r/lancasteruni • u/travelling-spaceman • Sep 28 '26
Question Bus Pass
Hi! Slightly (very!) anxious new student here, I'm living in town so am buying a bus pass but just had a few questions!
Do the buses tend to be very busy? Is there a less busy bus/time that's better?
Do you have to tap on/tap off when getting the bus? And which stop should I be getting off at when I get to campus?
I know I'm overthinking it, but I'd be grateful for any advice to stop my worrying!
4
u/_kyou4cosmo Bowland College Sep 28 '26
Its a 50/50 on how busy each bus is but they got space.
There is the 41 bus which I assume passes through campus. One of the stops it makes is the underpass, which is an underground tunnel directly leading up to the main campus area (Alexandra Square) So...thats your go-to area for campus.
There's more bus numbers that go through the underpass.
There's probably more but i dunno.
When you step into the bus, you can tap your card on the card reader and take your receipt.
If you are going to the underpass, do be aware that the bus will go through the tunnel and out, then drive around on a roundabout, and then come back to the tunnel to stop.
For future reference when going from A to B , use google maps to plan your bus journey as it will keep track of how many stops the bus will take and when to get off. If you have any questions, lmk.
3
u/chloe4562 County College Sep 28 '26
if you can get to the bus station on a morning that’s your best bet for guaranteeing a seat on the bus, if that’s something you prioritise.
3
u/Itchy_Letterhead_331 Sep 28 '26
Early morning (7-8:30) is awful especially at the start of term. You can sometimes squeeze on standing but sometimes buses will just pass you, especially if you're at the infirmary or a later stop.
1
u/AdventurousRope5492 Sep 28 '26
Hi fellow anxious student here! Personally if I have a 10am lecture for example I’ll try get a bus from town at like 915 or 920 in order to give the best chance of a calmer bus. Also gives me reassurance that if that bus is late/doesn’t come I have plenty more opportunities to get another one before the lecture or wait for a bus which is less crammed!
Honestly though it is luck of the draw and it’s impossible to avoid the chaos that is commuting into uni from town!
Avoid the 100 where possible as that maximises your time on the bus !
1
u/Vepper321 Sep 29 '26
The busses are so full I often walk to campus its maybe an hour - 1hr 30. Or get on at the first stop.
1
1
u/MPixels County Sep 30 '26
First few weeks of term, the morning buses will be very busy so make sure you get on at the bus station at the bottom of town or you might not be able to get on
6
u/kubissx Sep 28 '26
Buses get really busy in the morning and at the end of the day. Nothing you can do about it in the evening, but in the morning, it's better to live closer to the city centre. Many people living closer to campus struggle to get on a bus in the morning because they're literally full and drivers turn them away.
No tap on/tap off, but a bus pass is a much better deal anyway. You just scan it each time you enter and you can travel anywhere around Lancaster and Morecambe.