Lewes Bus Fares
THE MAXIMUM ASULT SINGLE FARE ON ANY BUS IS CAPPED AT £3. THIS IS TO ENCOURAGE BUS USE. IT ONLY APPLIES TO A SINGLE JOURNEY ON A SINGLE BUS. CHILDREN ON THEIR OWN PAY HALF PRICE
If you are over pension credit age or over or are disabled you can get free travel on almost all buses between 9.30 and 23.30 but you have to apply for a pass from East Sussex County Council. You can apply at any East Sussex library, or your local district and borough office
For Brighton buses ticketing information see here
For Compass Bus information see here
For Cuckmere Bus information see here
Community Transport Lewes Area does not current show information about tickets.
HOW TO BUY YOUR TICKET
Bus fares get more and more complicated but one thing is always sure:
The most expensive way to buy a ticket on Brighton buses is in cash on the bus or using contactless payments on the bus. This is not not normally the case for other companies unless you are buying a season ticket.
The following ways of paying will always be cheaper
BRIGHTON BUS MOBILE PHONE TICKETS
You will need to have the Brighton Buses app on your phone and to buy the ticket on the app before you get on the bus. Not valid on Compass bus, CTLA or Cuckmere Bus. This will always give you the cheapest fare on Brighton buses. Increasingly, Brighton buses is only offering its very cheapest fares on the mobile phone app.
KEY CARD TICKETS
You will need a Brighton buses key card (not a Southern Railway one)
Key card tickets are valid on Brighton buses, Compass Bus services where appropriate but not CTLA or Cuckmere Bus.
Key card fares will always be cheaper than paying cash and are sometimes as cheap as mobile phone tickets
SCRATCHCARDS
Network saver scratchcards can be bought at the travel hub in Brighton and are available on all Brighton buses, even as far as Tunbridge Wells, Steyning or Eastbourne. Simply scratch the date off when you want to use them. The cost £7.30 for a day in December 2025 and there is a weekly option.
They cannot be used on Compass Buses, CTLA or Cuckmere Buses.
Note that if you are standing in the High Street waiting for a bus it will normally be cheaper to nip into Martins or the Tourist Office to buy your ticket than buying it on the bus.
WHAT TICKET SHOULD I BUY?
You can simply get a single ticket to where you are going, but the following tickets may be cheaper:
WEEKLY, MONTHLY AND OTHER PERIOD SEASON TICKETS
Check the web site of the company that you are interested in. It is often difficult to get a season ticket that covers two different companies.
THE LEWES DAY TICKET
A day ticket for nearly all buses in Lewes town is available. Buy on any bus in Lewes except the 25. There is also a weekly version. Not accepted on the Cuckmere buses 25s on Saturdays. Price at December 2025: A Lewes Day Rover is valid for one day and priced at £4.60. A Lewes weekly ticket is priced at £18.50 and is valid until the end of the seventh day after purchase.
COMPASS BUS ROVER
A weekly ticket offering transport on all Compass Bus routes for a week.
DISCOVERY TICKETS
These tickets are valid on almost any bus run by any company in Sussex, Surrey and Kent for one day. You can buy them on the bus only. Prices in December 2025 are £10 per adult, £8 for someone 5-15 and £20 for a family ticket for a group of 1-2 adults with up to 5 people in total.
FAMILY AND COUPLES TICKETS
There are a number of tickets for families and other groups. Check the bus company web site for details
PLUSBUS TICKETS
If you are travelling on trains and buses it may be cheaper to buy a plusbus ticket.
FREEDOM TICKET
A weekly ticket intended for school/college students under 19 in East Sussex. The price is £20 per week from 16/2/26
Updated 1/2/26