Plymouth weekends go fare-free throughout September

Plymouth residents and visitors can travel free on participating local buses every Saturday and Sunday in September. The offer begins on 5 September and runs through 27 September, covering journeys that start within the Plymouth city boundary. No booking is required.

The initiative is open to everyone, including families planning a day out, students discovering the city, commuters travelling at weekends and visitors exploring Plymouth. Participating services are operated by Plymouth Citybus, Stagecoach South West and Tally Ho.

Eight days when Plymouth bus fares will be waived

The free travel offer applies across four consecutive weekends:

Passengers do not need to reserve a place or obtain a special booking before travelling. The essential eligibility condition concerns where the journey begins: it must start within Plymouth’s city boundary and use a participating local service.

That makes the scheme relevant to several kinds of weekend journey, from travelling to work or meeting friends to shopping in the city centre. It also gives people who have not caught a bus recently—or have never used one in Plymouth—a defined period in which to test local services without paying a fare.

The Plymouth Enhanced Bus Partnership initiative is funded through government bus improvement funding. Plymouth City Council is delivering it with Plymouth Citybus, Stagecoach South West and Tally Ho as part of September’s Catch the Bus Month activities.

Armada Way team will answer bus questions on 12 September

A public information event will take place at Armada Way Piazza in Plymouth city centre on Saturday 12 September, from 10am until 4pm. Residents can speak directly with local partners, ask questions about using the bus and share their views about Plymouth services.

The event is aimed particularly at people considering more frequent bus travel and those returning to buses after a long break. It falls on one of the fare-free Saturdays, allowing visitors to try a participating service on the same day without paying for a qualifying journey.

Councillor John Stephens, Plymouth City Council’s Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport, said the weekends were intended to help people leave the car at home, save money and explore the city. He encouraged regular passengers, former users and first-time bus travellers to take advantage of the offer.

Stagecoach South West managing director Peter Knight said removing weekend fares would make it easier for families, students, commuters and visitors to experience bus travel around Plymouth.

Check the service and starting point before boarding

Free travel is limited to participating Plymouth Citybus, Stagecoach South West and Tally Ho services when the journey starts inside the Plymouth city boundary. The offer does not cover Plymouth Citybus Argyle football specials or the Stagecoach Falcon coach service.

Passengers should check that their intended service participates before travelling, especially where a route or coach could fall within the stated exclusions. No accessibility arrangements or additional event facilities were specified in the council announcement. The next in-person opportunity to clarify individual journey questions is the Armada Way Piazza information event from 10am to 4pm on 12 September.

Source: Plymouth City Council