Free bus travel this December

Great news for our customers in West Berkshire, Wokingham, Bracknell Forest, Slough and the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead; bus travel will be free on the three Saturdays before Christmas with some additional bonus days in some areas on top!

The five councils are funding free travel days from their areas this Christmas to help you leave the car at home, avoid parking fees (and parking stress!), reduce traffic congestion, and head into town for shopping or to meet up with friends and family.

Reading Borough Council is also continuing the £2.50 special offer on Mereoak Park&Ride 600, Winnersh Park&Ride 500 and hospital Park&Ride 300 every day of the week. This special fare includes parking (except at Thames Valley) and return travel too. 

Leaving the car and taking the bus helps reduce the amount of congestion on the roads and helps improve local air quality too! A single double-decker bus at full capacity can take around 2km of cars off the road.

free travel dates

The days with free travel vary depending on what council area you are travelling from.

Our usual selection of great value fares and tap on tap off will be available for customers outside of these areas. 

West Berkshire

Customers boarding within West Berkshire will be able to get free return tickets on all Saturdays in December until Saturday 20 December. Your journey must start at a stop within West Berkshire, and you will be able to use the return ticket for free from a stop outside the West Berkshire area (e.g. Reading town centre).

Wokingham

Customers boarding within Wokingham will be able to get free single tickets on Sunday 30 November and then on all Saturday and Sundays in December until Sunday 21 December. Your journey must start at a stop within Wokingham borough, but you can travel to stops outside of the Wokingham area. 

You may, however, need to pay for your journey back if your return journey starts outside of the Wokingham area and that area is not offering free travel that day (e.g. Reading town centre).  

Bracknell Forest

Customers boarding within Bracknell Forest will be able to get free single tickets on all Saturdays and Sundays in December until Sunday 21 December. 

Your journey must start at a stop within Bracknell Forest but you can travel to stops outside the Bracknell Forest area.  

You may, however, need to pay for your journey back if your return journey starts outside of the Bracknell Forest area and that area is not offering free travel that day (e.g. Reading town centre). 

Slough

Customers boarding within Slough will be able to get free single tickets on all Saturdays in December until Saturday 20 December. Your journey must start at a stop within Slough, but you can travel to stops outside of the Slough area. 

You may, however, need to pay for your journey back if your return journey starts outside of the Slough area and that area is not offering free travel that day (e.g. Heathrow Airport).  

Windsor and Maidenhead 

Customers boarding within Windsor & Maidenhead will be able to get free single tickets on all Saturdays in December until Saturday 20 December. Your journey must start at a stop within Windsor & Maidenhead, but you can travel to stops outside of the Windsor & Maidenhead area. 

You may, however, need to pay for your journey back if your return journey starts outside of the Windsor & Maidenhead area and that area is not offering free travel that day (e.g. Heathrow Airport).  

how does it work?

West Berkshire

When you board in West Berkshire you can either ask the driver for a free single ticket, or a return one. If you are planning to travel to and from somewhere outside of West Berkshire be sure to ask for a return ticket as you may be unable to get a free ticket outside of the area!

Your return ticket will have a barcode on it so when you are ready to travel back, simply scan the ticket as you board.

Wokingham, Bracknell Forest, Slough and Windsor & Maidenhead

When you board in Wokingham, Bracknell Forest, Slough and Windsor & Maidenhead, just ask the driver for a free single ticket to your destination. This will then be valid for your entire journey.

On the return, if you are in Wokingham, Bracknell Forest, Slough and Windsor & Maidenhead, simply ask for another free single ticket; otherwise, you can buy one of our adult and boost single tickets using tap on tap off, contactless or with cash from the driver.

When travelling please be careful not to place a payment card or mobile device on the reader as you get on – otherwise, you may get charged for tapping on.

Concessionary passes and existing pass holders

During these free travel days, concessionary pass holders should scan their passes as normal. If you already have a ticket (for example a 30 day pass) you should also still scan your pass. Whilst this might sound strange, it is necessary because the councils need to match the correct type of journeys to see how successful the day is compared to a normal day!

valid services

The below routes are valid for free travel on the dates shown above. You will need to board at a stop before and including the boundary stop of the council area to be able to travel for free.

Free travel is not available on our football services, or journeys starting at a park & ride site.

West Berkshire

Wokingham

Bracknell Forest

Slough

Windsor and Maidenhead