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Get Round for £1

If you’re 21 or under you can now go by bus for just £1 or less! Or, you can buy a £3 unlimited day ticket to get round County Durham, Northumberland and Tyne & Wear – you can go by Metro or Ferry too.

So, if you’re going to college, work or just meeting mates – it’s a cheaper, greener way to get around.

 

Get Round for £1
Available to anyone aged 21 or under

Available to anyone aged 21 or under

The 21 and under £1 single ticket, and £3 day ticket can be purchased in advance online or through operator apps, or bought on the bus – just ask the driver. Products that are valid in the Tyne & Wear area can also be purchased on Metro ticket machines.

You may be asked for proof of age. See more information about valid ID, below.

Valid on most buses across the region

Valid on most buses across the region

Most bus operators in the Durham, Northumberland, and Tyne & Wear are participating in the scheme. The tickets are valid on the majority of services.

If your journey starts in the North East Combined Authority area but crosses into another local authority area, your ticket may only be valid for a portion of the journey. See more information about using the offer, below.

View areas covered and exceptions
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Where can I buy a Day Rover or Day Saver 

These tickets can be purchased in advance through operator apps, as well as being available to purchase on the bus – just ask the driver for the named ticket above.

The Tyne and Wear Day Rover and TNE Day Saver can also be purchased on Metro ticket machines and on the Shields Ferry.

How do I use my ticket?

This will depend on which operator you are travelling with and the type of ticket machine they have.

Where a QR code is generated on your ticket, this should be scanned on services where ticket machines facilitate this. If the ticket purchased does not have a QR code, just show the ticket to the driver on all subsequent trips. You will also be able to show the ticket to Tyne and Wear Metro staff to gain access through the barriers.

Go North East and Arriva services have ticket machines where QR codes will be printed and scanned for each journey.

Tickets purchased through Stagecoach, smaller bus operators and Metro will not produce QR codes.

Information for using the offer

Is this the cheapest ticket for a child (under-16)?

In County Durham and Northumberland this will usually be the cheapest fare available for children, although some specific services might have cheaper fares such as the Durham Cathedral buses 40, 40A, 40C.

In Tyne and Wear children can travel for 60p single / £1.10 day ticket if they have an Under 16 Pop card (see https://www.nexus.org.uk/under-16-pop-card-0) but this will usually be the cheapest ticket option if your child does not have an Under 16 Pop card.

Under 5s always travel for free.

During school holidays check whether our #KidsGoFree offer is running: https://www.northeast-ca.gov.uk/kidsgofree

Is a Day ticket cheaper than a Return or operator-specific day ticket?

This will vary depending on your travel plans and the number of buses and other modes of transport you will use.

Some operators no longer sell return tickets but offer their own day tickets which may be cheaper if your journeys will only be on that operator’s buses and within its validity zone.

If your journeys include more than one operator, transport mode, or you need a wider geographical validity zone then the relevant Day Rover or TNE Day Saver ticket is likely to be the best value.  

If you are only going to use one bus each way then your cheapest option will usually to be purchase a single ticket for each journey, this will range from £1.60 with a maximum cap of £2.50 depending on the length of the journey (state your destination to the driver to get the correct single ticket price).

How many journeys can I do with these tickets?

There is no limit on the number of journeys which can be made within the validity of your travel ticket – so the more journeys you make, the more money you will save!

What happens if I'm not sure how many journeys I will do?

A 21 and under ticket cannot be re-issued during its validity, and therefore a decision needs to be made in advance of purchasing your ticket as to which product will offer the best value.

In 2025, we are aiming to implement smart capping which will enable flexibility so the best value fare will be calculated automatically. Find out more here.

What if I lose my ticket?

21 and under tickets are non-refundable and will not be replaced. In the event you lose your ticket, you will need to buy a replacement. 

The Enhanced Partnership consists of local transport authorities and bus operators working together to enhance the bus network and improve services across the North East.

These fares initiatives are being delivered through money awarded to the region through our Bus Service Improvement Plan. 

The scheme is funded until March 2026.

Terms and conditions

All tickets are non-refundable and must be replaced if lost or damaged. All tickets are also subject to the relevant operators’ conditions of carriage.

This fare may not be available on a small number of services such as tour buses and match day services.

  1. Proof of age may be required. Valid ID is defined as:
    1. a Passport (UK or International)
    2. proof of age cards with a PASS logo (e.g. a CitizenCard or Young Scot card)
    3. a driving licence or provisional driving licence (UK or EU)
    4. EU national identity card
    5. a NHS Medical Card
    6. operator proof of age cards (e.g. Stagecoach U19 ID card, Nexus U16 Pop card, Arriva North East Teen Card or Network One Young Person's ID card)
  2. Day Rovers only allow travel within each zone named in the ticket.
    1. The TNE Zone is defined as Northumberland County Council, Durham County Council and Tyne & Wear.
    2. If the service partially operates outside the TNE Zone, the products are only valid for parts of the journeys that are wholly within that zone except for Arriva services to/from Tees Valley on which the BSIP tickets are accepted.
  3. Where a ticket has been generated with a QR code, this should be scanned for all subsequent journeys, where possible.
    1. If your ticket does not have a QR code, then the ticket should be presented to drivers/Metro staff for all subsequent journeys.
  4. All tickets are non-refundable and must be replaced if lost or damaged.
  5. All tickets are subject to the relevant operators’ conditions of carriage.
  6. Ticket holders do not have precedence over other passengers.
  7. The unlimited day fare covers bus, Metro, Shields Ferry and the Northern Rail services between Blaydon and Sunderland.
  8. From 16 June 2024, customers 21 and under can use their £1 single or £3 day ticket for journeys on cross boundary services into Tees Valley only. Onwards journeys within Tees Valley are not permissible with tickets purchased in the North East Combined Authority area. (Eligible services listed in FAQ's below). 

In the event of a suspension of services because of strikes, labour disputes, emergency or adverse weather conditions, reasonable refunds or extension of validity of pre-purchased tickets may be considered but the decision will be entirely at the discretion of the company.

Refunds will not be made in respect of days on which it can reasonably be foreseen that no service or a replaced service will be provided, or days on which the company has advertised a reduction or suspension of service, such as Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Funded by UK Government

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