education, employment and leisure opportunities; and
• reducing household outgoings to aid children, particularly those living in poverty.

Year One Evaluation

As part of the ongoing monitoring of the scheme, Transport Scotland commissioned a Year One Evaluation. The aim was to consider the short and medium term impacts and outcomes of the scheme after it had been operational for one year, and to provide insights into how the policy was working in practice.

The evaluation adopted a mixed methods approach, as follows:

• A repeat of the pre-introduction baseline survey with young people and parents/carers - referred to here as the ‘follow-up survey’, where 10,875 valid responses were received;
• Focus groups with young people, parents/carers and other bus users, involving 42 participants in total;
• A consultation-based survey with professional stakeholders; and
• Analysis of available secondary data.

This summary report collates the key findings from across all research strands. More detailed findings are presented in separate analysis reports - one dedicated to the consultation survey with professional stakeholders , and the other addressing all other research strands .

Report Presentation

Full details on the various methodologies used, sample profiles achieved, and limitations/caveats associated with the work are included in the corresponding analysis reports. The remainder of this summary report sets out the key findings as they relate to the three main policy aims.

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