First Bus – fares

Here’s what Firstbus states:

For infrequent travellers, you may just wish to purchase a single or return travel ticket. Simply state your destination to the driver when you board, the ticket you require and you will be advised of the price for your journey.

This is all the information that is available for single ticket purchasers. The small print highlights (sic!) the Lothians “exact fare” policy, which runs counter to the fact that the fare is not actually stated.

The telephone number to use to get information about fares is not easy to find on the website and is not given on the contact page. The contact number is printed on the season ticket pages, however. It is also clearly printed on the physical timetable booklet, but might not appear on a single photocopy of a timetable, which is typically supplied by outlets like a library, who ration them as they never have enough leaflets to give out.

The website has a number of links (relating to fares) returning a page not found, when we visited last

http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/scotland_east/tickets/where_to_buy/travel_shops.php
http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/scotland_east/tickets/where_to_buy/paypoint.php
http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/scotland_east/tickets/connections/
http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/scotland_east/tickets/bus_rail/
http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/scotland_east/tickets/special_offers/

Day ticket fares are a bit easier to unravel:

But you must have a zonemap (and be able to work out which zone you are in and that crossing zones is important not how many destinations you are wishing to visit).

Weekly, monthly and yearly fare costs are also plainly set out, as are student fares which unlike rail companies, are valid during peak times.

Paying for weekly or monthly tickets can be done via Paypoints. But annual passes must be done through the Head Office.