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Tap on, Tap Off - Pay As You Go Bus Travel Across South Wales

A different contactless way to pay for your travel - Pay As You Go.


No ticket, no fuss. Just tap on, tap off.

Pay As You Go is a flexible way to buy your bus tickets, just tap on when you board, tap off when you get off, and we'll do the rest. There’s no need to carry cash or buy a ticket from the driver, you don't even need to tell the driver where you are heading. 

 

How does tap on, tap off work?

Simply tap your contactless payment card or device (smartphone or watch) on the ticket machine reader when you get on the bus. Then, use the same card or device to tap off on the separate reader when you get off.  Our system can tell if you've used a specific device or card. So, make sure you tap on and off with the same payment method. This means if you tapped on using Apple Pay on your iPhone you must tap off with the same iPhone using Apple Pay.

The cost of your bus journey is worked out for you automatically, using your tap on and tap off to calculate the correct fare. With our daily and weekly caps*, you'll never pay more than the equivalent ticket. You can use our ticket finder to get more information on the cost of single trips.

*Daily and weekly caps vary by area. See the prices below

 

 

 

 

How much do Pay As You Go bus journeys cost?

Tap on, tap off offers great value. The smart system works out the cost of every single journey you make, and with daily and weekly caps, you'll never pay more than the equivalent ticket. If you travel across lots of areas, you'll hit the cap for the South Wales All Zones day or week ticket price. 

The best part is that once you've hit the price cap, the rest of your bus journeys that day or week are free!

You can’t buy a return ticket using the tap on, tap off system. Instead, the local day or week price cap will apply when you make a return journey. This is often cheaper than a traditional paper return.

To check the cost of a single trip using tap on, tap off, try our handy ticket finder.

Check out the price caps* below.

 

*Prices listed in the below image and the table are valid from 1st March 2026.

February 2026

How to purchase Pay As You Go bus tickets

Simply tap your contactless payment card or device (smart phone or watch) on the ticket machine reader when you get on the bus and tap off on the separate reader when you get off. You won't need to buy a ticket from the driver, or even tell them where you're heading. 

Pay As You Go bus ticket considerations

Avoid Card Clash

Card clash happens when you touch the reader with more than one card or device. Keep contactless cards, concessionary cards, and mobile devices separate to avoid starting more than one journey due to ‘card clash’.

 

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Pay As You Go bus tickets FAQs

Q. What payment methods can I use?

You can tap on and tap off with:

  • Contactless card (including Mastercard, Maestro UK and Visa cards)
  • Apple Pay
  • Samsung Pay
  • Google Pay

Our system can tell if you’ve used a specific device or card. So, make sure you tap on and off with the same payment method. This means if you tapped on using Apple Pay on your iPhone you must tap off with the same iPhone using Apple Pay.

Some card issuers don’t allow payment on public transport services, so please check with your card issuer before travel.   

Q. What happens if I forget to tap off?

If you forget to tap off, the system will charge you the single fare to the end of the route. We call this an incomplete journey charge. This will vary depending on what service you are on, but to get the best deal, it’s important that you remember to tap off.

Q. Do I need to use the same device or card to tap on and tap off?

Yes, our system can tell if you’ve used a device or a card. So, make sure to tap off with the same payment method you used to tap on. You’ll need to use the same card or device to make sure you get the benefit of daily or weekly caps.

Q. Can everyone use tap on, tap off and is it available on all buses?

Right now, tap on, tap off is only available for adult fares. You can use tap on, tap off to travel on all Stagecoach buses in South Wales except for fflecsi Blaenau Gwent services. Please buy your normal tickets on fflecsi services or book fflecsi on the app or call 0300 234 0300. 

    Q. What are daily and weekly caps? 

    A "cap” means that you'll never pay more than the equivalent cost of a daily or weekly ticket. And once you’ve reached the cap, the rest of your journeys that day or week are completely free. 

    See our ticket finder to check the cost of daily and weekly bus tickets in South Wales.

    Q. What if I have a bus pass?

    If you have a concession card that allows free travel, take it out of your wallet and place it on the card reader. You don't need to tap off. Make sure you remove your pass from your wallet to avoid accidentally tapping on.

     

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    Pay As You Go bus tickets FAQs

    Q. How do I check how much I've paid by tapping on and off? 

    The best way is to set up an account on our website. Once you do, you can:

    • Review your journeys
    • See how your charges were calculated
    • Check your payments

    You’ll need to link the contactless card you use on the bus to your Stagecoach account. After that, it's easy to see how much you've paid. Just remember, your most recent trip might not show straight away.

    Q. Where can I use tap on, tap off?

    You can make use of tap on, tap off contactless payments on all out services throughout South Wales including:

    • Blaenau Gwent
    • Bridgend
    • Caerphilly
    • Cardiff
    • Newport
    • Rhondda Cynon Taf
    • Torfaen

    Q. What do I do if the tap off reader is not working?

    In the rare instance that the tap off reader isn’t working, you can tap off on the driver’s ticket machine where you first tapped on.

    Q. What should I do if I have a question or need help regarding tap on, tap off? 

    Visit our full list of FAQs if you have any additional questions around Pay As You Go bus travel with Stagecoach.

    If your question isn't answered, or if you'd like to give us feedback or discuss a refund, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help. The quickest and easiest way to get in touch is to use the Pay As You Go contact form, or you can call 0345 241 8000. *

     

    You can reach us between 8:00 and 18:00 from Monday to Friday and between 9:00 and 17:00 on Saturday and Sunday.

    *Calls are charged at geographic rates (the same as 01/02 numbers) and are included in call packages from both landlines and mobiles.