Tap On, Tap Off

Choose a contactless card or device, e.g. Apple watch/mobile phone and simply tap it on and off the card readers each time you travel. You must use the same card or device every time, as your card/device acts as your ticket. There’s no need to ask the driver either, simply tap on and take a seat, but remember to tap off when you leave the bus for the best value fare.

Tap On Tap Off uses contactless to guarantee our best on bus fare! Whereas contactless is just a payment method for your tickets, Tap On Tap Off guarantees that you will never pay more than the day or week cap, no matter how many journeys you make.

This is perfect for people who don’t know their travel plans in advance, who may purchase day tickets for which they do not receive full value, or who end up buying two singles when they could have bought a day ticket. With Tap On Tap Off you will never pay more than you need to!

Tap On Tap Off is ideal for adults who purchase single and day tickets within a specific zone.

Unfortunately, Tap on Tap Off is not available for child, student, or group tickets. 

No, but you can still buy multiple tickets with the same contactless card from the driver. Alternatively, you can purchase multiple tickets via the First Bus app. 

No paper tickets are issued when you pay with Tap On Tap Off. Instead, your payment card acts as your ticket.

You can keep track of your payments using our online portal.

When you tap your card on the bus, the payment is processed later the same day. 

Instead of charging your card for each tap, we group your journeys into a single payment.

This means you may see one charge for multiple trips instead of separate payments. You can check what you’ve been charged for each journey on our customer portal.

If you made multiple journeys, fare caps may apply reducing the payment amount.
 

When you use Tap On Tap Off, your card acts as your ticket. If you use more than one card or device, each will act as a separate ticket and will be entered into separate caps.

Absolutely, you can still use your contactless card for all types of tickets. Tap On Tap Off guarantees you our cheapest on-bus fare!

You will be charged the single fare to the end of the route, so always remember to tap off in order to pay the correct fare. If you do forget to tap off and are overcharged as a result, you can request a refund via our our online portal.

Alternatively, you can contact our Customer Services via our contact form.

There are several reasons why a contactless payment might not work, but unfortunately, our drivers won’t know the exact cause. If your payment fails, try using a different card, an Apple or Google Pay-enabled device, or purchasing a ticket through our First Bus App. 

Some common reasons for a failed contactless payment include:

• The previous payment to First Bus was declined and so your card has been blocked until the payment is settled.  This could be because your bank hasn’t approved the transaction – This could be due to security checks, fraud prevention measures or insufficient funds.
• Multiple contactless payments in a short time – Banks sometimes block further transactions as a precaution.
• More than one card was detected – If multiple cards are in the same wallet or phone case, the reader may not take payment. Try tapping again with just one card.
• Card has expired - Please check that your card is still valid.
• Card type not supported – Not all cards are enabled for contactless travel payments.
• Temporary bank issues – Outages or delays in processing can sometimes cause payments to fail.
• Device settings (for Apple/Google Pay users) – Ensure NFC is enabled, and the correct payment card is set up.

If your payment fails, you can try again using a a different card, pay via Apple/Google Pay, or purchase a ticket in advance using the First Bus App.
 

If your payment was declined and your card is now blocked, here’s what happens next:

When you tap your card on the bus, the payment is processed later the same day. If there are issues - such as insufficient funds - your bank (the card issuer) decides whether to approve or decline the payment. If the payment is declined, we will attempt to collect it again over the following days.

Until the outstanding fare is successfully paid, your card will continue to be declined when you try to use it for travel. Your bank may also have blocked the transaction due to insufficient funds or security reasons.

To resolve the issue, you may need to:

• Check with your bank to understand why the payment was declined.
• Ensure there are sufficient funds in your account.
• Use a different card or an alternative payment method, such as Apple/Google Pay or purchasing a ticket via the First Bus App.

If you continue to experience issues, your bank should be able to provide further guidance.
 

You can check all your contactless charges, including those from Tap On Tap Off, by accessing our online portal.

Your journey will appear on our online portal within a few hours of purchasing your ticket.

All Visa and MasterCard cards displaying the contactless symbol , along with Apple Pay and Google Pay, can be used. Unfortunately, we do not accept payments by American Express or Maestro.

If you’re using a pre-paid card, please ensure you have enough credit before trying to purchase your ticket as unfortunately this could result in your card being rejected.

Most contactless cards issued outside of the UK should work on our ticket machines. However, if your card doesn’t work, please contact your bank or card issuer for assistance. Keep in mind that cards issued outside of the UK may incur overseas transaction fees, which are applied by your bank or card issuer.

No, nothing has gone wrong. Occasionally, we may authorise a small payment (e.g., 10p) to check with your card issuer that the card is valid. This is a standard process, particularly if it’s the first time your card has been used or we haven’t seen it in a few days.

The 10p authorisation will not be charged to your account, and it will be cancelled within a few hours. The full transaction amount will typically appear on your statement within the next 24-48 hours. If you have any concerns, feel free to contact us.
 

You can request refunds for any contactless/Tap On Tap Off transactions directly through our online portal.

Alternatively, you can contact our Customer Services using our contact form.

You can request a refund for any contactless transaction via our online portal. 

Alternatively, you can fill out our contact form with the details of your request and our Customer Service team will be in touch.