York’s biggest bus operator has announced price increases – and the launch of a range of flexible tickets.
First York Flexi tickets are designed to encourage more people to use the bus as travel behaviour adapts following the pandemic.
They will be introduced – along with the fare rises – on Sunday 16 January.
The fare changes are the first to be made since July 2019.
Price increases for longer single journeys and adult day and week tickets purchased on the bus are “being kept well below the rate of inflation”, the company said.
The cost of mTickets bought on the app will be “more closely matched to the on-bus fare but remain cheaper”.
First York price changes
| Ticket type | On bus price | mTicket price |
|---|---|---|
| First Single Adult (short journey) | £1.20 (no change) | Not available |
| First Single Adult (medium journey) | £2.20 (was £2) | £2.20 (was £2) |
| First Single Adult (longer journey) | £2.60 (was £2.50) | Not available |
| FirstDay Adult | £4.60 (was £4.50) | £4.40 (was £4.05) |
| FirstWeek Adult | £18.00 (was £17.50) | £17 (was £15.75) |
| FirstMonth Adult | Not available | £60 (was £15) |
First York Flexi tickets
| Ticket type | Ticket price | Validity | How to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Day | £13.00 | Valid for 3 consecutive days. | On bus |
| 3-Day Flexi | £13.00 | 3 FirstDay tickets valid for use within 5 days from the date they are purchased. | mTicket |
| 5-Day | £16.00 | Valid for 5 consecutive days. | On bus |
| 5-Day Flexi | £16.00 | 5 FirstDay tickets valid for use within 8 days from the date they are purchased. | mTicket |
| Flexi Month | £45.00 | Valid for unlimited travel on any 13 days within a 30 day period. | mTicket |
Plan travel by week or month
New habits in commuting and hybrid working are behind the creation of 3-day and 5-day ticket options. They will allow people to plan their travel Monday-Friday or over a full week.
A 13-day ticket allows trips to be spread over a month.
Ian Humphreys, managing director of First York, said: “We appreciate that customer travel habits have changed significantly and are delighted to be able to introduce these new products.
“We have looked carefully at how, in the first change for over two years, we can limit price increases for customers as much as possible and balance this with the challenge of maintaining a sustainable network as we build back passengers to pre-pandemic levels.
“Our new Flexi tickets create more options to fit travel needs. I encourage customers to check into these to make sure they get the best value. We have also continued to ensure that the average cost per trip of making multiple journeys remains low.”
The changes do not apply to University services and the Park & Ride.
Full details are here.