Fares to rise on 1 January; and again before the end of 2025
19 December 2024

The era of cheap fares is drawing to a close as the bus companies announce fare rises from 1 January, following rises in May 2024 and September 2024, and with a clear message that fares will rise again later in 2025. The government-funded maximum single fare which has been £2 since January 2023 is rising to £3 from 1 January 2025, and that is only guaranteed to last until the end of 2025; after that, who knows what will happen. At the same time, the money that was subsidising other fares in Cornwall through the Bus Fares Pilot will run out in 2025, meaning all fares will rise again.

The announcement about the latest rises has been published on the Go Cornwall Bus website on behalf of the Transport for Cornwall partnership (nothing on the Transport for Cornwall website yet - which is par for the course).

The message on the GCB website attempts to put a gloss on it by saying that the Cornwall Day Pass new price of £8 will still be less than the price of £9 that was in place before the Bus Fares Pilot started in 2022. However, this is being very economical with the truth in that every other bundle ticket price, except the family day ticket (mainly aimed at tourists), will be more than the prices before the Bus Fares Pilot started. Town zone prices and under 19 ticket prices in particular are seeing swingeing increases, e.g. at the start of 2022, a child town zone day ticket was £1.50; from 1 January 2025, it will be £4.00, a 167% increase.

See table of fares and how they have changed and are changing. The left hand side of the graphic was taken from the Transport for Cornwall Bus Service Improvement Plan produced by CC and the bus companies earlier this year; and I have tacked on the impact of the September rises and the planned rises.

Furthermore, the announcement says about single fares, "From 1 January 2025, the majority of single bus journeys will cost £3. There are some which will cost less than £3 as part of our offer to passengers.” There is no indication of what the prices will be of fares less than £3 or how far a sub-£3 fare will take you. If what is being done on town zone fares is any indication, it will not take you far.

Meanwhile, if you choose to drive and use council car parks, Rejoice! as tariffs are being frozen next year and buying the heavily discounted Just Park ticket bundle allowing all-day parking in a city centre car park for just £2.63 will get even easier. Anyone would think that Cornwall Council wanted you to drive rather than use the bus.

Update
4 March 2025
See further information on fare rises at more details, reduced fares for young persons, young persons fares more info.