The changes take effect from Sunday, March 29, affecting services across Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire, Bridgend, the Vale of Glamorgan and Cardiff, while Pembrokeshire will continue to operate under a separate fare structure.
Under the new prices, a single ticket bought from the driver will rise from £3.00 to £3.10, while a return will increase from £5.70 to £5.90. Day tickets will climb from £7.00 to £7.30, with weekly passes rising from £25.00 to £26.30 and monthly tickets increasing from £80 to £84.
First Cymru says the changes are part of a regular fare review aimed at balancing rising operating costs while continuing to invest in services.
Passengers using the company’s Tap On, Tap Off system will also see small changes depending on how far they travel. The distance-based system was introduced in 2024 when the operator rolled out new Tap On, Tap Off payment technology across its network as part of a wider overhaul of fares and ticketing.
That shake-up also triggered criticism at the time after some ticket prices jumped sharply. Early changes to the pricing structure saw the cost of some day tickets rise by more than 40%, prompting complaints from passengers when bus users hit back at the price rises.
Under the Tap On, Tap Off system, fares vary depending on the distance travelled, with longer journeys capped. From March 29 that cap will remain £3.10 for a single journey and £5.90 for a return.
Pembrokeshire services follow a slightly different mileage-based structure, with lower starting fares for very short journeys but increases still being applied across most distance bands.
Despite the changes for adult passengers, fares for children and young people using the My Travel Pass scheme will remain unchanged. Single journeys will continue to cost £1, returns £2, and day tickets £3.
Main First Cymru fares (from 29 March 2026)
| Ticket Type | Current Price | Price from 29 March |
|---|---|---|
| Single (on-board) | £3.00 | £3.10 |
| Return (on-board) | £5.70 | £5.90 |
| Day Ticket | £7.00 | £7.30 |
| 3 Day | £17.50 | £18.20 |
| 5 Day | £22.80 | £23.70 |
| 3 in 7 | £17.50 | £18.20 |
| 5 in 7 | £22.80 | £23.70 |
| 20 in 40 | £80.00 | £84.00 |
| 5 in 30 | £28.00 | £29.20 |
| Week | £25.00 | £26.30 |
| Month | £80.00 | £84.00 |
| Group | £17.50 | £18.20 |
Tap On, Tap Off adult fares (distance-based)
| Distance | Current Single | New Single | Current Return | New Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–1 miles | £1.60 | £1.70 | £3.04 | £3.23 |
| 1–2 miles | £1.90 | £2.00 | £3.61 | £3.80 |
| 2–3 miles | £2.20 | £2.30 | £4.18 | £4.37 |
| 3–4 miles | £2.50 | £2.60 | £4.75 | £4.94 |
| 4–5 miles | £2.80 | £2.90 | £5.32 | £5.51 |
| Over 5 miles | £3.00 | £3.10 | £5.70 | £5.90 |
Tap On, Tap Off fare caps
| Ticket | Current Price | Price from 29 March |
|---|---|---|
| Daily cap | £7.00 | £7.30 |
| 2 Day | £14.00 | £14.50 |
| 3 Day | £17.50 | £18.20 |
| 4 Day | £21.00 | £21.80 |
| 5 Day | £22.80 | £23.70 |
| 6 Day | £24.40 | £25.30 |
| 7 Day | £25.00 | £26.30 |
Pembrokeshire Tap On, Tap Off fares (from 29 March)
| Distance | Current Single | New Single | Current Return | New Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–1 miles | £1.20 | £1.30 | £2.28 | £2.47 |
| 1–2 miles | £1.50 | £1.60 | £2.85 | £3.04 |
| 2–3 miles | £1.80 | £1.90 | £3.42 | £3.61 |
| 3–4 miles | £2.00 | £2.10 | £3.80 | £3.99 |
| 4–5 miles | £2.10 | £2.20 | £3.99 | £4.18 |
| 5–6 miles | £2.50 | £2.60 | £4.75 | £4.94 |
| 6–7 miles | £2.60 | £2.70 | £4.94 | £5.13 |
| 7–8 miles | £2.90 | £3.00 | £5.51 | £5.70 |
| 8+ miles | £3.00 | £3.10 | £5.70 | £5.89 |
Children and My Travel Pass fares (unchanged)
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Single | £1 |
| Return | £2 |
| Day | £3 |
The latest fare review comes after a turbulent period for the bus operator. In late 2025, drivers and engineering staff staged a series of walkouts as pay talks broke down, causing disruption across the region before unions eventually secured a new deal that was hailed as a major pay win for First Cymru drivers.
The agreement delivered a 5% increase backdated to April, along with staged rises that will see drivers’ pay reach £15 an hour by 2027.
First Cymru says passengers can still ensure they are charged the cheapest available fare by using Tap On, Tap Off when boarding and leaving the bus.
The new fares will apply across the operator’s network from March 29.
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So fares are going-up for buses that half of the time, turn up late and the other half of the time don’t turn up at all. Scandalous…