Finding what’s right for you

We recognise that it can be a bit confusing understanding what the correct ticket to purchase is. If you’re unsure about where to start the below information can help you. 

Click this link if you are under 19 

Click this link if you hold a disabled or retired persons’ concessionary pass

Otherwise, please continue below.

Page marker icon Travelling occasionally?

If you are just travelling on the odd occasion, then we would suggest that you consider the following options.

  • A 60-minute mobile ticket from our mobile app. This is available for journeys that are wholly within the citySAVER zone, and you can change buses as much as you like within the 60 minutes.
  • Pay on board using our Tap-on-Tap-Off contactless service. This will automatically calculate the best on-bus fare for your journey, and if you make enough journeys in a day, we will automatically cap you at the relevant day ticket price for the zone that your journeys have been within.
  • Purchase a paper ticket from the driver using cash or a contactless card. If you do this, please note that these tickets are not eligible for any capping.
  • If you are making a return journey, in some cases you can purchase a return paper ticket from the driver. Please note that these tickets are not eligible for any capping. Return tickets aren’t available for journeys wholly within the city of Brighton & Hove.
  • If you are planning on using more than three buses on the day you are travelling, then you may wish to consider a day ticket. This can be purchased on our mobile app, or as a paper ticket from the driver. You will need to know which zone all your journeys will be within when you purchase your ticket. More information on our fare zones can be found here.

Page marker icon Travelling 2-3 days a week?

The most flexible option available is to use our Tap-on-Tap-off contactless payments. If you make a couple of single or return journeys, you won’t pay more than you need to. If all journeys are within a relevant zone and you reach a day ticket price, then we won’t charge you any more for that day. Plus, if you hit the same day cap more than once over a period of a week, you will receive cumulative discounts on any additional day tickets purchased. This is known as flexible capping and more information can be found by clicking on this link.

Alternatively, you can:

  • Purchase single and return tickets from the driver (using contactless or cash) if you think your plans won’t change or that you’d benefit from a day ticket or flexible price capping.
  • Purchase a day ticket from the driver (using contactless or cash) if you know how many days you will be travelling during the week and don’t want to benefit from flexible price capping.
  • Purchase bundles of day tickets via our mobile app if you know how many days you will be travelling during the week and don’t want to benefit from flexible price capping.

Page marker icon Travelling 4 or more days a week?

If you are travelling on 4 or more days each week, one of our season tickets could be the best option for you. They give you limitless travel within a specific zone based on your preferred period of travel and will often provide better value than purchasing individual single, return or day tickets.

  • The quickest and easiest way to purchase season tickets is via our mobile app. Once payment has been received, tickets are available to activate immediately. For full details of our range of mobile tickets, please visit our mobile app web page here.
  • If you prefer not to use the mobile app, then we do also offer season tickets via our smartcard, The Key. You can purchase tickets online, or at our shop in Brighton city centre or at the reception desk at Conway Street in Hove. If you purchase tickets online, there will be a short delay until the product is available to use. If you purchase tickets in our shop, they can be used straight away, but will cost slightly more than paying online. For full details of tickets available, please visit our The Key smartcard page here.

If you don’t travel on consecutive days, you can also get a special weekly cap on our Tap-on-Tap-Off contactless service.

For more information on ticket zones please visit our page on our fare zones here.