Barnsley MiCard Frequently Ask Questions
Barnsley MiCard is a bus travel pass, which from Friday 1 August 2025 will allow children and young people in Barnsley aged 5-18 free bus travel across South Yorkshire, as long as the journey starts or ends in Barnsley local authority area.
You will need a Barnsley MiCard that you will scan when you get on a bus. Failure to scan the card will result in you having to pay a bus fare. If you don’t have a Barnsley MiCard, you can apply online or by post to allow you to enjoy free bus travel.
It will be a smart card similar to those currently operated by Travel South Yorkshire (Tickets and Passes - Travel South Yorkshire)that you’ll scan when you get on the bus in (or to) Barnsley.
Anyone under 18 and living in Barnsley can get a card. You’ll be able to use your travel card until 31 July of the school year you turn 18 or 31 July 2027 (whichever is soonest).
Children under the age of 5 travel free on the bus network in South Yorkshire and do not need a travel card (ID may be required to demonstrate they are under 5)
Between 7am and 9pm, every day, from Friday 1 August 2025. The pass is valid on buses that are scheduled to depart before 9pm for the duration of the journey to your destination. If your bus is scheduled before 9pm but is running late you will still be able to travel for free.
Check for any delays or disruptions before you travel using the Travel South Yorkshire Journey Planner.
Bus journeys starting or ending in Barnsley Local Authority area, for travel within South Yorkshire (e.g. Including travel to Meadowhall and back but not Meadowhall to Doncaster).
The travel card is for individual use and must not be shared.
The pass is free. There will be a charge for replacement cards.
No. It can only be used on buses.
No. Barnsley MiCard is not replacing other passes.
Use these passes when your journey starts and ends outside Barnsley to make use of the child fare.
Continue to use your Zoom Zero pass to travel to and from schools as you do currently, as this gives you priority access to travel. Use your Barnsley Micard for any other journeys.
Continue to use your ENCTS Disabled pass as this already gives you access to free bus, tram and local train travel within South Yorkshire.
No. Other tickets can’t be loaded onto the pass.
Yes. If anyone is deemed to be abusing the privilege of being part of this innovative Pilot, be that through anti-social behaviour or failing to adhere to scheme rules, the administrators reserve the right to withdraw the travel card.
Replacement passes will be issued by Travel South Yorkshire in line with the conditions of the scheme. There will be a charge of £7 for a replacement pass.
You will need to apply for a Barnsley MiCard via the paper application or online route. More details on MiCard and the application process can be found here.
If you need to update the photo on your Barnsley Micard, pleased send a new photo to the following address, stating your full name, postcode and date of birth:
Contact Centre
Traveline
11 Broad Street West
Sheffield
S1 2BQ
This means your order has been received by the team and is in the queue for processing.
You can use your Barnsley MiCard on registered school services if your journey starts or ends in Barnsley and remains in the South Yorkshire region. For all registered school bus services in Barnsley please see the School and Colleges bus service information page.
However, if a school provides private transport themselves or via a third-party operator, you will be unable to use your Barnsley MiCard on these journeys. Parents/students should contact the relevant educational establishment for more details on these services.
If travelling across the county boundary, the pass is valid to the last bus stop before crossing the county boundary. You will be required to pay the appropriate fare for the remainder of their journey outside of South Yorkshire.
Likewise when returning, you will pay the appropriate fare to cross the boundary and the pass becomes valid for the remainder of the journey within South Yorkshire.
This is a Barnsley Council scheme that is only available for people living in Barnsley during the scheme period.
If you live outside of Barnsley but within South Yorkshire, you can check if you can get one of our other travel passes at Tickets and Passes - Travel South Yorkshire.
The pass is only valid for journeys made from or to Barnsley local authority area within South Yorkshire. You’ll need to pay the appropriate fare for any other journey made within or outside of South Yorkshire.
The scheme is being funded by Barnsley Council with an investment of £5 million, alongside additional funding of up to £1 million from South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.
It is hoped that the scheme will help reduce financial pressures for families and enable children and young people in Barnsley to access opportunities in the borough and across South Yorkshire.
The scheme is part of Barnsley Council’s Great Childhoods Ambition - a borough-wide, collaborative approach to support all children and young people in Barnsley, providing them with the foundation for a successful future.
