Eligibility for the concessionary Travelcard


You are eligible for the concessionary National Travelcard if one of the following applies to you:

  • If you are of the qualifying age as indicated in the calculator below
  • You are blind or partially-sighted
  • You are profoundly or severely deaf (hearing loss must be over 70dBHL as shown in audiologist report)
  • You are without speech
  • You have long-term and severe difficulty walking
  • You do not have arms, or have long-term loss of the use of both arms
  • You have a significant learning disability
  • If you applied for a licence to drive, you would be refused on the grounds of physical fitness other than due to persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol (Part III of the Road Traffic Act of 1988, section 92)
  • Children under five do not qualify for a pass because they get free travel on buses anyway

Please note that companion passes will not be issued to any person under the age of 11.

There may be other concessions available for children and students for details please ask the relevant bus operator.

Qualifying age calculator

The Government has announced that the qualifying age for concessionary bus travel will rise from 60 to 65 over a ten-year period from April 2010.

  • If you were born on or before 5 April 1950, you will become eligible on your sixtieth birthday.
  • If you were born between 6 April 1950 and 5 April 1955, you will become eligible on the date shown in the table below.
  • If you were born on or after 6 April 1955, you will become eligible on your sixty-fifth birthday.

Date of birth   Date of eligibility for Diamond Travelcard
 6 January 1951 to 5 February 1951  6 November 2011
 6 February 1951 to 5 March 1951  6 January 2012
 6 March 1951 to 5 April 1951  6 March 2012
 6 April 1951 to 5 May 1951  6 May 2012
6 May 1951 to 5 June 1951 6 July 2012
6 June 1951 to 5 July 1951 6 September 2012
6 July 1951 to 5 August 1951 6 November 2012
6 August 1951 to 5 September 1951 6 January 2013
6 September 1951 to 5 October 1951 6 March 2013
6 October 1951 to 5 November 1951 6 May 2013
6 November 1951 to 5 December 1951 6 July 2013
6 December 1951 to 5 January 1952 6 September 2013
6 January 1952 to 5 February 1952 6 November 2013
6 February 1952 to 5 March 1952 6 January 2014
6 March 1952 to 5 April 1952 6 March 2014
6 April 1952 to 5 May 1952 6 May 2014
6 May 1952 to 5 June 1952 6 July 2014
6 June 1952 to 5 July 1952 6 September 2014
6 July 1952 to 5 August 1952 6 November 2014
6 August 1952 to 5 September 1952 6 January 2015
6 September 1952 to 5 October 1952 6 March 2015
6 October 1952 to 5 November 1952 6 May 2015
6 November 1952 to 5 December 1952 6 July 2015
6 December 1952 to 5 January 1953 6 September 2015
6 January 1953 to 5 February 1953 6 November 2015
6 February 1953 to 5 March 1953 6 January 2016
6 March 1953 to 5 April 1953 6 March 2016
6 April 1953 to 5 May 1953 6 May 2016
6 May 1953 to 5 June 1953 6 July 2016
6 June 1953 to 5 July 1953 6 September 2016
6 July 1953 to 5 August 1953 6 November 2016
6 August 1953 to 5 September 1953 6 January 2017
6 September 1953 to 5 October 1953 6 March 2017
6 October 1953 to 5 November 1953 6 May 2017
6 November 1953 to 5 December 1953 6 July 2017
6 December 1953 to 5 January 1954 6 September 2017
6 January 1954 to 5 February 1954 6 November 2017
6 February 1954 to 5 March 1954 6 January 2018
6 March 1954 to 5 April 1954 6 March 2018
6 April 1954 to 5 May 1954 6 May 2018
6 May 1954 to 5 June 1954 6 July 2018
6 June 1954 to 5 July 1954 6 September 2018
6 July 1954 to 5 August 1954 6 November 2018
6 August 1954 to 5 September 1954 6 January 2019
6 September 1954 to 5 October 1954 6 March 2019
6 October 1954 to 5 November 1954 6 May 2019
6 November 1954 to 5 December 1954 6 July 2019
6 December 1954 to 5 January 1955 6 September 2019
6 January 1955 to 5 February 1955 6 November 2019
6 February 1955 to 5 March 1955 6 January 2020
March 1955 to 5 April 1955 6 March 2020
6 April 1955 and later date of 65th birthday