Cheaper bus travel will once again be offered by the Council over the six-week school summer holiday period – when all single journeys that start and end in Rhondda Cynon Taf will cost no more than £1.50 across all operators.
This is the tenth separate occasion in recent years when the Council has been able to introduce subsidised bus travel across the County Borough, having most recently operated during the two-week Easter holiday. The summer offer will be running from Saturday, July 18, to Monday, August 31, inclusive.
These initiatives continue to be targeted at key periods of the year, like school holidays and festive periods, to have the greatest impact – aiming to reduce economic barriers that may prevent people from catching the bus. The 2026 summer offer will run under the same arrangements as previous occasions.
As usual, all bus journeys that start and end within the Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough boundary will be capped at a cost of £1.50. This is being adopted by all local bus operators and will apply from the first service to the last service of each day – with no time restrictions being put in place.
Concessionary pass holders will need to scan their passes as normal during this period. All journeys that start or end outside of the Rhondda Cynon Taf boundary will not receive the offer, and will be subject to the normal full fee.
Don’t forget, bus fares for 5 to 21-year-olds are currently being capped at a maximum cost of £1 for a single journey, thanks to Welsh Government. All 16-21 year-olds need to show a valid ‘My Travel Pass’ to take advantage, while under-16s simply need to buy a single child bus ticket. This offer for young people will be unaffected by the Council’s local initiative over summer 2026.
Councillor Ann Crimmings, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, said: “Providing our residents with cheaper bus travel over the school holidays and festive periods has previously been a popular initiative, and I’m pleased that the Council has again been able to bring forward another valuable initiative for summer 2026. Bus fares for all single journeys will be capped at £1.50, covering the whole of the six-week summer holiday – replicating the scheme that we ran last year.
“This is the tenth separate occasion that cheaper bus travel has been brought forward since summer 2023. From July 18 to August 31, residents will be able to travel on any bus route in Rhondda Cynon Taf for just £1.50 – representing a significant saving for individuals and families. Bus operators have reported a general increase in the number of people using their services during previous offers, and the feedback to the Council has also generally been very positive.
“Helping and encouraging more people to access public transport within their everyday journeys has many advantages. Catching the bus helps reduce the number of vehicles on our roads, has a knock-on effect of reducing traffic congestion and lowering journey times, and also contributes to protecting the environment. As the cost of living remains high, I hope this summer’s initiative helps residents enjoy exploring the County Borough over the holiday period.”
Posted on 06/07/2026