Tap and Go
The quick and easy way to pay for your bus travel
Tap and Go, the quick and easy way to pay for your Arriva bus travel at the best price - available with Arriva in the Liverpool City Region
Simply hop on the bus and tap on with your driver using a credit/debit card or with Google Pay or Apple Pay then just sit back and relax.
We then automatically calculate and charge the best adult fare. So, you can tap on as many times as you want and travel knowing you’ll always pay the best price, Single, Day or Week.
Where can I use Tap and Go?
The Liverpool City Region (Merseyside and Halton) - click here for area map.
Further locations to be added
How we calculate your fare
We calculate your fare to make sure you’re charged the best adult price:
- When you tap on for one journey, you will pay the Adult Single fare of £2.
- If you make additional journeys throughout the same day, your payment will be capped at the Adult Day ticket price.
- If you make additional journeys throughout the week, your price will be capped at the Adult Weekly ticket price.
- It’s as easy as, well, tap on and go!
To access your journey and payment history click here.
Tap and Go frequently asked questions
Please read our most frequently asked questions around Tap and Go below.
How do I see what I've been charged?
You can access your journey and payment history here – https://arrivabus.littlepay.com
Can I use Tap and Go on the Quality Bus Network with Stagecoach?
If you intend to use both Arriva and Stagecoach buses, you will need to purchase your ticket in the normal way. However, on QBN routes if you only intend to use Arriva Buses Tap and Go is available.
Will I still be capped if I travel outside of the Liverpool City Region?
Tap and Go is only available in the Liverpool City Region. Any journey made within the zone will be capped*. Journeys outside of the zone will not be capped and normal fares will apply.
* If your journey takes you outside of the Liverpool City Region zone you will need to purchase your ticket in the normal way to avoid being overcharged.
For journeys which take you outside of the Liverpool City Region (cross boundary), Tap and Go capping will not work between;
- Service 7 - Barrows Green (Pendlebury Farm) to Warrington
- Service 34 - Newton le Willows (Parkside Road) to Leigh
- Service 62 - Moore (Morre Lane) to Warrington
- Service 110 - Widnes (Dans Road) to Warrington
- Service 310 - Lydiate (Kenyons Lane) to Ormskirk
- Service 320 - Haydock Park to Wigan
- Service 329 - Derbyshire Hill (Waring Avenue) to Warrington
- Service 352 - Orrell (Chapel Brow Main St) to Wigan
- Service 375/385 - Meols Cop (Town Lane, Kew) to Wigan
- Service X30 - Warrington to Daresbury Science & Technology Park and Sutton Weaver to Chester
The Liverpool City Region (Merseyside and Halton) - click here for area map.
Do I have to use the same card/device?
Yes, your payment history is linked to your card or device so make sure you use the same one each time you travel. If you have your payment method set up on your mobile through Apple Pay or Google Pay, make sure you stick to one method - if you switch to your card, it will be treated as a new payment method, and you might not benefit from the price caps.
Why was my card declined?
If you've made a purchase on board that was subsequently declined by your bank, your card will, unfortunately, be automatically blocked by our system. Once any outstanding amounts are settled by your bank, your card will be automatically unblocked. Until this happens, you'll need to pay with an alternative method.
Is the Arriva UK Bus app still available?
The Arriva UK Bus App is still available, there are some great features in the app such as the live map, journey planning and you can also purchase tickets to use on bus.
Can I use Tap and Go for myself and also pay for someone else's travel (e.g. a child)?
Tap and Go only works for one passenger travelling on a card. If you have two cards this would be counted as two separate passengers and Tap and Go could be used.
If you wish to purchase multiple tickets, for example, an adult and two children travelling together, then tickets should be purchased from the driver or through the Arriva UK Bus app in the normal way. No cap is applied to these transactions.
However, it would be possible to purchase the child tickets first using a card with the driver and then tap and go using the same card for the adult to travel and potentially receive a price cap.
Are the prices for Tap and Go different to other on bus prices?
No, the fare you pay is the same as if you bought a standard adult single ticket from the driver. A benefit of using Tap and Go is that you can access price caps which are the same as our Arriva ticket fares, this means you will always get the best fare for your travel.
Does Tap and Go work for other ticket types?
The system is only designed for adult tickets. If you want to purchase other products, please ask the driver or download the Arriva UK Bus app.
Will I get a receipt?
No, one of the benefits is that the system is paperless. To see your transaction history please visit our Littlepay portal here - https://arrivabus.littlepay.com
What are the price cap levels?
Prices are capped at the Adult Single, Day or Week rate available for travel within the Liverpool City Region
- Single - £2.00
- Day - £5.30
- Week - £20.00
Can I use Apple Pay or Google Pay?
Yes, both Apple Pay and Google Pay can be used. However, your payment history is linked to your card or device so make sure you use the same one each time you travel. If you have your payment method set up on your mobile through Apple Pay or Google Pay, make sure you stick to one method - if you switch to your card, it will be treated as a new payment method, and you might not benefit from the price caps.
Do I need to tell the driver where I am going when I board the bus?
A benefit of Tap and Go is to improve boarding times, so you do not need to confirm the destination to the driver just tap on when you board the bus. However, if you are travelling outside of the Liverpool City Region zone you will need to get your tickets in the normal way.
Will the money come out of my account straight away?
A payment will be taken for each journey made until a cap is reached,
You can check what you’ve been charged for each journey on our customer portal.