Traveline South West - Frequently Asked Questions and How to Use This Site

Welcome to travelinesw.com, the site for information about travel by public transport across the South West of England and the whole of Great Britain.

How to Use This Site

• Plan your journey - for door-to-door journey planning, including access to timetables and local maps;
  
  
• Timetable Look-up - download pdf timetables of local bus services to view, store and print;
  
  
• Bus Stop Information - Receive a text of times of the next three buses from, or create a timetable for bus departures from, your chosen bus stop;
  
  
• Departures - Choose a bus stop to show a list of departures from that stop;
  
  
• Personalised Timetable - Create a timetable for your regular trips;
  
  
• Next Buses Service - Send the time of the next three buses from a chosen stop to your mobile device;
  
  
• Links - Useful links to local council websites including for Concessionary Travel, Community Transport and Park & Ride schemes;
  
  
• Contact Details - How to contact bus operators for more information such as fares and tickets.

Mobile Apps

Traveline SW mobile apps are available for free on for iOS and Android formats, from the Apple app store or Google Play. Link to these from the bottom left of the front page of the website.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I want to travel further than South West England?

What if I can't find the details for my journey or want to speak to someone?

Plan your journey

How do I enter details of my journey?

In the "Journey Details" area, use the "From" and "To" boxes to tell the planner about your journey. You can enter any of the following in either box:
Post codes (e.g. PL3 4AA)
Addresses (e.g. 1 Milehouse 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. Drake Circus Shopping Centre, Plymouth)

You can click on the map button to the right of the box to see or change the location of your chosen departure point at any time, or right click on a location on this map to plan a journey from that point. You can also move around the map easily to check exactly where you'd like to travel to or from.

In the "Travel Time" area, there is 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. The journey planner usually gives several options 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.

What if I only want to use one method of transport?

In the "Mode of Travel" box, you can tick to include, or un-tick to exclude, certain means of transport. So, you may want to exclude Rail and Coach if you want to use local bus services, or you may want to exclude travel by London Underground on a longer distance journey. Please remember some longer distance journeys may be impossible to make unless you leave the Rail, Coach and London Underground options ticked. DRT is Demand Responsive flexible transport which generally has to be pre-booked on the number provided.

How does the Options button work?

The "Options" button allows you to alter some of the settings which the journey planner uses. It 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, and using all operators. These settings generally give the widest range of journey plans, but you can change these options to suit your own needs as follows: Journey Type - choose "Least Interchange" to minimise the number of changes between services on journey options; choose "Least Walking" to minimise walking required on journey options. Walking - choose the maximum time you wish to walk between stops or modes of transport, and vary the speed you can walk at. You can also choose a walk-only route. Avoid Central London - choose this option if you don't want to change in the centre of the capital. Use Only - choose to limit your journey plan to one or more operators. This could be especially useful if you are using a return or day ticket restricted to certain companies only. Once you have confirmed all the details of where you want to plan a journey to and from, and when, press the "Go" button and options for your journey will be shown.

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

Use the "Accessible Transport Requirements" section under the Options button. If you tick the "I need a step-free journey" box, you will only be given details of 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.

Can I get alternatives for my journey?

You can alter the options from your journey plans and get details of timetables and maps of bus stop and station locations, as follows: "Earliest, Earlier, Later and Latest" buttons provide further journey options additional to those already displayed on your journey plan.

Can I share or store the journey details?

Use the "Email a Friend" button to share details of your journey - or send it to yourself so you can store the details. Our site doesn't use cookies so won't store favourite trips.

How do I get details of my journey to come back, travel on elsewhere or change my trip details?

The "Return Journey" button lets you set a time and date for your return trip, while the "Onward Journey" lets you break down really long trips, or add on another leg to your journey when you want to travel on from your original choice of destination. The "Alter Journey" button lets you change part of your requested journey, e.g. date, time. The "New Journey" button lets you clear the journey plan and re-enter details for a new journey.

What if I need to see more about my journey?

The "Timetable" button takes you to the Traveline timetable for the service in question - you can then select an "all stops" option for a full list of every stop along the route, together with estimated times, or just for the "main stops" (timing points). Use the pdf button for a timetable version to save and print. The "Local Map" button takes you to a map of the journey, which you can move around on to trace the journey, zooming in and out as you need to. Use the pdf button for a version you can save and print - ideal for a plan of where stops are at interchange points, or how to get to a bus-stop from home. Please note that special messages for disruption or diversions to services (e.g. from known roadworks or special events) will display on the journey plan options in red.

Can I find out which buses serve a particular road?

Yes - just enter the street name in the "from" or "to" box, then choose the green "Map" button on the right-hand side of the box. Right click the mouse on the road you want to check. You can then choose the "Services" option to get a list of services that use that road.

Timetable lookup

Can I see timetables rather than a journey plan?

As well as being able to call up timetables from the Journey Plan, the "Timetable look-up" button lets you access timetables and a route map for bus services. This can be used when you know the number and operator of the service which you need.

Can I reduce the number of timetables to choose from?

You can choose just local timetables or see those available over a wider area. The "Find the Timetable for your bus" area has three boxes which allow you to filter the list of services to help choose the one you want. Ticking "Display only South West Timetables" limits the timetables shown in the list to those produced for the South West region. In the "Bus Service Number" box, entering "5" will display all service 5 (and service 5A, 5B, X5 etc) timetables across southern England, and some from beyond. If you enter "5A" or "X5", the list will only match the characters you have entered In the "Location" box, entering "Plymouth" will only display the service 5's running in that city for all or part of their route In the "Operator" box, entering "First Devon & Cornwall" or "Plymouth Citybus" will only display the services provided by that particular operator. Please note that sometimes journeys on a timetable are provided by different operators at different times of day. In this case, leave the "Operator" box blank.

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 carefully. Our journey planner always uses the correct timetable for the day in question.

How are timetables presented?

View an HTML timetable on screen via the "Timetable" button. There are small radio buttons on the timetable to choose the day of operation and the direction of travel. We use a green "Show Special Days" button at holiday times around Christmas, New Year and Easter which can use to show the timetables day by day for those periods. Hovering the mouse over the stop names in the timetable shows bus stop codes to use with SMS text and NextBuses mobile services. Hovering the mouse over service codes (such as the code for schooldays or days of the week) shows a calendar for precisely which days that journey operates.

Can I save or print a timetable?

Use the pdf timetable button to see a timetable which includes all days of operation and directions of travel. This can be downloaded and printed. As a bonus, 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 and a calendar showing which dates service restrictions (schooldays or specific days of the week) apply. For the button to work, you must have Adobe Reader installed. It is free to download from http://getadobe.com/uk/reader/

How can I see a map of the route the bus takes?

The "Map" button shows a route map for each timetable. You can move around the map and zoom in and out using the control buttons in the top left of the map window. There is also a pdf route map sized to A4 which can be downloaded and printed too.

Departures

How can I find the time of the next bus?

Use the "Bus-stop Information" page to get SMS codes to get the next few departure times from your chosen stop delivered to your mobile phone, via traveline-txt SMS service or the NextBuses mobile internet service. Text Service - Enter a name of a bus stop for where you want to travel from, press Search and stops will be shown on a local map of the area, with a Stop Code for your chosen stop. Text the code to 84268 and you'll get a text back showing the next three buses due at that stop. If we have real-time information for the services then that will be shown. Return texts cost 25p each, but are free for stops in Gloucestershire and Plymouth. Stop Timetable - This option lists all departure times from your chosen stop, for any stop across the whole region. Save and print a copy, to stick on the fridge, by the phone or send to a friend.

NextBuses Service

The "NextBuses" page delivers the next departures from any bus stop straight to your mobile phone or device. It works on mobile devices with internet access. To get NextBuses on your mobile phone - go to www.mytraveline.mobi on your mobile web browser and download the appropriate file from the choice of apps. For a bookmark - text "traveline" to 84268 to receive a bookmark for the service. Where Real Time information is available, this is used instead of scheduled times.

Bus Stop Information

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

The "Departures" page lets you create files of departure times from any stop by using this service. If real-time information is available for the stop then this will be shown. Departure Board - enter the name of a town, village, district, bus stop or postcode and then choose your stop from the list of those in the location Travel Time - choose the time and date for the start of the query. Press "Go" and a list of times of buses from that stop is displayed.

Personalised Timetables

How can I get details for my regular trips?

Our "Personalised Timetable" page allows you to create and save timetables for your favourite or frequent journeys. Enter Journey Details and Travel Time details as usual and choose which Modes of Transport 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 Go and your personal timetable is produced as a pdf file which you can view, save and print.

How do I get in touch with bus operators?

Use the "Contact Details" section for all Bus Operators in the South West of England and beyond. Enter all or some of 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. Using "Timetables for this Operator" gives a list of all the routes they run in our area.

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. We also collaborate with Traveline South East & Anglia, East Midlands, West Midlands and Transport for London. You can contact Traveline South West 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 as above.

What if I prefer to speak to someone about planning my journey?

The Traveline call centre on 0871 200 22 33 is open from 0700 to 2200 every day except Christmas Day (shorter hours may apply on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Year's Day). From 1st July 2015, calls cost 12p per minute plus your phone company's access charge.

Where can I find out how to renew my Free Bus Pass?

If you need to contact Local Authorities about Concessionary Travel Passes, use our "Links" page. This can also be used if you need details of Community Transport, pre-booked flexible transport services ("DRT") or Park & Ride services operated on behalf of Local Authorities.

What if I have poor eyesight and need larger print?

If you need larger text, there is a link at the foot of the page.