West Yorkshire Senior Pass: Free Buses, Half-Fare Trains
Last checked November 2026. Offers and rules change: confirm with the provider before you rely on them.
In West Yorkshire the older person's pass is the Senior Pass, issued by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority under its Metro name from State Pension age. It gives free off-peak bus travel and, as a local extra, half-fare off-peak train travel within West Yorkshire.
Who qualifies
Metro's Senior Pass pages say you can qualify if you have reached State Pension age and are a permanent resident of West Yorkshire, which covers Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield. State Pension age is rising from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028, so your date depends on when you were born. Metro points applicants to the GOV.UK checker; ours is here: State Pension age checker.
We did not find an older person's pass on Metro's site that starts before State Pension age. If you are between 60 and pension age, a Senior Railcard is the main way to cut train fares.
What the Senior Pass covers
| Type of transport | With the Senior Pass |
|---|---|
| Buses in West Yorkshire | Free after 9.30am Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on bank holidays |
| Trains within West Yorkshire | Half fare, off-peak, for West Yorkshire residents |
| Local buses elsewhere in England | Free between 9.30am and 11pm on weekdays, and all day at weekends and on bank holidays |
What is extra compared with the national bus pass
- Half-fare trains. The national pass does nothing for rail travel. Metro's benefits page says the Senior Pass gives half-fare, off-peak train travel throughout West Yorkshire for residents. With busy lines linking Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Halifax and Wakefield, that is worth having.
- Late buses. The national scheme ends at 11pm. Metro's terms say the West Yorkshire scheme also allows free travel from 11pm until the end of service.
The train times in more detail
Metro says the train concession follows the same days and times as bus travel, so it starts at 9.30am on weekdays. It also describes a special rule for the weekday evening peak, between 4.01pm and 6.29pm, when a particular type of ticket (an Anytime Day Single or Anytime Day Return) has to be bought. We could not confirm exactly how the discount applies to those tickets, so if you plan to travel home at that time, ask at the ticket office before you set out.
The half fare is for journeys within West Yorkshire. For trips beyond the county boundary, ask about buying a ticket from the boundary station, or use a railcard.
What is not covered
Metro's terms exclude certain special bus services, excursions and tours, private hire, school and works contract buses, football specials and some express services. Free travel before 9.30am on weekdays is not included.
How to apply
Online
Metro's guidance says you can apply online through its passes website up to 28 days before you reach State Pension age. You will need:
- an email address;
- a passport-style photograph that you can upload;
- a valid UK passport or driving licence, which is used to check your age.
Passes applied for online are usually posted within about a week. If you are applying for someone else, such as a parent, you create your own account first and then add them to it. Our guide to doing things online for someone else has general advice on helping a relative safely.
In person
If you cannot apply online, Metro says you can go to a Bus Station Travel Centre with proof of your identity and date of birth and proof that you live in West Yorkshire, such as a utility bill. Applications made this way can take up to 21 days.
The first pass is free. Metro charges a fee to replace a lost or defaced card; check the current amount on its website.
Help if ordinary buses are difficult
Metro runs AccessBus, a door-to-door service for people who cannot use ordinary buses. You need to register for it; ask Metro for details. Our page on community transport explains how dial-a-ride and volunteer car schemes work, and taxi cards and travel tokens covers council taxi schemes. Metro also issues a separate pass for blind and disabled people, which has no lower age limit.
Making the most of it
- Combine bus and train. A free bus to the station and a half-fare train makes days out to Ilkley, Hebden Bridge or Saltaire very cheap. See bus pass days out.
- Use the national half of the pass. It works on local buses throughout England after 9.30am, including into the Yorkshire Dales and across to neighbouring counties. Metro publishes guidance on cross-boundary journeys.
The national rules are on our free bus pass page.
Common questions
Are trains free with a West Yorkshire Senior Pass?
No. Train travel within West Yorkshire is half fare at off-peak times for residents who hold the pass. Buses are free.
Can I use my pass on the bus before 9.30am?
Not for free travel on a weekday. Metro's pages give 9.30am as the start time from Monday to Friday, with all-day travel at weekends and on bank holidays.
Can I get the pass at 60?
No. It starts at State Pension age. See what you get at 60 for the things that do begin on your 60th birthday.
I live in North Yorkshire but shop in Leeds. Do I get half-fare trains?
The half-fare rail concession is for West Yorkshire residents with a Metro-issued pass. Your own council's pass still gives free off-peak bus travel in West Yorkshire under the national scheme.