On the weekend of 26–27 September 2026, residents and visitors in Plymouth can travel free on participating local buses. The offer closes September’s Plymouth Enhanced Bus Partnership programme: the same free weekends ran on 5–6, 12–13 and 19–20 September.

The council says free travel applies to journeys that start in Plymouth on Plymouth Citybus, Stagecoach South West and Tally Ho services. Exclusions include Plymouth Citybus Argyle football specials and the Stagecoach Falcon coach. Not every regional route is included.

The initiative is funded through government bus-improvement money. Councillor John Stephens urged people to leave the car at home. Stagecoach South West’s Peter Knight spoke of families, students, commuters and visitors.

Free fares do not add extra buses or cancel diversions. Timetables remain the operator’s, as do rules on luggage, animals and accessibility. Anyone starting outside the city should check whether the first stop is in Plymouth.

September also coincided with Catch the Bus Month. On 12 September partners were in Armada Way Piazza. After 27 September the month’s free-weekend programme ends.

Journey figures, if published, will show whether the offer brought new users. Until then the conditions are those in the council notice of 24 August 2026, not an extension to the whole Devon network.

Image: Plymouth Hoe / Wikimedia Commons. The city’s waterfront, not a Citybus or Stagecoach service. Cropped to 16:9.

Source consulted: Free bus travel every weekend this September | Plymouth City Council; Plymouth Bus.