a double decker Bath parked on the side of a road

Local Area

How to Use the Bus

By ResLifeAmrita 04 Sep 2023

There are two bus lines that connect to the University to the city of Bath:

U1 to the city centre till Green Park house and Oldfield Park
U2 till Oldfield Park (only during term time!)

U1 Service

This bus runs 24/7 and comes by almost every 5 minutes.

During term time the buses are quite reliable, but they do get full quite easily! If you live at stops close to campus, make sure to budget extra time in case buses are full.

Out of term-time, buses are less frequent.

To check where the closest stop is to me, I like using Google Maps.

a double decker U1 bus driving down a street

©The SU, University of Bath

U2 Service

The U2 is operational during term-time and the primary form of transport for those living at Oldfield Park.

During holidays, the U1 continues going to Oldfield Park.

Bath_Network_Map-WEB_2.pdf (290 KB)

©FirstBus

Where to find the bus?

When going from campus to the city, all the buses come to Arrivals Square to pick up students.

When trying to catch the bus on any other stop, hold out your hand to signal to the driver that you want to be picked up. Remember to do this especially if you're the only one at the stop!

If you're trying to get off on the next stop, press the red "stop" button a little before your stop is due. Be sure to give the driver enough time to stop for the next stop or else you will miss it.

©iStock

Payment

1. Cash

All buses accept cash, but I don't recommend using cash on the buses.

Not only does it hold up the line, but drivers usually don't like handling cash and giving out change. Try to go cashless unless it's your last resort.

2. Tap On/Tap Off

If you use the bus once in a while, tap on/tap off is the most convenient option!

You simply tap your card when you get onto the bus and tap off when you get off. This will automatically charge you the correct amount depending on the number of trips you take in the day.

This is particularly a great option for students living on campus - those who visit the city rather infrequently.

©FirstBus

3. FirstBus App

Download the FirstBus app if you plan on using the bus regularly.

Here, you can purchase several different bus passes such as a:

day pass
weekly pass
monthly pass
yearly pass

I recommend working out how often you will need to use the bus based on your timetable before buying at pass. It may be more cost effective some months to buy weekly passes rather than a monthly. If you are an undergraduate student and plan to leave Bath in June once your accommodation contract finishes - you probably won't get the full use of a yearly pass - don't feel like you need to pay for a yearly pass when you arrive in September.