£2 Bus Fare Cap Pilot

In Shetland, a single bus journey costs no more than £2 on participating routes from 30 January 2026.

The pilot is also being rolled out across the Highlands and Islands at a later date.

This is part of a 12 month pilot, helping to make your travel easier and cheaper with a simple £2 fare. There’s no need to apply and no requirement to live locally. Simply board a participating bus service, pay your fare, and enjoy your journey for no more than £2.

Concessionary passengers with a National Entitlement Card can continue to travel free of charge, as usual.

Why we’re running the pilot

Supported by £10 million of investment, the £2 Bus Fare Cap Pilot is a 12‑month programme introducing a clear, capped £2 fare across the Highlands and Islands in Scotland. The pilot brings together the Scottish Government, HiTrans, ZetTrans and local bus operators, delivering on a key commitment in the 2025/26 Scottish Budget.

The pilot aims to make bus travel:

• More affordable, particularly for lower‑income households
• Easier to use, with clear, simple pricing
• More appealing, encouraging more people to choose public transport
• More resilient, supporting local bus services across the region

From 30 January 2026, single bus fares on participating routes in Shetland cost no more than £2. This applies to single adult or child fares.

The 12 month pilot is intended to end January 2027. However, funding is limited so the pilot timescales are subject to change depending on the level of passenger demand. If this changes, we will update advice on this webpage.

Eligible services are registered local bus services in Shetland, where the operator has agreed to take part in the pilot. Premium fare services are excluded from the pilot, such as tour buses, night services or private-hire services.

If you are unsure, contact the bus operator directly to check if your route is included.

The pilot is being rolled out in phases, beginning in Shetland from 30 January 2026. It will be rolled out across the Highlands and Islands at a later date.

Participating routes

If you are unsure if your route is included, contact your operator directly to check.

General enquiries

For general information on the pilot contact us using the details below:

£2 Bus Fare Cap Pilot
Transport Scotland
177 Bothwell Street
Glasgow G2 7ER

RBFP@transport.gov.scot

Stakeholders

Our Stakeholder toolkit provides information and resources for key stakeholders (such as bus operators and local councils) and other organisations to assist in their marketing and communications about the pilot.