What Kind of ID You Need to Travel by Bus or Train

What Kind of ID You Need to Travel by Bus or Train

Phone. AirPods. Keys. That super soft hoodie you stole from an ex.

The packing list for your bus or train trip is almost complete, but don’t forget to add a photo ID to the list of essentials.

Maybe your license pic immortalizes a bad hair day or eye bags bigger than your luggage — if it doesn’t, teach us your ways! Still, for the majority of bus and train travels, you’ll have to flash that unflattering photo to prove that it really is you.

Below, we’ll break down everything you need to know about the kind of ID you’ll need before setting off on your next adventure with Wanderu.

Do you need an ID to ride a bus?

The short answer is, yes. Most bus companies require that you show an ID with the same name on your ticket upon boarding. You can see the details below about the specific policies for some of our most popular bus carriers.

Even for the companies that don’t require an ID, it’s always a good idea to travel with some form of identification just to be safe. Plus, if you’re heading to cities known for craft beer or planning a bar crawl, prepare to be carded!

Do you need an ID to ride a train?

Yes, train carriers, including Amtrak and VIA Rail, require you to present a photo ID with your ticket when traveling. Depending on the train line, you might need to show your ID and ticket to an agent before boarding, or you might board the train and conductors will check IDs and tickets at your seat after the train departs. Either way, keep your ID handy and make sure that the passenger name on your train ticket matches the name on your ID.

What kinds of IDs are accepted for travel on buses and trains?

In general, you must show a non-expired ID which is issued by a government agency and includes a photo. A digital picture of your ID or a photocopy will not be accepted.

Check out this list to see what kinds of ID are valid for travel (marked with a checkmark), and those which won’t cut it (marked with an X).

Do you need a specific ID for trips which cross a country border?

You sure do. For international bus or train trips, like a train crossing from the U.S. into Canada or a bus going from Mexico into the U.S., you’ll need a passport. Make sure that the passport is valid for at least 6 months beyond your intended travel time.

When traveling throughout the Schengen area in Europe, border crossings do not require showing a passport; however EU citizens should be sure to pack a government-issued ID, and other international travelers should keep passports with them.

Specific ID Policies for Popular Bus and Train Carriers

ID policies vary slightly from carrier to carrier, so we’ve listed out some of the specifics for popular bus and train companies on Wanderu below. For additional details, you can always call the bus or train carrier directly.

Can you travel on a bus or train without an ID?

If you do not have an ID with you, we recommend booking with carriers like OurBus or BestBus that do not require IDs for boarding. Just show your ticket or confirmation number and hop on!

For any other carrier that does require an ID, please contact the carrier directly if you’ll be traveling without one. Some carriers might be able to offer other ways of verifying your identity, such as a password.

And when in doubt, it’s always safer to have some form of identification with you, even if all you have is an expired ID or a photocopy of your ID.

Got any more ID questions?

Reach out to us at [email protected] and we can give you even more deets.

Once you’ve found your ID, find the cheapest ticket for your trip by searching on Wanderu or downloading the Wanderu app. Compare hundreds of bus and train companies’ offerings in one place to discover the best deal, then get ready to start your adventure.

What Kind of ID You Need to Travel by Bus or Train

Phone. AirPods. Keys. That super soft hoodie you stole from an ex.

The packing list for your bus or train trip is almost complete, but don’t forget to add a photo ID to the list of essentials.

Maybe your license pic immortalizes a bad hair day or eye bags bigger than your luggage — if it doesn’t, teach us your ways! Still, for the majority of bus and train travels, you’ll have to flash that unflattering photo to prove that it really is you.

Below, we’ll break down everything you need to know about the kind of ID you’ll need before setting off on your next adventure with Wanderu.

Do you need an ID to ride a bus?

The short answer is, yes. Most bus companies require that you show an ID with the same name on your ticket upon boarding. You can see the details below about the specific policies for some of our most popular bus carriers.

Even for the companies that don’t require an ID, it’s always a good idea to travel with some form of identification just to be safe. Plus, if you’re heading to cities known for craft beer or planning a bar crawl, prepare to be carded!

Do you need an ID to ride a train?

Yes, train carriers, including Amtrak and VIA Rail, require you to present a photo ID with your ticket when traveling. Depending on the train line, you might need to show your ID and ticket to an agent before boarding, or you might board the train and conductors will check IDs and tickets at your seat after the train departs. Either way, keep your ID handy and make sure that the passenger name on your train ticket matches the name on your ID.

What kinds of IDs are accepted for travel on buses and trains?

In general, you must show a non-expired ID which is issued by a government agency and includes a photo. A digital picture of your ID or a photocopy will not be accepted.

Check out this list to see what kinds of ID are valid for travel (marked with a checkmark), and those which won’t cut it (marked with an X).

Do you need a specific ID for trips which cross a country border?

You sure do. For international bus or train trips, like a train crossing from the U.S. into Canada or a bus going from Mexico into the U.S., you’ll need a passport. Make sure that the passport is valid for at least 6 months beyond your intended travel time.

When traveling throughout the Schengen area in Europe, border crossings do not require showing a passport; however EU citizens should be sure to pack a government-issued ID, and other international travelers should keep passports with them.

Specific ID Policies for Popular Bus and Train Carriers

ID policies vary slightly from carrier to carrier, so we’ve listed out some of the specifics for popular bus and train companies on Wanderu below. For additional details, you can always call the bus or train carrier directly.

Can you travel on a bus or train without an ID?

If you do not have an ID with you, we recommend booking with carriers like OurBus or BestBus that do not require IDs for boarding. Just show your ticket or confirmation number and hop on!

For any other carrier that does require an ID, please contact the carrier directly if you’ll be traveling without one. Some carriers might be able to offer other ways of verifying your identity, such as a password.

And when in doubt, it’s always safer to have some form of identification with you, even if all you have is an expired ID or a photocopy of your ID.

Got any more ID questions?

Reach out to us at [email protected] and we can give you even more deets.

Once you’ve found your ID, find the cheapest ticket for your trip by searching on Wanderu or downloading the Wanderu app. Compare hundreds of bus and train companies’ offerings in one place to discover the best deal, then get ready to start your adventure.

London Travelcard

The London travelcard is a transport pass which entitles you to unlimited travel on London’s public transport. You can use a travelcard to travel on the London Underground, overground, public buses, DLR (docklands light rail), TFL rail and other trains, as long as you travel within London’s travel zones.

It is designed for people who are planning on using London’s public transport a lot when visiting London or for people who commute into London on a daily basis, but a London Travelcard may sometimes not be the cheapest option even if does entitle you to unlimited travel.

London Travelcard: What do I need to know before I buy one?

When buying a London Travelcard there are three things that you need to know:

1. The duration of the card:

You can buy a travelcard for one day, 7 days, one month or annual.

2. The travel zones of London that will be using:

When you buy a travelcard you need to choose what travel zones you want use. If you are going to travel between zones 1 and 2, you will need a travelcard that is valid for these two zones, but if you are going to travel between zones 1 and 5 every day, you will need a travelcard that covers zones 1 to 5. This does not apply to travelling by bus, as any travelcard will allow you to travel on buses to and from any zone within London’s travel zones. So for example, if you have a travelcar for zones 1 and 2, you can still use a bus to get to zone 3 or zone 5 with that travelcard at no extra cost.

Most of London’s tourist attractions are located in zone 1, and only a few of the most popular attractions can be found outside zone 1, such as Camden Town Market which is in zone 2. Make sure you know what zone your hotel is in before you buy a travelcard.

3. Off-peak or Anytime

If you are buying a 1 day travelcard (which we don’t normally recommend as an oyster card has a daily cap that is cheaper than a one day travelcard – see below) you will have to choose if you want it to travel anytime of the day, or just during off-peak times (Monday – Friday from 9.30 am; all day Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays).

This does not affect 1 day travelcards for zones 1 to 4, so if you are visiting London you probably don’t need to worry about this at all as you are unlikely to be travelling to zone 5, 6 or beyond.

Which Travelcard to buy if you are planning a trip to London

If you are visiting London, the 1 day travelcard or the 7 day travelcard for zones 1 – 4 are probably the travelcards that could interest you the most. Just make sure your hotel is within these zones.

1 day Travelcard

The price of the 1 day London travelcard (2019) for zones 1, 1-2, 1-3 and 1-4 is £13.10. We don’t normally recommend using the 1 day travelcard, as it is actually cheaper to you use an oyster card, a visitor oyster card, or a contactless card (if you are a UK resident as you won’t get charged extras) as these methods of payment have a daily cap. The daily cap applied to these zones are: £7.00 for travel within zones 1-2; £8.20 for zones 1-3 and £10.10 for zones 1-4. Once you have reached this daily cap you will be able to travel within the same travel zones for free. It is still necessary though to tap in and tap out on the yellow reader with your oyster card, visitor oyster card or contactless card when using public transport.

7 day Travelcard

The 7 day travelcard for London travel zones 1-2 costs £35.10 (2019). When comparing oyster card / visitor oyster card / contactless fares to a 7 day travelcard, I would probably say that it is convenient to get a 7 day travelcard if you are going to be travelling around London for more than 6 days. If you are going to be in London less than 6 days then I would recommend using an oyster card (vistor oyster card or contactless if you are a UK resident).

Where to buy a London travelcard

You can buy a London Travelcard in any station located within London Travel zones, such as underground, overground, TFL rail, DLR stations…. You can also buy a london travelcard online and get it sent to your home address before you travel.

> Buying a London Travelcard at an underground station

It is possible to buy a London travelcard at any underground station in London, by either using a ticket machine at the ticket office or a manned desk in a the ticket office (if available). When you buy a 7 day, monthly or annual London travelcard at an underground station you will normally get an oyster card with the travelcard incorporated in it. So your oyster card will be pre-loaded with the travelcard you have chosen. This way you can also use this oyster card with pay as you go for any trips that are not included in the travelcard.

So, as an example, if you have a 7 day travelcard for zones 1 – 4 in your oyster card, you will be entitles to unlimited journeys within these travel zones for 7 days, and you can use your oyster as you normally would, by touching in and touching out. But, if one day you need to go to zone 6, you will be able to use the same oyster with pay as you go balance. One example when this might happen, is if you arrive at Heathrow airport (zone 6) but you want to buy a 7 day travelcard for zones 1 – 4. It will be much cheaper to use they oyster card with pay as you go for the journey from Heathrow to central London and the journey from central London to Heathrow Airport on your last day and adding a 7 travelcard for zones 1 – 4, than using a 7 day travelcard for zones 1 – 6.

> Buying a London Travelcard at a train station

It is possible to buy a London travelcard at any train station located inside London’s Travel Zones. When you buy a travelcard at a train station, you will normally get a paper travelcard and not an oyster card.

Stansted, Luton or Gatwick airports are all outside London’s Travel Zones so these stations won’t normally sell travelcards.

> Buy a London Travelcard online

One of the easiest ways to buy a London travelcard is by buying it online. The price is exactly the same as what it would cost you to buy it in London but you will pay a little extra for delivery.

> Buy a London travelcard at Heathrow airport

You can also buy a London travelcard at Heathrow airport. But if you’re planning on buying a travelcard at Heathrow, it is important to bear in mind that Heathrow airport is in travel zone 6, so if you buy a travelcard for your entire stay in London, you may buy a 7 day travelcard of zones 1 to 6. If you are not going to travel into zone 6 every day, this will work out more expensive than you need it to be. In this case, I would recommend that you buy an oyster card which you can use as pay as you go to get to central London and then to get back to Heathrow Airport on the day that you return, and load it with a 7 day travelcard for zones 1 – 2, as these are the zones you will most likely be using if you are visiting London.

London Travelcard: Fares 2019

Travelcard for children

Children under the age of 11 travel free within London travel zones. Children over 11 can also benefit from reduced fares, you can find out more about this in our article: Travelling in London with kids.

Find out more

For more information visit London’s official transport website: Transport For London

Source https://www.wanderu.com/blog/id-requirements-bus-train/

Source https://www.wanderu.com/blog/id-requirements-bus-train/#:~:text=The%20short%20answer%20is,%20yes.%20Most%20bus%20companies,for%20some%20of%20our%20most%20popular%20bus%20carriers.

Source https://plantriplondon.com/london-travelcard/