Plan a Journey

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Frequently Asked Questions and How to Use This Site

Welcome to www.travelinesw.com, the site for information about travel by public transport across Great Britain. If you prefer to speak to someone, the traveline enquiry service is available on 0871 200 22 33 from 0700 to 2000 daily. Trained agents will be pleased to help you (closed Christmas Day, shorter hours may apply on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Year's Day) and calls cost 12p per minute plus your phone company’s access charges.

How to Use This Site

The tabs on the Home Page or on top of the Journey Planning box take you to:

  • Plan my Trip - for detailed journey planning, including maps showing bus-stop locations and the route of the trip plan. You can also use the simple journey planner widget on our Home Page to plan your trips. Real Time Information is displayed where it is available in journey plan results, for trips in the next hour or so.  Real time results are displayed in green (on time) or red (late), scheduled times in black;
  • Get Departure Times - Choose a stop by name or from the map to show a list of departures from that point; again, Real Time Information is displayed where available, for trips in the next hour or so – look for the “Wifi sausages”;.
  • My Regular Trip - Create a  downloadable, printable plan for your regular trips to work, school or wherever;
  • Stop Timetables – Create and display a downloadable, printable list of scheduled bus departures from your chosen bus stop;
  • Route Timetables – View, download and print timetables of local bus services;
  • Route Map – View, download and print route maps of local bus services
    From the Home Page, a tab also takes you to:
  • Contact Details - How to contact transport operators for more information on lost property, fares & tickets or to comment to them about service operations; or how to get in touch with local councils for details of concessionary travel passes, community transport or Park & Ride scheme.   
  • To get back to our home page from any tab on the website, click the small “traveline sw” logo at the top left hand corner of the page.

Mobile Apps

This website is designed to work well on PCs, tablets or mobile devices. But if you prefer to use an app, traveline sw mobile apps are available for free in iOS and Android formats.  Search in the App store or Google Play; or link to these and download from our Home Page.

Fares and Ticket Information

Point to point single & return fares, day and week tickets details for all or part of your bus journey are now offered as part of trip plan results. Links to National Rail and main express coach service sites are also given for details of fares for these modes.

National PTI makes all reasonable efforts to ensure that fares and ticket information is accurate at date of publication. Fares and ticket prices shown were correct at time of data upload and are for a selected ticket range only. Other ticket types and fares may be available from operator websites, sales outlets or on board. National PTI cannot be held liable should another fare option prove to be more appropriate and no guarantee is given that tickets shown are the most suitable for your purpose. 

Click on the orange  fares icon in the journey plan result. Single and return fares are displayed wherever we have details, the “More Tickets” button shows details of day and week tickets throughout our area.

Plan my Trip

How do I enter details of my journey?

You can plan a journey using the “Plan my Trip” widget on our Home Page, the “Plan my Trip” page on our website or by clicking on any two points on the map. The journey planner usually gives several results for your journey around your chosen travel time. As operators can change timetables with 8 weeks' notice, the site lets you plan for up to 3 months ahead.

In the widget or "Plan my Trip", enter your origin and destination in the boxes to tell the planner about your journey. Enter any of the following and click “Submit” to plan your trip:

Post codes (e.g. PL6 8BX)
Addresses (e.g. 1 Davy Road, Plymouth)
A town, village or area (e.g. Plymouth)
A rail station (e.g. Plymouth Rail Station)
A bus-stop name (e.g. Plymouth, Mayflower Street)
A Point of Interest (poi) (e.g. Plymouth University)

Or you can click the ‘location’ icon at the right hand side of either box to plan to (or from) your current location. Use the exchange button to swap around these points and plan a return trip at any time.

An easy way to plan a trip is to right click on the map and choose to “Start Here” then pick another point to “Arrive Here” and click “Submit” to journey plan.

In the "Trip Time and Date" area, you can alter the time and/or date for your trip. There is also the option to plan a journey to "arrive" by a certain time at your destination, or to "leave" from your starting point at a certain time or date.

Trip Plan Results

Trip plan result details show which operator and service to catch, plus a link to a list of all the intermediate stops on each bus during your journey. The map adjacent to the results shows the route the service takes, the location of bus-stops, where to change and where to walk between stops, if this is required. Times are based on Real Time Information, i.e. the actual position of the bus, rather than the scheduled time, where this is available, for journeys within the next hour or so. These times show as red or green – if scheduled rather than actual times are used, these are shown in black. You can click on the “Wifi sausages”    and the position of the bus right now will be shown on the map, if available. Please note, clicking on the     button gives you links to map and timetable for that service.  .

What if I want to travel further than south west England?

No problem - the traveline south west journey planner lets you plan trips across the whole of Great Britain. We produce the data for the south west of England including the Hampshire & Solent and Oxfordshire area and combine this with information from other traveline regions in the UK. Our database also includes rail and long-distance coach services.

How does the Options button change my trip plan?

You can choose how the system works out your trips, and save these settings if you want to.

Transport Types section lets you choose which modes of transport you want to use. For example, you may want to switch off rail and coach if you only want to travel on local bus services. But remember that you will need these switched on for longer journeys. Flexible , demand responsive transport (DRT) usually has to be pre-booked, the number will be given in the trip plan results.

The "Route Options" drop-down menu allows you to alter the basis our system uses to plan trips. This is automatically set to provide the fastest overall journey, with a walk of up to 20 minutes to bus stops or stations at an average pace. These settings generally give the widest range of journey plans, but you can change these options to suit your own needs as follows:

  • Choose "routes with fewest changes” to minimise the number of changes between services on journey options;
  • Choose "routes with least walking between stops” to minimise walking required on journey options.
  • Maximum walk time – this can be varied to between 5 and 30 minutes. This sets the time you wish to walk between stops or modes of transport.
  • Walking speed – this can be speeded up or slowed down depending on your needs.
  • Avoid Central London - choose this option if you don't want to change in the centre of the capital.

What if I need a step-free or assisted journey?

Use the “Mobility Options” section to tick the “I need a step-free journey” box. This will return only low floor and wheelchair accessible buses and other transport in the journey plan. Ticking the “I need staff assistance” button will generally restrict your journey to the rail and long-distance coach network where this service is available.

  "Via” Option

If you want to travel via, or split your journey at, a certain point or place, enter the details here. You can also tell the planner how long you want to stop at this point for and your trip plan will be adjusted accordingly.

Can I get alternatives for my journey?

You can alter and expand the results for your journey plans by clicking on the "Earlier, First, Later and Last" links shown in blue in the results.

Can I share or store the journey details?

There are new and improved features to share or print . Share the trip with yourself if you’d like to store it on your phone, tablet or mobile.

How do I find out which buses serve a certain road or stop? Just right click on any road on the map, choose “Services on Street” from the little menu and a list of buses serving that road will be displayed.  This also works for railway lines. Or left click on a bus-stop and a list of the next few routes serving that stop is displayed.  A small red or green clock alongside the route means that these are real times, not scheduled times.

Get Departure Times

How can I find the time of the next bus?

Use “Get Departure Times”, enter a stop or place name and “Submit” to receive a list of the next services and operators from that point. Times are based on Real Time Information, wherever possible, i.e. the actual position of the bus, rather than the scheduled time, for the next hour or so, wherever this is available.  The “Wifi sausages” denote real time.

You can also find a list of departures from a stop by using the map. Left Click on the bus stop icon and the name of the stop plus a list of the next departures appears. This information is available for rail stations too, but please note that only scheduled times are currently returned for rail services. The SMS stop code is also displayed, to enable you to text for times from this stop if you prefer (return texts cost up to 25p plus normal network charges).

You can use the "Trip time and date" menu to alter when you want the list for. Use the "Options" menu to alter transport types included and to use accessible transport only.

My Regular Trip

How can I get details for my regular trips?

"My regular trip" page allows you to create, download and print timetables for your favourite or frequent journeys. Enter "Journey Details" and "Travel Time" details as usual and choose which transport types you wish to use. Notice that the travel times are a range, to enter the times you want to arrive at work or school maybe, and to leave again in the afternoon. Press submit and your personal timetable is produced as a pdf file which you can download, save and print.

(Adobe Reader required, click here for a free copy: https://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/ ).

Stop Timetable

How about getting a list of bus times from my stop?

The "Stop Timetable” tab lets you create a file of times from stops which you use frequently. Enter an area or stop name, choose the individual stop you want and create the file. Note you can search all the stops on your local route by entering the route number instead. You can download, save and print these files as required. Ideal for the fridge, your desk or notice board – but please remember to update them now and again.  

(Adobe Reader required, click here for a free copy: https://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/ ).

Route Timetable

Can I see timetables rather than a journey plan?

The “Route Timetable” tab lets you access timetables (in HTML view format and pdf downloadable format) for all the local bus services that we have details for. Enter the route number you wish to search for in the top box. You can use the operator or location boxes instead of or as well as the service number to narrow the search down. Then choose the route from the list presented .  (Hint: If you don’t know which bus goes where, right click on the road on the map and choose “Service on Street” for a list).

Click “Display, Download & Print” to view an HTML timetable for main stops, with an option to see an "all-stops version" – that’s a time for every stop along the route. If you hover the cursor over day codes (school or college terms, days of the week), a calendar for the next 3 months will be displayed, showing you the days on which this journey operates.

Or click “Print Version” in the timetable for a pdf version to download, save and print the file. At the foot of the pdf timetable there is a list of stops for the route, with a code to use with SMS text and NextBuses mobile services plus a calendar showing which dates service restrictions (schooldays or specific days of the week) apply.

(Adobe Reader required, click here for a free copy: https://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/ ).

Please note, to create a pdf version showing all stops, click “All Stops” then click “Print Version (pdf)”, download and save in the normal way.

Can I see timetables for further afield?  

Yes, you can see and download timetables for all bus services across southern England and the midlands. Go to “Options” and unclick the “South West Timetables only” button. The drop down list of services will now contain all the options that are available – there are quite a few for common service numbers though!

What if timetables are due to change in the near future?

We try to show timetables at least a few weeks before they change, are introduced or finish, so sometimes there will be more than one timetable for a route. Please check the dates of operation of the timetable carefully. Our journey planner always uses the most up-to-date  timetable for the day in question.  

Route Map

How can I see the route the bus takes?

The "Route Map" tab lets you access maps for all the local bus services that we have details for. Enter the route number you wish to search for in the top box. You have the option to use the operator or location boxes to narrow the search down. Then choose the route from the list presented; the route will be displayed on the map, or you can create, download and save the pdf file.  

(Adobe Reader required, click here for a free copy: https://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/ ).

(Hint: Small Network Maps - You can create a small network map for services from one location or for one operator by entering a name in the “Location” or “Operator Name” boxes. Choose the routes to be included by holding down the “Shift” key and scrolling down the routes, press “Show on Map”. You can then screenshot or snip the map, after zooming in or out to an appropriate scale and using the “Show on Map” toggle to display stops.

Other Questions

How do get in touch with bus operators?

Use the “Contact Details” section on our front page for all Bus Operators in the South West of England and beyond. Enter the operator name and choose from the list which is presented. Name, address, telephone and email contact details plus website address are all given if known.

How do I get in touch with local councils, for example to renew my Free Bus Pass?

If you need to contact Local Authorities about concessionary travel passes or other matters, use the "Contact Details" tab on our home page.  Enter the name of your local authority into this search box, choose from the list and press “Submit” for name, address and web details.  

Who is behind Traveline South West and how do I get in touch with them?

Traveline south west is provided by a consortium of all local authorities and the major transport operators in the area (see the “About Us” section). We also collaborate with other traveline regions, Transport for West Midlands and Transport for London. You can contact us at info@travelinesw.com with comments and feedback on our site.

Please note that this should NOT be used to request journey plans or timetables. These are available from the website or call centre.

Can I speak to someone about planning my journey?

The traveline call centre on 0871 200 22 33 is open from 0700 to 2000 every day except Christmas Day (shorter hours may apply on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Year's Day). Calls currently cost 12p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.

What if I have poor eyesight and need larger print?

If you need larger text, there is a "Large Text" link at the foot of the website home page. If you use a page reader, this should automatically pick up the large text option.