Free bus travel for children across Cornwall this August

If you are trying to keep children entertained before the new school term, one cost has quietly dropped away for the next few weeks. For the whole of August, children across Cornwall can travel on the bus for free.

How the free travel works

The offer runs from 1 August to 31 August, and covers children aged 5 to 15, up to their 16th birthday. It applies on all registered Transport for Cornwall bus services, including Go Cornwall Bus, OTS and Hopleys. Children under 5 already travel free all year round.

Tickets are issued on the bus itself, on the same day you travel, for every single journey. Children under 11 need to be with a fare-paying adult, or with an adult travelling on a valid concessionary bus pass. Normal Conditions of Carriage apply.

Where the offer comes from

The free travel is part of the UK Government’s Great British Summer Savings scheme, funded by the Government and aimed at helping families through the school holidays. Alongside the bus offer, the scheme includes reduced VAT on some attractions, including soft play centres, amusement parks and museums. Full details are on the Great British Summer Savings website, and Transport for Cornwall has set out the same terms on its free travel for children in August page.

Planning a trip

Before setting off, families can check routes, live departure times and timetables using the Transport for Cornwall journey planner, which also has a free app and lets you save favourite stops and journeys.

The small print worth knowing

A couple of limits apply. Anyone aged 16 to 18 should carry on buying a child ticket as usual. And the free travel does not cover the Truro Park and Ride.