Tap on Tap off
Following the announcement of the UK Gov £3 cap, we're making some changes to our fares from 1st Jan.
You can find more details here.
- No need to choose the ticket to buy upfront, simply Tap on with the driver and Tap off on the dedicated reader as you get off on every journey.
- Only pay for what you use - when you Tap on and Tap off for one journey, we’ll work out the single fare based on distance and you’ll only pay for that single fare journey at £1.50 or max price of £2.
- If you make additional journeys throughout the same day, your payment will be capped at a max Day ticket price of £4.80. If you make additional journeys in that same week, you'll unlock even greater daily discounts!
- Works with any valid debit or credit card, plus Google Pay & Apple Pay. The same card or same device must be used each time you use the Tap on Tap off service.
- Refreshes every Monday.
- TOTO is available on York Park & Ride services, however our £3.80 Return is not available via TOTO - please use the existing channels to purchase this specific ticket (First Bus App, on bus or at the P&R site).
- TOTO is available on university services, however our discounted student pricing is not available via TOTO - if you are a student, please use the existing channels to purchase your tickets (First Bus App, on bus or website).
Prices:
| Days using TOTO | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max total price | £4.80 | £9.60 | £13.50 | £16.00 | £18.00 | £19.00 | £20.00 |
How to use TOTO:
Card clash:
- Card clash happens when you accidentally tap more than one card or device on the Tap on Tap off readers.
- This can happen if you have multiple contactless cards within your purse or wallet and don't remove the card you want to use prior to tapping, or if you are trying to pay via mobile but keep your cards within your phone case.
- To avoid card clash and ensure you pay the best fare, please only present a single device or card when tapping in and present the same card or device when tapping out.
- If you don't, the Tap on Tap off readers may:
- Not register your card/device
- Take multiple payments from each card/device
- Take payment from the wrong card/device.
- Take an incorrect payment. - Read our FAQ's below to find out more about how to check your transactions and how to get in touch if you believe you've been charged incorrectly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Yes! You can Tap on and Tap off our Park & Ride services and you'll be capped at the daily max of £4.80 and weekly max of £20.00, even if you switch between our city and Park & Ride services during the day or week.
The £3.80 Park & Ride Return is not available on TOTO - if you wish to purchase this ticket please do so through the existing methods, on bus, from the site or from the First Bus App.
Whilst TOTO is available on our student services, the pricing is based on a solo Adult and does not include any student discount. To take advantage of our discounted student tickets you'll need to continue using our existing methods - on bus, on the First Bus App, or on our website. Find out more here.
No, you can use TOTO on non-consecutive days and still take advantage of the savings. For example, if you made 3 trips per day on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, you’d pay the max 3 day TOTO price of £13.50 rather than the price of 3 FirstDay tickets (£14.40).
If you need any assistance, please get in touch here.
You are charged the Single price for each journey you make. If you make further trips on the same day the cost is capped at the Day ticket price of £4.80. Each time you use TOTO in a 7 day period there is a max fare charged which is a discount on the Day fare.
Card clash happens when you accidentally tap more than one card or device on the Tap on Tap off readers. This can happen if you have multiple contactless cards within your purse or wallet and don't remove the card you want to use prior to tapping, or if you are trying to pay via mobile but keep your cards within your phone case. To avoid card clash and ensure you pay the best fare, please only present a single device or card when tapping in and present the same card or device when tapping out. If you don't, the Tap on Tap off readers may:
- Not register your card/device
- Take multiple payments from each card/device
- Take payment from the wrong card/device
- Take an incorrect payment
You can 'Tap off' at the ticket machine by the driver and this will record your journey correctly.
If you've made a purchase on board that was subsequently declined by your bank, unfortunately your card will be automatically blocked by our system. Once any outstanding amounts are settled by your bank, your card will be automatically unblocked. Until this happens, you'll need to pay with an alternative method.
No, one of the benefits of the system is it is paperless. If you need a receipt you can access your payment history here >>
The system is currently only designed for solo adult tickets.
Child, 16-18 and Group tickets continue to be available on the First Bus App.
Yes, that's no problem. Just explain to our driver once you've tapped on for yourself - you can either purchase a normal ticket using cash or contactless, or use an alternative card or payment device to 'Tap on' for the other person.
Contact our customer service team for assistance here.
You'll be charged the Single fare to the end of the journey of the bus you were travelling on - so please remember to 'Tap off'! We all make mistakes, so if you need any assistance let us know.
No, concessionary pass holders just need to 'Tap on' as normal with their pass.
This will depend on your own bank and how quickly they process transactions. You will normally be billed daily.
Yes, your payment history is linked to your card or device so make sure you use the same one each time you travel.
If you have your payment method set up on your mobile through Apple Pay or Google Pay, make sure you stick to one method. If you switch to your card, it will be treated as a new payment method and you might not benefit from the price caps.
You can access your payment history here >>
When you board the bus, use your contactless card or device to 'Tap on' at the ticket machine next to the bus driver. Once you've reached your destination, 'Tap off' the bus using the reader attached to the pole on the left hand side as you exit the bus.
If using a device, you will need to ensure you trigger the payment mechanism for that device when you 'Tap on' and 'Tap off' i.e. ensure Apple Pay or Google Pay registers the transaction.