Variety is the spice of life, right? What if that spice could save hundreds of pounds in your bank account every year? It’s really easy with the right mindset and when using our handy journey planner.
At Stagecoach, we’ve looked at the average amount people in the UK are spending on a train, car, taxi and bus journey each year. And guess what? There’s a pretty big difference.
Not only that, but the cost of transport in the UK has increased significantly since 2015, especially if you’re driving your own car or catching a taxi.
Buses Are Still One of the Cheapest Transport Options Today
By comparing official 2015 passenger and driver journey data with current figures, we’ve found significant increases in journey costs over the last seven years.
The cost of catching the bus has actually increased the least out of all transport options, with fares only increasing by 4.6% in average from 2015.
The same can’t be said for cars. Due to rising fuel prices, the average cost of a car journey has increased by 32% and 30% for diesel and petrol cars, respectively.
Trains sit right in the middle, having increased by 18% for the average journey across the UK. Taxis, naturally, have also seen an increase in journey fare of over 14% compared to 2015.
Data Source
You Could Save Over £800 A Year By Mixing Up Your Commute
These days, thanks to more companies offering hybrid working environments, we don’t need to catch the bus or train as much as in the past. However, if you’re still going to work at least one or two days a week or using public transport on weekends, you can save a lot of money each year by varying your commute.
Say you catch the train four times a week for work or recreational purposes. On average, you’re spending between £670 and £2030 each year (depending on your location)*. People doing the same trips on buses typically spend between £300 and £615 each year (depending on the location)*.
So if those people catching the train decided to mix up their commute and use the bus twice a week, they could save as much as £813.10 per year**. That’s enough for a brand-new TV or a weekend trip away.
But where exactly can you save that kind of money in the UK by mixing up your commute? Here are the five areas of the UK where you can save the most by switching from the train to the bus only twice a week*:
- Midlands - £813.10 per year
- West Country (inc. Cornwall, Bristol) - £739.78 per year
- London - £715.34 per year
- Wessex - £296.10 per year
- Kent - £169.20 per year
Data Source
You’re Saving More Than Money Switching From Car To Bus
We all know more people catching buses than driving cars is better for our environment. But what exactly are your average pollution levels when comparing bus to car?
The average person can actually lower their CO2 emissions by almost 10kg each time they catch the bus instead of driving. So if you just want to mix up your commute and leave your car home twice a week, you’ll still reduce your CO2 emissions by almost 40kg for those four journeys (Data source).
So switching to bus from car reduces your carbon footprint, but what can it do for your wallet?
Thanks to monthly bus tickets, such as Stagecoach’s MegaRider it’s a lot cheaper to catch the bus than it is to fuel up your car. In fact, drivers of petrol cars can save more than £350 by opting for a monthly bus pass instead of driving. Drivers of diesel cars can save a whopping £505 for doing the same thing (Data source).
Just imagine what an extra £350 or £500 could mean for you and your family each year. Now is clearly the best time to mix up your commute, whether once, twice or more during the week. Help the environment and save money to spend on the people and things you love.
*Based on data source and the average person using transport 47 weeks a year.
**Based on average journeys in the Midlands and the average person using transport 47 weeks a year.