Bargain Days Out from Milton Keynes

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Explorer Information

 

Explorer tickets are sold on the bus, some companies also sell scratchcard tickets - buy in advance and scratch off the date when travelling. VALIDITY
Bus companies offering all day tickets such as the Explorer often reach an agreement to accept each other's tickets. Unfortunately, these agreements are not always advertised so many passengers are unaware just how flexible such tickets can be. Even more unfortunate, drivers and enquiry lines are not always fully in the picture either! 

The full rules for tickets purchased locally are set out below and it can be seen just how far some of these tickets are valid. Indeed, it may seem rather unlikely that a passenger buying a Stagecoach Explorer in Milton Keynes would be using it in the Welsh valleys but it is feasible if the train is used for part of the journey. Read about how to travel all the way from Milton Keynes to Cardiff by bus here - but don't expect to come back the same day!

 Scratchcard Explorer Ticket

 

  
 

Arriva serving the Shires & Essex
 
Explorer

Adult

 £7.00
  Group 
(up to 4)		 £10.00  
  Child (under 14) £3.50  
 
Area Covered
Arriva Shires & Essex operates some services in and around Milton Keynes. It also operates services in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire & Oxfordshire.

To connect into Arriva's network of routes either take the 70 from Milton Keynes to Luton or the 100 from Milton Keynes to Aylesbury. Also travel to Aylesbury or Luton to connect with the Intalink network (see below).

Bus Fleet Names
Arriva serving the Shires & Essex
Green Line service 724 (Heathrow to Harlow via St Albans & Watford)

Services Excluded
Green Line services other than 724.
Services operated on behalf of Transport for London.
Excursions.
 

Other Operators accepting the Arriva Shires & Essex Explorer


MK Metro

The Intalink Partnership in Hertfordshire
The Arriva Shires & Essex Explorer is accepted throughout Hertfordshire by members of Intalink including: Centrebus, DCVS, Excel, Golden Boy, Metroline, Red Rose Travel, Sovereign, Stagecoach (M1 & M2 only), Stansted Transit, TrustLine, Sullivan Buses and Uno. 
Excluded: services operated on behalf of Transport for London; services operating to and from Central London; night services; school services.

Hertfordshire covers St Albans, Stevenage, Welwyn, Hertford & Bishop's Stortford. For timetable information in this area visit the Intalink timetable site. To obtain a bus map for Hertfordshire, email feedback.ptu@hertscc.gov.uk - don't forget to give them your postal address!

 
 

 
 

Stagecoach East 
 
X5 Explorer

Adult

  £9.00
  Group 
(up to 5, max 2 adults)		 £15.00
  Child (under 16) / OAP  £7.00               
 
Area Covered
Stagecoach East operates some services in and around Milton Keynes. It also operates services in Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire.

Bus Fleet Names
Stagecoach in Bedford
Stagecoach in Northants
Note: Stagecoach East was previously known as United Counties

Services Excluded
Note that the 'X5 Explorer' is accepted throughout the X5 Oxford - Cambridge route. However, Stagecoach also sell cheaper Explorer tickets which can be used on the X5 on payment of a  £1 supplement. 
 

Other Operators accepting the Stagecoach East Explorer

First Excel accepted only on service X1 (Peterborough to Lowestoft via Norwich)

Stagecoach in Cambridgeshire operating services as Stagecoach in Cambridge and Stagecoach in Peterborough.

Stagecoach South East operating services as Stagecoach Coastline, Stagecoach in Hampshire, Stagecoach in Hants & Surrey, Stagecoach in Hastings and Stagecoach in East Kent.

Stagecoach South Midlands operating services as Stagecoach in Oxford, Stagecoach in Warwickshire (previously known as Stagecoach Midland Red) and Stagecoach in Banbury.
Excluded: the Oxford Tube.

Stagecoach West & Wales operating services as Stagecoach in Cheltenham, Stagecoach in the Cotswolds, Stagecoach in Gloucester, Stagecoach in South Wales, Stagecoach in Swindon and Stagecoach in Wye & Dean.
Excluded: Summer Saturday excursions.

Virgin Rail Link accepted only on Milton Keynes to Luton service (VT99). Note that the 'X5 Explorer' is accepted on the VT99 route. However, Stagecoach also sell cheaper Explorer tickets and these are not accepted on the VT99.
 

 
 

MK Metro
 
Metro Daily

Adult  

 £3.00
     
Metro Family Group 
(max 2 adults, 4 children)		 £6.00
 
Area Covered
All MK Metro services including those operating outside the city.
 

Other Operators accepting the Metro Daily and Metro Family

Services which operate under contract to Milton Keynes Council are required to accept these tickets within Milton Keynes and Newport Pagnell. Typically these are evening & Sunday services including 1E, 2E, 3E, 4E, 5E, 16, 17, 18E & 26E.

 
 

 
PROBLEMS
If you are using a Milton Keynes ticket in South Wales then it is perhaps understandable if the driver is surprised to see it. 

If you plan to travel on the services of more than one company then it might help to print the relevant section and take it with you in case you meet a driver who is not aware of which tickets he should accept. If a driver insists that you pay again then do keep the tickets and check with his company later. If there has been a mistake, request a refund. Even if it is only a small fare it is important to claim a refund - the company concerned needs to know it has a problem and may need to send a reminder to all its drivers. 

Addresses and phone numbers for most British bus companies can be found here.
 

 

 

NOTICE

The information contained here is believed to be correct and there is no intention to mislead but times, fares and special offers often change and so it is always worth checking with the operators for the latest information. Click here for useful links and phone numbers.

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