Questions and Answers

Tap on tap off is in Leicester City

What is tap on tap off?

Tap on tap off is a convenient way to pay for your travel on Centrebus services. You tap on at the start of each journey and tap off at the end of each journey using a contactless payment method (Visa/Mastercard payment card or device using Google Pay or Apple Pay). 

What area is covered by tap on tap off?

Tap on tap off is available on our services in Leicester and some parts of Leicestershire.  Tap on tap off charges the Standard Adult fare.  A fare cap is applied to journeys made within the Leicester zone, and are price capped to the Centrebus Day, 3Day and Weekly fares, therefore, automatically giving a saving once these prices are reached.

What are the price cap levels?

The Centrebus Day ticket is capped at £5.00, Centrebus 3 Day is capped at £13 and the Centrebus Weekly is capped at £19.

Where can I see what I have been charged?

You can access all your Centrebus card payment history by using the link to our payment service provider Little Pay.  This link will also show any price caps and savings that have been applied to your fares.

What about if I travel outside the Leicester zone?

For journeys outside of the Leicester zone or cross boundary services (100, 154 and 747) tap on tap off can still be used, but you are charged the standard Adult Single fare.  No cap is applied outside the Leicester zone and so it may still be cheaper to purchase a return or season ticket from the driver.

Can I use tap on tap off for the Leicester Flexi tickets?

Not yet, but once all bus operators in Leicester are using the tap on tap off system it will then also be introduced for Leicester Flexi tickets.  You can still buy paper Leicester Flexi tickets in the normal way, however, if you are paying by card, please inform the driver before placing your card or device on the reader, else it will activate a tap on tap off transaction.

Will I get a price cap on the UHL Hospital Hopper service?

At the start of tap on tap off, we are not applying a price cap to the Hospital Hopper service; the current UHL buses are not fitted with readers.  When the Flexi price cap comes on line at a later stage, then the Flexi price cap will also be available on the Hospital service.

What happens if I forget to tap off?

You will be charged the standard Adult single fare to the end of the journey of the bus you travelled on.  You can access all your Centrebus card payment history, to see what you have been charged, by using the link to our payment service provider Little Pay. If you have a query in regards to the fare you have been charged, then please contact our Customer Services team on 0116 410 5050 or email us on help@centrebus.co.uk. 

Do I have to use the same card or device?

Yes, your payment history is linked to your card or device so make sure you use the same one each time you travel. If you have your payment method set up on your mobile through Apple Pay or Google Pay, please make sure you stick to one method.  If you switch to your card, it will be treated as a new payment method and you might not benefit from the price caps.

Can I buy multiple tickets?

Tap on tap off only works for one passenger travelling on a card.  If you wish to purchase a multiple of tickets, for example an adult and two children travelling together, then tickets would need to be purchased from the driver in the normal manner.  No cap is applied to these transactions.  It would be possible to purchase the child tickets first on a card and then tap on using the same card for the adult to travel with tap on tap off and potentially receive a price cap.

Are the prices for tap on tap off different to the fares on the bus?

No, the fare you pay is exactly the same as if you bought a standard Adult single ticket from the driver or purchased a Centrebus mTicket, price caps are the same as our Centrebus Season Ticket fares.

Does tap on tap off work for Young Person tickets?

The system is only designed for adult tickets. If you want to purchase a young person ticket, please ask the driver for the ticket you need and do not put your card on the reader until asked to do so.

My card was declined when I tried to use it, however, why did some money still came out of my account?

This is because you owe us money from a previously declined transaction.

How long does it take for my card to be unblocked?

It can take up to 48 hours for a card to be unblocked once the funds have been recovered from any previous transactions.

I’ve checked my payment history and I still need help, who do I contact?

Please contact the first bus company you travelled with for help, contact details are listed below:

Are Centrebus mTickets still available?

You can still purchase travel using our Centrebus mTickets through the Centrebus app. Please ensure that your devices NFC is disabled when presenting a QR code as this may accidentally activate a tap on tap off transaction.

How are fares calculated?

To find a specific fare, go to the relevant bus services page and click Download Fares. Fares are calculated between fare stages.  There can be more than one bus stop within a fare stage.  If you board and alight at bus stops that are also the fare stage, you will be charged the fare between the two fare stages.  If you board at a bus stop between fare stages, you are charged from the fare stage before the bus stop you have boarded.  If you alight at a bus stop between fare stages, you are charged to the next fare stage.

Do I need to tap off if I am a concessionary pass holder?

No, there is no change to the concessionary pass scheme and holders just need to tap on as normal when boarding the bus.

Does tap on tap off work for the Leicester City Council half-price concessionary travel before 09:30?

No, the system is only designed for the full price standard adult fares.

Can I get my Centrebus Travel Club discount using tap on tap off?

No, unfortunately, the discount can not be linked to the tap on tap off transaction.  If you wish to continue to benefit from the Travel Club discount, then you can continue to purchase your tickets from the driver, paying with cash or contactless. However, for frequent travellers, the longer term savings of the tap on tap off price cap may be greater than with Travel Club. 

Can I get even cheaper fares in Leicester?

Depending on how frequently you travel, a Centrebus Leicester month, 3 month, 6 month or year ticket may be cheaper overall and is not included as part of the tap on tap off price cap scheme.