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| A page from the 2019 Big Red Book on Bus Saver Tickets |
A Freedom of Information request made to Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed they are still selling the Bus Saver Tickets.
Request ID: FOI-0096-2425
Date published: 23 April 2024
Question 1. What is the requirement to obtain the bus saver tickets?
Answer: There are no specific “requirements” beyond a minimum order volume of 25 books. In principle anyone can buy them, but given that they are subject to a minimum order volume it is more likely to be organisations rather than individuals buying them. Customers and organisations can order directly by calling our fulfilment team on 0330 111 100 or by emailing ossorders@cubic.com
Question 2. How much do they cost?
Answer: Each ticket costs £1.75. Tickets come in books of six tickets and there is a minimum order of 25 books.
£1.75 x 6 = £10.50 x 25 = £262.50
£262.50 for 150 Bus Saver Tickets, that is quite expensive!
Question 3. Why are they still accepted on London buses?
Answer: This is not a request for recorded information, and the premise of the question is unclear.
Question 4. Do the bus saver tickets have the 1 hour hopper fare?
Answer: No. The Hopper fare applies only to Pay As You Go. The saver ticket is a paper ticket.
Question 5. Are there plans to reinstate bus saver tickets for general sale?
Answer: See answers to Questions 1 and 2 above - the tickets remain available to buy from our fulfilment team.
Question 6. Can you provide the usage of the bus saver tickets from the earliest possible date to the present?
Answer: TfL does not hold the requested information – usage is not recorded, only sales.
Question 7. How many bus saver tickets were issued from the earliest possible date to the present?
| Year | Total |
| 2001 | 6148200 |
| 2002 | 15916800 |
| 2003 | 22911600 |
| 2004 | 33095850 |
| 2005 | 14076450 |
| 2006 | 9011250 |
| 2007 | 7984500 |
| 2008 | 3865200 |
| 2009 | 269550 |
| 2010 | 215100 |
| 2011 | 159000 |
| 2012 | 247500 |
| 2013 | 332250 |
| 2014 | 333300 |
| 2015 | 245100 |
| 2016 | 252750 |
| 2017 | 222750 |
| 2018 | 225900 |
| 2019 | 218400 |
| 2020 | 138000 |
| 2021 | 172350 |
| 2022 | 143700 |
| 2023 | 214350 |
| 2024 | 51150 |
Our printed tickets can only be used by the person they were bought for. Tickets must not be resold or given away for further use. Doing this automatically invalidates them and is an offence under our Byelaws and/or the Public Service Vehicle (Conduct of Drivers, Inspectors, Conductors and Passengers) Regulations 1990.
This rule does not apply to bus Saver tickets. Anyone may use the tickets in a bus Saver book though each ticket can be used only once.
5.1.7 Duty to show printed tickets.
If you are using a Saver ticket, you must tear your Saver ticket in half in front of the driver.
Ticket type
Bus Saver ticket
When and where it can be used
Each ticket is valid for one single bus journey across the London bus network, including sections outside Greater London.
Additional Information
Only available by special arrangement.
Adult photocard not needed.
Cannot be used on more than one bus, unless specifically authorised.
You must only get on at the front of the bus and tear your ticket in half in front of the driver.
General refund policy for travel on Underground and bus
You have a book(s) of bus Saver tickets that you no longer need
We will not give a refund on unused bus Saver tickets.
Despite the Bus Saver Tickets are still being used by organisations due to the high price for the minimum order. I suggest TfL bring the Bus Saver Tickets to general sale (Oyster shops and stations), as this will benefit people that are digitally excluded. Last year, I raised loads of issues about TfL's proposal to withdraw the Day Travelcard (which thankfully has been saved). I did mention London's Buses being cash-free, and it also affects people who had their cards (Oyster and Contactless) lost or stolen and had to wait for replacement cards to arrive, as well as overseas tourists where certain contactless bank cards are not accepted on the TfL system.
Fourth point is:
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) April 21, 2023
International visitors to London would have issues trying to travel on public transport in London because not all contactless payment cards from different networks will work, such as BC Card, EFTPOS, UATP, UnionPay, etc.#DigitalExclusion pic.twitter.com/hGT63oBL85
If anyone (including a group of people) plans to spend a fortune to buy the Bus Saver Tickets, despite the fact that there's no expiry date, I suggest you use them wisely by reserving them at home, as they are useful if your cards get lost or stolen and you have to wait for replacement cards to arrive.The removal of the One Day Travelcard will affect:
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) July 24, 2023
The disabled (including Railcard holders & companions)
Low incomes
People without bank accounts
People who had their cards stolen and had to wait for replacements
Infrequent visitors (including overseas)https://t.co/GPKcQRcn3p pic.twitter.com/WCahN4NjXE
Here's an old TfL press release from 13 March 2001, on the launch of the Bus Saver Ticket.
Mayor announces new and cheaper advance bus tickets to speed up journeys
The prices of many journeys on London Buses are to be cheaper from May 20, after changes were endorsed at today's Transport for London (TfL) Board meeting.
The cost of today's proposal to cut fares is estimated at about £7million in 2001/02 and £10million over following years.
Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, said: "The need to make bus journeys in the capital more reliable, quick, convenient, easy to use and affordable is an important element of my Draft Transport Strategy. This reduction to many bus fares - for the second time this year - is proof of my serious commitment to getting more people out of their cars and onto London's buses."
Londoners will soon be able to buy a new ticket called the 'Bus Saver', which will be sold through high street agents in packs of six for £3.90. This will mean that each single journey will cost just 65p. Bus Saver's discounted fare will be an enormous incentive for passengers to buy their tickets in advance and speed up boarding.
In addition a new London wide One-Day Bus Pass (ODBP) priced at only £2.00 is to be introduced and will replace the current zonal tickets which cost £3.00 and £2.40. This value for money ticket will attract bus passengers who currently make three or more journeys every day but continue to pay cash fares on the bus. It will also represent a big saving for many part-time workers who may not have previously felt the need to purchase bus season tickets.
And there is more good news for bus passengers as the price of the All-zones Weekly Bus Pass will be slashed from £11.50 to £9.50. Regular passengers travelling in and to central London will particularly welcome this. These reductions reflect the future changes anticipated for cash fares and the Mayor's pledge to introduce a flat fare across London's bus network. Over 60 per cent of Bus Pass travel is made by users with household incomes below £20,000.
To coincide with the introduction of these cheaper fares it was also agreed that photocards would no longer be necessary for weekly adult Bus Passes. This measure comes in advance of similar moves being considered by London Underground and the Train Operating Companies for weekly Travelcards.
The new tickets will be monitored closely, particularly for possible fraudulent use. Market research will be used to assess passenger satisfaction. The success of all the new measures will be obvious to passengers through faster journey times across the capital's bus network. I invite you to follow me on Twitter/X by searching for @CLondoner92 or by clicking on the direct link to my Twitter/X page here. I'm also on BlueSky and Mastodon.
Further reading
