Single and return fares are available on most buses and many operators offer weekly, monthly and annual tickets. For specific details you can contact the bus operators directly.
Here we can advise you on a number of tickets and passes:
- PlusBus – discount ticket for unlimited bus travel with your train ticket;
- Essex Saver - unlimited bus travel in Essex for £8;
- Sunday Saver - unlimited Sunday bus travel in Essex for just £2.80;
- Scholar's Season Ticket - if you’re under 19 and still at school or college;
- The BusCard – if you’re aged between 16 and 24;
- Day Villager - unlimited travel for a day on selected Essex County Council contracted bus services;
- 10 Journey Villager - multi-journey ticket allowing you to make 10 journeys for the price of 8 on selected Essex County Council contracted bus services;
- Harlow Saver - unlimited travel in Harlow all day Sundays and Bank holidays;
- Chelmsford Saver - unlimited travel in Chelmsford from 1900 and all day Sundays and Bank Holidays;
- Colchester Saver - unlimited travel in Colchester in the evenings from 1900 and all day on Sunday and Bank Holidays.
The Essex Saver ticket allows users unlimited same day travel on every registered local bus service within the
administrative boundary of Essex County Council, and also into neighbouring authorities, providing the journey starts or finishes in Essex and no change of bus is made outside of Essex.
The Essex Saver is:
- issued Monday to Saturday inclusive, on all non exempt registered local bus services;
- accepted at all times of day, on the day of issue, on all registered local bus services*;
- valid on community transport or demand responsive based services being used to replace or supplement registered local bus services (accepted but not issued).
*Exempt services:
- coach or National Express Coach services;
- tickets will be valid but not issued on Transport for London bus services starting or finishing in Essex;
- X5 Stansted – Ipswich (operated by Airportbycoach);
- X30 Stansted – Southend (operated by First Essex Buses);
- X81 Hutton – Lakeside (operated by Ensign Bus);
- 724 Harlow – Heathrow (operated by Arriva East Herts):
- Dengie Dart, Service 99, Maldon district – Chelmsford (operated by Arrow Taxis).
Adult....£2.80
Child....£1.50
Family....£5.50 (2 adults and 2 children or 1 adult and 3 children)
*Exempt services:
- coach or National Express Coach services;
- tickets will be valid but not issued on Transport for London bus services starting or finishing in Essex;
- X5 Stansted – Ipswich (operated by Airportbycoach);
- X22 Stansted – Colchester (operated by First Essex Buses);
- X30 Stansted – Southend (operated by First Essex Buses);
- 724 Harlow – Heathrow (operated by Arriva East Herts);
The Scholar's Season ticket is a prepaid ticket and can be used on most Essex County Council contracted local bus services. You can use it for 1 return journey each day, at any time, to or from school or college. It cannot be used at weekends or during school/college holidays.
The price is based on the cheapest child rate return fare for the chosen journey. This is then multiplied by the number of days per term and a discount of 10% is taken off term tickets and 20% from annual tickets.
To check fares or purchase a ticket call the Passenger Transport Local Bus team on 0845 603 7631. Several payment methods are available. To ensure your ticket is ready for the start of term we recommend purchasing a month in advance.
Special note for 18 year olds: on reaching your 19th birthday you will continue to be entitled to purchase a ticket at the child rate fares until the end of the academic year.
Buying a BusCard means you could benefit from child rate fares on a number of Essex County Council contracted
bus services. It costs just £10 so the more you use it, the sooner it pays for itself.
Complete the
BusCard application form or call Passenger Transport Local Bus team on 0845 603 7631 for further information.
Please do not forget to provide copies of your proof of age, as failure to do so will delay issue.
Multi-journey ticket allowing you to make 10 journeys for the price of 8 on selected Essex County Council contracted bus services (see table below for details).
Allows unlimited travel for a day on selected Essex County Council contracted bus service (see table below). This ticket is available for purchase onboard the bus.
Adult......£4.40
Child......£2.30
| Service |
Route |
10 Journey Villager |
Day Villager |
Buscard |
| 1 |
Takeley – Saffron Walden |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| 2 |
Mistley – Clacton |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| 3/4 |
Harwich – Clacton |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| 5 |
Saffron Walden – Bishop’s Stortford |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| 7/7A |
Stansted Airport – Bishop’s Stortford |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| 9/10 |
Braintree – Great Bardfield |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| 11/12/13 |
Sudbury – Halstead/ Gosfield Lake |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| 14/15/15A |
Wickford – Chelmsford |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| 16 |
Wethersfield – Chelmsford |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| 301 |
Stansted Airport – Saffron Walden |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| 302 |
Bishop’s Stortford – Saffron Walden |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| 314 |
Great Dunmow – Braintree |
- |
Yes |
Yes |
| 315 |
Stebbing Green – Great Dunmow |
- |
Yes |
Yes |
| 318 |
Thaxted – Bishop’s Stortford |
- |
Yes |
Yes |
| 319 |
Dunmow – Bishop’s Stortford |
Yes |
- |
Yes |
|
Provides unlimited travel in Harlow all day on Sundays and Bank Holidays. This ticket is available for purchase onboard the bus.
Adult....£2.00
Child....£1.00
Provides unlimited travel in Chelmsford in the evening from 1900 and all day Sundays and Bank Holidays. This ticket is available for purchase onboard the bus.
Adult |
Sunday before 1900 |
£2.40 |
|
Daily after 1900 |
£1.80 |
Child |
Sunday before 1900 |
£1.30 |
|
Daily after 1900 |
£1.00 |
Provides unlimited travel in Colchester in the evenings from 1900 and all day on Sunday and Holiday Mondays. This ticket is available for purchase onboard the bus.
Adult |
Sunday before 1900 |
£2.40 |
|
Daily after 1900 |
£1.80 |
Child |
Sunday before 1900 |
£1.30 |
|
Daily after 1900 |
£1.00 |