Newport Bus Smartcards
The Newport Bus smartcards are an alternative to the Newport Bus mobile tickets to purchase your weekly, 4-weekly or annual passes.
- Bamboo Smartcard for young people aged 5 to 15 years old
- Passport and Passport plus smartcards - for over 16 regular users
- Youth Passport card for young people aged 16-21 years old
- Freedom card - a bus cash card for the purchase of occasional single or day tickets
Bamboo Smartcard
The Bamboo card is the children’s bus pass for discounted weekly, 4-weekly and yearly bus travel for young people aged between 5 and 16. Under-5 travels free on Newport Bus.
What are the benefits:
- Cheaper. Weekly, 4-weekly and yearly bus passes provide a great discount compared to day tickets. Only valid for tickets in Zone 1 (Newport) and Zone 2 (Cardiff and Cwmbran).
- Simple. Once topped up by contactless or cash on the bus with your weekly or 4-weekly ticket, you simply scan the card on the ticket machine on each journey.
- No commitment - you top up your card with a ticket when you need it. You can buy multiple tickets and they will start when the first one has expired. However, once purchased their validity will start immediately.
To apply, Download your application form here and email it to our customer support team. You can also bring it to the office at 160 Corporation Road where our staff will be pleased to help. You will require proof of your date of birth (Official ID, birth certificate).
Newport Bus Youth Passport
See the dedicated page here Newport Bus Youth Passport
Passport & Passport Plus Smartcards
The Newport Bus Passport and Passport Plus smartcards offer regular users discounted travel with weekly or 4-weekly tickets. An annual pass is available through your employer, giving access to a higher discount for a monthly payment.
What are the benefits?:
- Up to 54% cheaper fares with weekly and 4-weekly tickets compared to day tickets. Only valid for Zone 1 (Newport) and Zone 2 (Cardiff and Cwmbran).
- Simple. Once topped up by contactless or cash on the bus with your weekly or 4-weekly ticket, you simply scan the card on the ticket machine on each journey.
- No commitment - you top up your card with the ticket you need (weekly or 4-weekly) when you need it. You can buy multiple tickets and they will start when the first one has expired. However, once purchased their validity will start immediately.
To apply, download your application form here and email it to our customer support team or hand it in at the Newport Bus depot where our staff will be pleased to help. You will then need to credit the Passport card with the ticket you require on the bus by cash (exact fare) or a contactless payment card.
Freedom Smartcard
This is the same as paying contactless with your bank card or mobile payment. The Freedom card is the bus cash card for the occasional traveller. If you use our Newport Bus app, you can also register your bank card on the app to track your bus spending.
What are the benefits?:
- No need for cash: top up the card by cash with £1, £3, £5 or £10 or using your bank card up to £45.00. The credit stays on the card and only gets deducted when you use the card.
- Simple. Once topped up, you scan your card on the bus ticket machine to pay for your ticket. Valid for all tickets on the Newport Bus network. Not valid with any other operator.
- Share it with family and friends to use or for you to pay for their bus ticket when travelling together.
To apply, download your application form here and email it to our customer support team or hand it in at the Newport Bus depot where our staff will be pleased to help.