Book-a-Bus
Meet Book-a-Bus, a flexible on-demand service, for areas with limited or no bus service.
Book trips up to 48 hours in-advance to key destinations such as your nearest town, train station, hospital and more.
Latest news
Travel with the 97 Flex!
The 97 Flex zone serves Barnham and its surrounding areas. The bus follows a semi-fixed bus route and timetable during peak travel hours and becomes fully flexible during off-peak hours.
Book-a-Bus zones
How to book
Online
The easiest way to use Book-a-Bus is via our app.
- For the 99 Flex, 98 Flex and 96 Flex, download the Ride Pingo app.
- For the 97 Flex, download the Book-a-Bus Barnham app.
Phone 01243 858854 (operating hours 6.30am to 7.30pm).
You can book up to 48 hours in advance and up to five seats per trip, subject to availability.
You can’t Book-a-Bus to travel along an existing public transport route, including during hours before or after the traditional bus services starts or finishes. The app or our call centre will advise you on an alternative service to take instead.
Fares and tickets
The cost will be clearly displayed on the app or stated when booking over the phone.
Beginning January 2025, Book-a-Bus fares will be fixed at £3.00 until the end of 2025. This is due to the government price cap. More information is available from National bus fare cap (GOV.UK).
Fare structure
Adult
- Single - £3.00
Child (Age 5-18)
- Single - £1.50
Under 5s
- Free
Concessionary pass holder
How to pay
Pay on app
You can pay using your debit or credit card when booking via the app.
Book and ‘Pay later’ on bus
Payment can also be made on the bus using cash, card or contactless.
Operating in rural areas, means payment machines may occasionally fail. It's helpful if you have the exact fare with you.
Promotional fares now appear in the app so you can pay in advance.
Don't forget your pass, card, or cash for use on the bus if needed!
Introducing 'Book-a-Bus', your new way to travel in West Sussex!
Watch our 'Book-a-Bus' video.
1 mins
Travelling with us
Book-a-Bus can be booked for travel within the designated Book-a-Bus zones (explore our interactive map above).
Bus timetable
The flexible bus service does not follow a traditional bus timetable, instead it moves between the designated drop-off or pick-up points based on the bookings it receives.
Pick up and drop-off locations
There are designated pick-up and drop-off points that our drivers use for both passenger and bus safety. Using these designated stops also allows us to make the service efficient for all users as the drivers know where they can safely stop.
While we aim to drop-off and pick-up passengers as close as possible to their chosen destinations, road restrictions and the size of the bus may limit our ability to do so.
Accessibility
All Book-a-Bus vehicles are accessible with space for wheelchairs on board. Due to limited space on board, we cannot carry mobility scooters. Our drivers are trained and can offer extra support at your pick-up point or destination.
If you have a specific requirement or mobility limitations, you can use the mobility assistance option in the app or via the call centre. This option means you will not need to book the dedicated wheelchair space, but the vehicle will get as close as possible to your pick-up and drop-off points. Information about your pick-up or drop-off point will be shared via the app or by our agents if booking by phone.
While we aim to drop-off and pick-up passengers as close as possible to their chosen destinations, road restrictions and the size of the bus may limit our ability to do so.
Travelling with children
Children who are travelling on their own are recommended to book via the app on the device they will be travelling with to ensure they receive journey notifications. Prams and buggies may need to be folded to keep the dedicated wheelchair space free.
Travelling with a bike
For passenger safety, bicycles cannot be carried onboard. This restricts access for others including wheelchair users.
Travelling with pets
Passengers are allowed to travel with domestic pets but cannot take up any more seats or spaces than booked. For health and safety reasons, dogs are not allowed on seats and kept under full control on a leash at all times. All other pets must be carried in a suitable pet carrier. Assistance dogs will always be allowed to travel with their owner.
Fair use policy
Users who repeatedly fail to turn up for a booking without cancelling or have a history of repeat late cancellations will receive warnings and may be temporarily suspended from using the service.
Abusive behaviour
Abuse, aggression, threats or violence towards our drivers and staff will not be tolerated and may lead to a ban on using the service.
Frequently asked questions
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Bookings made on the app will receive a confirmation within the app, with an estimated pick-up and drop-off time. This time may vary slightly, within a few minutes either side of the estimated time.
Telephone bookings will receive a confirmation phone call where contact details have been provided.
Your ride confirmation will be the zone name and vehicle number plate. The driver will check your booking details when you board.
Receipts are sent via email.
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When boarding the bus, let the driver know the name the journey is booked under or the booking reference number. If you’re travelling using a concessionary pass, you will need to show this to the driver when boarding.
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When booking on demand, you will have to wait 0 to 45 minutes to be picked up.
Please be at your pickup point 10 minutes in advance where possible.
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If you no longer need to make a journey that you have booked, cancel your booking via the app or by phoning the call centre on 01243 858854 (operating hours 6.30am to 7.30pm). This will free up a seat for someone else and make the bus service more efficient.
If you cancel up to 30 minutes before the start of your booking, you will receive a full refund.
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Missed rides delay other passengers so please cancel where possible. Missed rides will be charged in full. Frequent cancellations or missed rides may result in your account being suspended.
When traveling, the bus will wait at your expected pick-up location for approximately 90 seconds before cancelling your trip.
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Book-a-Bus is a flexible bus (ride sharing service), not a taxi meaning booking times may vary slightly on the day to the requested time.
Remain up-to-date on the app with the live bus arrival time. If the bus is running 60 seconds or more behind the estimated time of arrival, the app will notify you.
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When booking your Book-a-Bus service by phone or app, West Sussex County Council aim to fulfil all journeys where possible. However, due to the nature of the flexible service, when demand is high there may be occasions when bookings may become unfulfilled.
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You can only be picked up and dropped off inside one zone. To travel outside of zones using Book-a-Bus, you can be taken to locations where there are connecting bus services to destinations outside of the zone.
- For the 99 Flex, 98 Flex and 96 Flex, download the Ride Pingo app.
- For the 97 Flex, download the Book-a-Bus Barnham app.
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Concessionary pass holders travel free. The usual time restrictions apply.
Show the driver your bus pass when boarding.
Concessionary pass holders are still required to cancel rides if travel plans change.
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Currently, Multi-Operator day passes cannot be used on Book-a-Bus. The Book-a-Bus team are working to get this live as soon as possible.
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Yes, you can travel by yourself. A taxi may be used when there is high demand and additional vehicles need to be dispatched to meet demand.
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This is a ride share service so there may be other people being collected on route to your destination.
Feedback
Your feedback helps us improve our service.
Users of the Ride Pingo app and the Book-a-Bus Barnham app can give feedback during various stages of the booking process. You will also be prompted to give a ride rating following a journey.
You can also leave your feedback on WestSussBus or by emailing transporthub@westsussex.gov.uk
Bus it! is part of the wider Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) which is funded by the Department for Transport.