Help with travel costs

This advice applies to Scotland. See advice for See advice for England, See advice for Northern Ireland, See advice for Wales

You might be able to pay less or travel for free on public transport, for example if you: 

  • are older or disabled 

  • live in a remote community in Scotland 

  • are a jobseeker or starting a new job. 

If you’re under 26 you can also check if you can get help with travel costs for younger people. 

National Entitlement Card

You might be able to travel for free with a National Entitlement Card (NEC) if you’re: 

  • under 22 

  • 60 and over 

  • disabled. 

You could get free travel on: 

  • buses and coaches 

  • trams 

  • trains 

  • ferries. 

You can apply for a National Entitlement Card on getyournec.scot.

Replacing your National Entitlement Card 

If you’re aged 60 or over, your NEC won't have an expiry date. If you have a NEC for disabled people, it will have an expiry date, and you’ll have to provide current evidence when you apply for a replacement card. 

Find out what to do if your card is lost, stolen or damaged on getyournec.scot.

Check if you can get free bus and coach travel in Scotland

You can get a National Entitlement Card (NEC) for free bus and coach travel in Scotland if you’re: 

You can qualify for free bus and coach travel if you’re under 60 and you get: 

  • Adult Disability Payment

  • Attendance Allowance

  • Child Disability Payment - at the higher rate of the mobility component, or at the highest or middle rate of the care component

  • Disability Living Allowance - at the higher rate of the mobility component, or at the higher or middle rate of the care component

  • Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (DLA) - at the higher rate of the mobility component, or at the highest or middle rate of the care component   

  • Pension Age Disability Payment

  • Personal Independence Payment

  • Short-term Assistance - while you challenge an Adult or Pension Age Disability Payment decision

  • Short-term Assistance - while you challenge a Child Disability Payment decision about the higher rate of the mobility component, or the middle or highest rate of the care component.

You're also eligible if you:

  • have a blue badge - read more about Blue Badge

  • are profoundly or severely deaf

  • have been told not to drive on medical grounds or you would be refused a driving licence, for example if you would not meet the eyesight standard

  • have a learning disability or mental health condition that has lasted for more than a year. You must need to travel to health or social care appointments as part of treatment activities, care or for rehabilitation. Your ability to travel must also be impaired

  • are terminally ill

  • have a progressive degenerative condition and mobility problems

  • have lost one or more limbs

  • are an injured veteran with mobility problems

  • are under 16 and have a diagnosis of severe sight impairment that's been confirmed by an optician or doctor

  • are 16 or over and registered blind or sight impaired - read more about how to register on the Royal National Institute of Blind People website. 

Where you can use your bus pass

You can use your NEC to travel on most local and long-distance bus services in Scotland. You can use it for as many journeys as you want. 

You cannot use your NEC on some services, such as premium-fare night buses and city sightseeing buses.  

Free bus travel for a companion

You can get free bus travel for a companion if you cannot travel alone because you're disabled. Your National Entitlement Card must have a + 1 symbol. 

Your companion does not have to be the same person every time you travel, but they must be over 5 years of age. 

You'll need proof that you're not able to travel alone, such as your benefit award letter or a copy of your blind registration certificate. 

You're eligible for free companion travel if you get: 

  • Adult Disability Payment - at the standard or enhanced rate of the daily living component

  • Attendance Allowance

  • Child Disability Payment - at the highest or middle rate of the care component

  • Disability Living Allowance - at the higher or middle rate of the care component

  • Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (DLA) - at the highest or middle rate of the care component 

  • Pension Age Disability Payment

  • Personal Independence Payment - at the standard or enhanced rate of the daily living component

  • Short-term Assistance - while you challenge an Adult Disability Payment decision about the standard or enhanced rate of the daily living component

  • Short-term Assistance - while you challenge a Child Disability Payment decision about the highest or middle rate of the care component

  • Short-term Assistance - while you challenge a Pension Age Disability Payment decision

  • war pensions constant attendance allowance.

You're also eligible if you:

  • live in a care home, residential home or hospital and are eligible for the higher or middle rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance, the highest or middle rate of the care component of Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Adult Disability Payment or Attendance Allowance

  • are registered as severely sight impaired (blind)

  • are under 16 and have a diagnosis of severe sight impairment that's been confirmed by an optician or doctor. 

You can get more information about travelling with a companion on the Transport Scotland website.

How to report misuse of free bus passes

You can report misuse of free bus passes, such as:

  • passengers using passes which don't belong to them

  • passengers using fraudulent cards

  • bus firms giving passengers a ticket for a longer journey than they actually make.

You can call Transport Scotland free on 0800 328 5690, or email concessionarytravel@transport.gov.scot.

Using buses and coaches if you're disabled

You can find out more about your rights when travelling by bus or coach if you're disabled.

Check if you can get free or cheaper train travel

You could save money with a railcard if you’re: 

You need to pay for a railcard. It usually gives you 1/3 off train tickets. You can apply on the Railcard website. 

Free train travel if you’re blind or sight impaired

If your National Entitlement Card (NEC) has the eye symbol on it, you can get free travel on any rail service in Scotland. 

If your NEC has the eye + 1 symbol, a companion can travel with you for free on any ScotRail service. This is a 12-month pilot scheme from 1 April 2025. Read more about the Scottish National Blind Persons’ Scheme on the ScotRail website. 

Check if you can get free ferry travel

You might get free ferry travel if you: 

  • live on a Scottish island 

  • have a National Entitlement Card (NEC). 

The amount of free ferry travel you can get depends on your age and the type of NEC you have.

If you have a disabled person’s NEC with the + 1 symbol, a companion can travel free with you. 

Read more about free ferry travel on mygov.scot. 

Free ferry travel if you’re blind or sight sighted

You might get free ferry travel if you have the eye symbol on your NEC, even if you don’t live on a Scottish island. You should check with the ferry company if you can travel for free. 

If your ferry is disrupted or cancelled

You might be able to claim compensation for: 

  • the ferry ticket 

  • extra miles you’ve had to travel 

  • overnight accommodation 

  • food and drink. 

If you were sailing with Caledonian McBrayne (CalMac), you can read more about compensation on the CalMac website. 

If you were sailing with NorthLink ferries, you can read more about compensation in the passenger welfare guide on the NorthLink website. 

Air Discount Scheme for Highlands and Islands

The Air Discount Scheme (ADS) gives a 50% discount on air travel on certain routes.  

You can apply if you live or study in:

  • Colonsay

  • Orkney

  • Shetland

  • the Western Isles

  • Islay

  • Jura

  • Caithness

  • North West Sutherland. 

You can also apply if you’re a student from one of these areas studying away from home. 

Find more information about who is eligible and how to apply on the Air Discount Scheme website. 

Check if you can get cheaper taxis or other local travel schemes

Some local councils offer Taxi Card schemes - cheaper taxis for people with severe mobility issues who cannot use public transport. In some areas, you can’t have both a free bus pass and a Taxi Card.  

You can check with your local council if there are any other travel schemes in your area.  

Find out how to contact your local council on mygov.scot. 

Help with travel costs for jobseekers

You might get help with travel costs if you're a jobseeker. 

Travel discount card from the jobcentre

If you get Jobseekers Allowance or you’re expected to look for work while getting Universal Credit, you could get a travel discount card from the jobcentre.  

You must have been claiming the benefit for: 

  • 3-9 months – if you’re 18-24 years old 

  • 3-12 months – if you’re over 25. 

If you’re travelling by bus you can get a 50% discount.  

If you’re travelling with ScotRail you can 2 free tickets each month. Once you get a job you can also get a free ScotRail season ticket for your first month at work. 

You can speak with your work coach about the travel discount card and what discounts are available in your local area. 

Help with the travel costs of starting a job

If you’re starting a job, you might be able to get a Job Start Payment to help with travel costs if you’re:

  • 16-24 years old, or a care leaver aged 16-25

  • getting certain benefits.

Find out more about Job Start Payment.

Check if you can get an accessible vehicle and parking

If you can get a bus or rail pass, you might also be able to get:

You might be entitled to more concessions if you have a Blue Badge, such as exemption from road tax. Read more about extra concessions if you have a Blude Badge.