This summer, Southampton City Council has partnered with three local bus operators to offer a discount on group tickets; giving up to five people bus travel around the city all day for just £5. 

From Saturday 23 July, groups of up to five people will be able to travel on Bluestar and Unilink services, City Red services or Southampton Mini Link buses and pay just £5 for the whole day. Each ticket is only valid on the operator’s bus service that it was purchased from.  

The offer will make travelling around the city more affordable for families and groups exploring the city’s museums, parks, shops and restaurants during the summer. It covers the whole of the school holidays to enable more people to choose greener travel options for free events from the Big Green Event on 30 July to the summer-long Hares of Hampshire exhibition. 

With a packed schedule of events in Southampton over the summer months, there’s even more reason to travel around the city and explore new areas and things to do. There’s Circus Zyair in Hoglands Park from 5 – 9 August, Southampton Pride on 27 August and lots of arts and music performances at Guildhall Square as well. See VisitSouthampton.co.uk/events for more inspiration. 

Cabinet Member for Transport and District Regeneration, Councillor Eamonn Keogh, said: “This is a fantastic offer for groups and families travelling to and around the city during the school holidays. At a time of rising prices, this offer means you keep more money in your pocket. Not only do families and groups save money, taking the bus is a greener way to get around and takes cars off the road. The offer is a great opportunity for accessing city events and exhibitions as well as the many shops and restaurants we have here in Southampton. 

Nikki Honer, Bluestar and Unilink Head of Communications, added: “Here at Bluestar and Unilink, we are committed to helping improve the quality of air we breathe in Southampton, and we have been working on this in a number of ways over recent years – from investing in a new fleet of greener vehicles and installing solar panels on our vehicles to trialling the world’s first air filtering bus. 

“Our buses have the potential to take many cars off the road – which is crucial for our environment. We know this because a recent report suggests that if every person in Great Britain switched around one car trip per month to bus or coach, it would create a cumulative reduction of two million tons of CO2e by 2030. 

“We’re pleased to be working with Southampton City Council and other partners on this initiative. And we hope it will play an important role in encouraging more people than ever to choose sustainable transport in and around the city.” 

Mark Lovell, City Red’s Operations Manager, said: “We are delighted to partner with Southampton City Council on this special summer offer. At a time of rising living costs, we want to help people get out and enjoy the holidays and the initiative will do this. Our buses offer a fun, affordable and green way to get around and we have introduced Tap On and Tap Off to make it even easier.” 

Simon Gard Operations Manager at Southampton Mini Link said “The 5 for £5 group ticket offers great value days out in Southampton over the summer holidays. Our service 14 has an improved timetable from 1st August which offers opportunities for days out at Itchen Valley Country Park which is a short walk from our Chartwell Green stop.” 

To take advantage of the offer, groups must purchase their tickets on the bus or via the bus company’s app. They must also travel together throughout the day, using the same operator’s services for each journey. 

For more information, visit myjourneysouthampton.com/5for5 or speak to the bus driver at the time of travelling. 

  1. Group day travel tickets offered by Bluestar, City Red and Southampton MiniLink currently priced at £8.00 will be reduced to £5.00 starting 23rd July in a special summer offer facilitated by Southampton City Council.
  2. Customers buy the group ticket from one of the participating bus operators on the bus or in advance using the bus operators ticket app. They can then travel as a group on that operator’s bus services for the whole day. 

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