A £2 bus fare cap has launched across the Highlands, Moray and Argyll and Bute on Monday 23rd of March 2026, offering cheaper travel to thousands of passengers as part of a year long pilot scheme.
The move extends a Scottish Government initiative already introduced in Shetland, the Western Isles and Orkney, bringing wider coverage across rural and island communities.
The scheme caps the maximum single adult bus fare at £2, with participating operators reimbursed through public funding.
It forms part of a £10 million investment delivered in partnership with Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership.
Ministers say the aim is to make travel more affordable while encouraging more people to use public transport.
The impact is expected to be significant in rural areas, where longer journeys often come with higher costs.
Lower fares are intended to ease financial pressure on households while improving access to work, education, healthcare and essential services.
There is also an expectation that more affordable travel will encourage people to leave the car at home, supporting bus services and reducing congestion and emissions.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop said:
“I’m really pleased to see the £2 Bus Fare Cap Pilot now live right across the Highlands and Islands, delivering on a key Scottish Government Budget commitment.
“This means that both local and longer journeys will be significantly cheaper for passengers in the area, making everyday travel simpler while supporting more people to choose sustainable transport.
“I look forward to seeing the positive impact it brings for local communities and the wider region throughout the pilot.”
HITRANS chair Uisdean Robertson said:
“The bus fare cap pilot is fantastic news for the Highlands and Islands.
“It will make bus travel cheaper and more accessible, particularly for lower-income families.
“It will also encourage greater use of public transport and strengthen the sustainability of local bus services.”
Robert Andrew, HITRANS board member and chair of the Bus Service Improvement Partnership Group, said:
“It is great that residents and visitors in the HITRANS area will benefit from the £2 bus fare cap.
“With the volatility and increases in fuel prices adding to cost of living pressures, making bus travel cheaper at this time will hopefully encourage many people to switch to bus travel and help to reduce congestion and emissions across the area.”
Passengers making connecting journeys may still need to purchase separate tickets depending on the operator, although the £2 cap will apply to eligible parts of the journey within the scheme area.
The pilot will run for one year, with its impact on travel behaviour, affordability and service use expected to be closely monitored.
