Buses including busway
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An update on bus services in Luton
Concessionary fares and bus pass renewals or replacement for pensioners
Using the bus avoids congestion, reduces environmental damage, and is a less stressful way of travelling compared to using the car.
Get around for £2 this summer
Between 1 January and 31 October single bus journeys will cost no more than £2 on many routes around Luton.
The governments "Get Around for £2" scheme limits bus fares for single journeys to a maximum of £2 on bus journeys around the country. The scheme has been extended to the end of October and operators of many bus services in Luton are taking part!
From the beginning of November until November 2024 the maximum single bus fare will be limited to £2.50
An update on bus services in Luton
Bus services within the borough continue to go from strength to strength with more investment in improving existing services and investing in additional services. Here is a snapshot of what some of our local operators have been doing.
Bus operator Arriva has made some improvements to the timetable in Luton.
As part of Luton Council's BSIP (Bus Service Improvement Plan) enhancements, Arriva is bringing more buses to many services and boosting timetables to keep buses running on time.
A new service 26 serves the hospital and the 23 (Luton to Sundon Park) is now running on Sundays.
The F70/F77 routes linking Milton Keynes to Luton will now extend to London Luton Airport every day of the week. The buses will connect Milton Keynes, Leighton Buzzard, Dunstable and Luton up to every 30 minutes.
Later this month, Arriva is launching a brand new, fast and direct coach service connecting Milton Keynes and Luton.
Starting on July 21, the X1 service will stop at key locations along the route in Milton Keynes, Dunstable and Luton, avoiding busy motorway traffic.
Further information is available here
Centrebus have made timetable changes on the B and 46 services to improve reliability for customers.
As the summer holidays approach and you are making plans for local days out, it is good to remember the new Centrebus service to Whipsnade Zoo.
Centrebus said: “We are pleased to announce that, we will be operating a NEW service between Luton, Dunstable and Whipsnade Zoo.
“The service will be numbered ZOO and will operate every 90 minutes on school holidays, Saturdays and Sundays between the Easter holiday and up to the end of the summer holidays in September 2024.”
A Luton Zoo Bus Ticket is £9 for up to five people and covers all day travel in the Luton and Dunstable Centrebus zone and to and from Whipsnade Zoo. Timetable information for the Zoo service can be found here.
The new ‘LAX’ service from Stagecoach East launched on Monday 24th June, providing a shuttle service between Luton Station Interchange, Wigmore and London Luton Airport, meaning that local people who work at the airport, as well as travellers arriving in Luton town centre, can reach the airport quickly and easily.
Stops on the LAX route include: Abbots Wood Road, Queen Elizabeth School, Asda, Raynham Way Community Centre and the Holiday Inn Express. Timetable information for the LAX services can be found here.
The new service leaves Luton Station Interchange at 6:50 and 8:00 then runs every hour at 20 minutes past the hour from 9.20 to 16.20. It takes approximately 20 minutes to complete the journey. On its return, it leaves Luton Airport Bus Station at 7:25 and 8:25, then runs every hour at quarter to the hour, from 9:45 to 18:45.
Bus operators in Luton
There are a number of bus operators currently serving Luton. They are listed here with contact phone numbers and with links to their websites when available. We advise you to visit their website or call them on the number below for information about service changes, fares, timetables, or any disruptions during bad weather.
- Arriva - the Shires Essex
T: 0344 800 4411 - Centrebus
T: 0844 351 1120 - Grant Palmer
T: 01525 719719 - Stagecoach East
T: 01223 433250 - National Express
T: 03717 81 81 81 - UNO
T: 01707 275012
Busway
The Luton Dunstable Guided Busway is a BRT (Bus Rapid Transit System) connecting the conurbations of:
- Luton
- Dunstable
- Houghton Regis
The Busway opened in September 2013 and is now recognised as an exemplar scheme with other schemes in the UK following on behind.
Busway operators:
- Arriva
- Centrebus
- Grant Palmer
The services are run commercially by the operators, and information regarding services and ticket prices can be found by visiting the operator’s websites.
Busway stops:
Services currently serve:
- Houghton Regis Town Centre
- Dunstable Town Centre
- Luton Station Interchange
- London Luton Airport
All stops are equipped with RTPI (Real Time Passenger Information) displays showing services in real time and displaying news and weather feeds as well as other information when required. The stops are clean and well lit and covered by CCTV with emergency help points.
Luton Interchange gives access to Luton Central Station and we have provided a travel hub where travel information can be sourced and tickets purchased for travel on all services.
PlusBus and Travel Aid
By buying a PlusBus ticket with your train ticket this will give you unlimited bus and tram travel around town. It also connects you with the National Rail network.
Buy your Plusbus ticket in advance and catch the bus to the station. Plusbus can be bought with all types of rail tickets, single or return. And all season tickets with Plusbus give you unlimited bus travel in the Plusbus area. Fares start from £2.50 a day
Please visit the PlusBus website for additional information
Travel aid
To get a travel aid pass you must live in Luton, not be in work and actively seeking employment and in receipt of:
- employment support allowance
- a registered job seeker in receipt of job seekers allowance
- a single parent in receipt of income support
- universal credit
- an unemployed school leaver aged 16/17 and registered with youth advice Luton
A travel aid pass costs £1.20 and is valid for 28 days. It lets you travel on most buses in the Luton area at half the normal adult single fare (rounded to the nearest 5p). Just show your pass to the driver when you buy your ticket.
Your travel aid pass is valid after 9am Monday to Friday and all day Saturdays and Sunday. You can use it on most local bus services in the Luton area. You can also use it on buses that go outside the town so long as your journey starts or finishes in Luton, Dunstable or Houghton Regis.
You can do it in three easy steps, although if this is your first time you will also need a passport sized photo.
- Complete the application form at the bottom of the page: Fill in your personal details. Then enter the date you want the pass to start. Remember this must be no later than seven days after the day you take the form to be stamped. (see step 2)
- Take the completed form to Jobcentre plus – or Luton Borough Council - or Youth Advice Luton if you’re under 18 – for stamping: If you get jobseekers allowance, or if you’re a single parent getting income support, or if you are registered with Youth Advice Luton as an unemployed school leaver, they will stamp your form. If you don’t fit one of these three categories, we’re sorry but you won’t qualify for Travel Aid. Remember too you must be a Luton resident.
- Take the stamped application form to Luton Borough Council, Customer Services, Town Hall , Luton: Here you will need to pay for each 28 day period. If you have not had a travel aid pass before, you will need a passport sized photo.
All you have to do is fill another form and repeat steps one to three. You don’t have to wait until your current travel aid pass runs out, you can do this up to seven days before the expiry date.
Bus stops and shelters
We are responsible for maintaining bus stops and shelters as well as the siting of new ones.
We offer advice concerning the positioning and maintenance of bus shelters and new funding through the Local Transport Plan which has enabled us to embark upon a programme of improvements.
If you have a request for a new bus shelter and please email [email protected].
If you discover a damages bus stop or shelter, please let us know?.
Concessionary fares and bus pass renewals or replacement for pensioners
For information on Concessionary Fares Smartcards - Pensioners and Disabled, please click on the button below.
More information on concessionary fares
Local Authority Bus Subsidy Grant – BSOG
Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) is paid to operators of eligible bus services and community transport organisations to help them recover some fuel costs.
The amount each bus operator receives is based on their annual fuel consumption. This is funded and administered by the DfT.
The BSOG is ring fenced and can be used to fund the provision of supported bus services or other related transport provision with the main criteria remaining that as a result of the change the transport operators should be ‘no better and no worse off’.
The BSOG grant for 2019/20 was used for supporting bus operators to improve services and support for RTPI (Real Time Passenger Information), work in this area continued into 2020/21 and 2021/22 to replace old and faded information signs. As part of our schedule of works, real time information screens - addition, update/replacement and maintenance works have been carried out at various locations and is being continued. Works to upgrade and replace old stops and shelters have also been carried out.
The 2017/18 grant helped in reducing emissions from bus operators around the Town in line with our Luton Centre Quality Action Plan.
Up until 2023/24, we used the bus subsidy grant to support services such as Grant Palmer 3 and 35 and other public transport provisions spend.
Further information about the BSOG is available from the GOV.UK website.
Bus map and journey planner
You can find bus timetables and plan your journey on the Traveline South West website for Luton and surrounding areas below:
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