The fares on Reading Buses are especially set to make them simple to use. Each bus is equipped with a fare box into which you drop the fare to be paid. We are not able to give change so please ensure that you have the correct change available.
Jet Black, Vitality Newbury buses and FastTrack are not fitted with fare boxes therefore are able to provide change.
Are valid for the number of consecutive days from the date of validation of first use on the bus.
We have three simple boundaries. They are simplyReading, simplyNetwork and simplyNewbury & Thatcham
simplyReading covers all of our Premier Routes and the cut off boundary points are named as follows: Tower Close/Peppard Road, Wokingham Road/Three Tuns, Three Mile Cross, Burghfield Road/Railway Bridge, Wigmore Lane/Theale, Purley Post Office.
To view a clear map of the boundaries please click here.
simplyNetwork covers all of our Network on both Reading and Newbury Buses, including Vitality and JetBlack.
simplyNewbury &Thatcham is the area bounded by the stops at Shaw Cemetery, Panasonic Colthrop, Greenham Business Park, Enbourne Road, Stockcross.
simplyReading day tickets are are available for unlimited travel on the day of issue on all services that operate within the simplyReading area. They are not valid on Football Services, Green Park Fasttrack and Loddon Bridge Fasttrack or Nighttrack.
simplyReading Group tickets are defined as up to four people, any combination of adults and children, and are available for unlimited travel on the day of issue on all services that operate within the simplyReading area.
simplyNewbury & Thatcham day tickets are available for unlimited travel on all Newbury Buses services within the Newbury/Thatcham Zonal Area on the day of issue. There is no group version of this ticket.
simplyNetwork day tickets are issued on all local services operated by Reading Buses and Newbury Buses. They may be used for any journey on the day of issue operated by Reading Buses, Newbury Buses, First in Berkshire.
Return fares
Return fares can be purchased from the driver in the simplyReading zone and can be used to travel back to any common area. You will need to present your ticket to the driver for the return trip and they will then make a tear in your ticket and return it to you. You must keep the torn ticket for this section of your journey to act as your receipt should an Inspector request to see it.
You may return to a common area that is covered by more than one of our bus services. For example you may have caught yellow 26 to work in the morning but wish to catch JetBlack home again.
Return fares are available at all times on Jet Black, Vitality and Reading Buses services numbered 100 and over, and Newbury Buses services outside the Newbury/Thatcham Zonal Area, except where the Adult Single fare is less than £1.80. They are not available on NightTrack services.
Child Return tickets are available on Jet Black, Vitality, Reading Buses services numbered 100 and over, and Newbury Buses services within the Newbury and Thatcham zonal area. They are not available on NightTrack services.
Concessionary permits are valid for travel within the criteria set down by your issuing authority. For more guidance please refer directly to the appropriate authority.
Children
After 10.00pm no child fares will be issued. Child period tickets and Child Return fares will remain valid however.
Children less than 5 years of age may accompany an adult fare paying customer free of charge providing they do not occupy a seat required by a fare paying customer. Unaccompanied children will be charged at the appropriate child fare for the journey being made. Where a child under 5 is accompanied by another child then either both pay the child fare or one child should pay the adult fare and the other travel free – whichever is the cheaper option.
Children aged between 5 and 15 will be charged the appropriate child fare.
PLEASE NOTE: The 'READI-id' card will entitle the bearer to child rate fares and travel products. Child rate fares and travel products will only be available to those aged 14 and 15 on production of the READI-id card. After this date any child over the age of 14 without a READI-id will be charged full adult fares, so it is important that an application is made as soon as possible.
After their sixteenth birthday children will be charged Adult fares. The exception to this is children aged 16, 17 and 18 in full time education and in possession of a READI-id card who will be charged the appropriate child fare.
There is a small minority of students and young people whose poor behaviour causes distress and offence to other customers on our services. As well as being unpleasant, bad behaviour can sometimes escalate into dangerous situations which can endanger other people’s safety.
Click here for more information.
If you are over 60 years old you may be eligible for a free bus pass. These passes are issued by your local council. For more details, please contact the council for the area you live in.
Refunds will be considered upon written request and surrender of the appropriate ticket. We will calculate the cost of the value of the ticket portion used based on the best available alternative ticket you would have been able to purchase at the date the ticket was purchased for the period it was used, plus a £10 administration fee. Written requests, enclosing the ticket for refund and your full contact details should be sent to: Customer Services, Great Knollys Street, READING, RG1 7HH.
Great Knollys Street, Reading RG1 7HH