South Yorkshire Senior Pass: Free Buses and Trams
Last checked November 2026. Offers and rules change: confirm with the provider before you rely on them.
In South Yorkshire the older person's pass is called the Senior Pass and is issued through Travel South Yorkshire from State Pension age. Beyond the free off-peak bus travel that every English pass gives, it adds free travel on the Sheffield Supertram network and half-fare travel on local Northern trains within South Yorkshire.
Who qualifies
Travel South Yorkshire's Senior Pass page says you must live in South Yorkshire (Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham or Sheffield) and be of eligible age. It describes that as "from your 66th birthday" and directs you to GOV.UK to check your own date, because eligibility follows State Pension age, which is rising in stages towards 67 for people born from April 1960 onwards. Use our State Pension age checker to be sure.
The page does not list an older person's pass available before that age. For rail travel from 60, see the Senior Railcard.
What the Senior Pass covers
| Type of transport | With the Senior Pass |
|---|---|
| Buses in South Yorkshire | Free between 9.30am and 11pm on weekdays, and at any time at weekends and on bank holidays |
| Trams in South Yorkshire | Free at the same times |
| Northern trains between stations on the South Yorkshire rail network | Half fare at the same times, on single and day return tickets only (not advance tickets) |
| Local buses elsewhere in England | Free between 9.30am and 11pm on weekdays, and at any time at weekends and on bank holidays |
These details are as shown by Travel South Yorkshire at the time of writing (November 2026). The pass is not valid on trams in other parts of the country.
What is extra compared with the national bus pass
- Free trams. The national scheme is for buses only. In South Yorkshire your pass works on the tram in the same way as on the bus.
- Half-fare local trains. A 50% saving on Northern services within the county is better than the third off that a railcard gives, and you do not have to buy anything to get it. It applies only between South Yorkshire stations and only on walk-up single and day return fares.
The Senior Pass page does not mention the tram-train service to Rotherham separately, so if you plan to use it, check with Travel South Yorkshire whether it is treated as a tram or a train for pass holders.
Before 9.30am
The pass is not valid for free travel before 9.30am on weekdays. Travel South Yorkshire notes one exception: free travel on Stagecoach services to hospital appointments before 9.30am, and it refers pass holders to Stagecoach's website for the conditions. Take your appointment letter with you. For other early journeys you pay the fare.
How to apply
Online
This is the quicker route. Set up, or log in to, a MyTSY account on the Travel South Yorkshire website, choose "Passes", then "Concessions" and "Senior Pass". Fill in your details, upload your proof documents and a photo, and complete the checkout step (there is nothing to pay for a first pass). Travel South Yorkshire says a pass is dispatched within 11 days of a completed online application. You can apply up to 2 weeks before you qualify.
By post or in person
Download the application form, complete it and post it with a photograph and photocopies of your proof documents to the address given on the form. Do not send originals, because the documents are destroyed once the pass has been ordered. Postal applications take longer: the pass is dispatched within 25 days of the form being received. You can also hand a completed form in at the customer service desk of a Travel South Yorkshire interchange.
The website has separate guidance on which documents are accepted as proof and what makes an acceptable photograph. If you would like someone to help you apply online, see our tips on setting up accounts and passwords.
Costs, replacements and renewal
- First pass: free of charge.
- Lost or damaged pass: £7 for a replacement.
- Stolen pass: replaced free if you can give a police crime reference number.
- Pass Protection: an optional £5, covering the life of the pass (up to five years), which entitles you to a free replacement if you lose it.
- Renewal: automatic. The new pass should arrive 4 to 6 weeks before the old one expires. If it has not come 4 weeks before expiry, contact Travel South Yorkshire on 0800 952 0002.
Making the most of it
- Ask for the half fare at the station ticket office or tell the conductor you hold a Senior Pass, and have it ready to show.
- For days out further afield by bus, your pass works across England after 9.30am; see bus pass days out.
- If buses and trams are hard to manage, South Yorkshire has door-to-door community transport services; see community transport.
The national rules are explained on our free bus pass page, and our hub on where you live compares the other city regions.
Common questions
Is the Supertram free with a Senior Pass?
Yes, between 9.30am and 11pm on weekdays and at any time at weekends and on bank holidays, according to Travel South Yorkshire.
Are trains free?
No, but Northern trains between stations in South Yorkshire are half fare at the same times as the free bus and tram travel, on single and day return tickets.
Can I get the pass at 60?
No. It starts at State Pension age. See what you get at 60 for what begins earlier.
I have a hospital appointment at 9am. Do I have to pay?
Possibly not. Travel South Yorkshire says Stagecoach services offer free travel to hospital appointments before 9.30am for pass holders. Check the conditions with Stagecoach and take your appointment letter. If you are on Pension Credit you may also be able to reclaim hospital travel costs; see community transport.