COVID-19 Update

This page was last updated: 4th August

What timetables are in operation?
For the latest timetables, please click here and only travel if your journey is necessary.

Are there any imminent timetable changes?
No, our timetables changed on Sunday 2nd August and are in operation until further notice. 

Who may and may not travel on your buses?
The government advice is to considering other forms of transport before using public transport and to travel safely. People intending to travel should check the Scottish Government website first, click here.

There are currently no restrictions on passenger type and everyone is welcome on our buses if their journey is necessary, they follow government and First Bus guidance, and they are not feeling unwell.  Anyone who is suffering from coronavirus symptoms including a persistent cough or high temperature, should not travel, and should follow public health guidelines.

With operators and customers working together we will provide a bus network, for those who need it, that is safe and allows everyone to complete their neessary journeys.

Wearing a face covering

From Monday 22nd June it is mandatory to wear a face covering on public transport, unless you have an underlying medical condition which makes wearing a face covering difficult. Children under 5 are also exempt from wearing a face covering.

• Click here to find out more information on face coverings and this information.
• Click here to find out how to make your own face covering.

Please note that those with an underlying health condition are not required to wear a face covering. You may need to be prepared to let the driver know you are unable to do so. First Aberdeen support the use of Thistle Assistance Cards, which can be used to communicate the holder has a medical exemption. Please click here for more information.

What assistance is provided for disabled passengers?
Support for disabled passengers remains the same as before coronavirus, see here for more details ⇒

We offer our full support to wheelchair users who want to travel with us.  While many of our seats are blocked with signs or tape, our wheelchair spaces remain available. All our buses have a dedicated area for wheelchair users; other passengers are required to give up the space for wheelchair users. Please ask the driver for assistance if you require any help. If the driver needs to leave their cab to provide passenger assistance they will wear a face covering.

Wheelchair users have priority over everyone else for the use of the designated wheelchair space, since this is the only place in which they can travel safely.

• If the ramp is required please keep a 1 metre distance whilst the driver puts the ramp in place.
• The driver will keep the time they are within 1 metre of you to an absolute minimum.

Please watch our videos for information and advice for travelling on the bus during the coronavirus situation:
	Travel safely on our buses: Social distancing and travel information: Video ⇒
	Face coverings: Video ⇒
	First Bus App: Know where your bus is and how many seats are available: Video ⇒
	Cleaning on our buses: Video ⇒
	Sanitiser: Video ⇒

What steps is First Bus taking to maximise social distancing, at stops and on board?
On our buses we are operating at a reduced capacity with around around half the seats available. It is therefore likely that that you might see ‘Bus Full’ signs as some services reach their revised capacity more quickly.

If you are waiting at a bus stop and the bus drives past, it is possible it has reached its reduced seating capacity. If the bus does stop, but is near capacity, the driver will only allow one person to board for every person that gets off, so you may need to allow extra time for your journey and be prepared to wait. With the latest version of the First Bus App you can now track your bus live on a map and it also displays how many seats are available on each bus.

In addition, you will also see further measures in place to help you to adhere to social distancing guidelines. These include:

• New capacity signs by the entrance of each bus
• Seat signs and tape to clearly show where you should/shouldn’t sit to maintain a safe distance
• Reminders to be considerate of other passengers
• No longer allowing standing​

Seat signs will show where you shouldn't sit:

Capacity signs by the entrance of our buses. This will show the maximum passenger capacity for each bus:

What should passengers do to socially distance, at stops and on board the bus?

	Only travel by bus if your journey is essential
	Plan your travel in advance, avoiding peak periods (7 to 9am and 4 to 6 pm)
	Wear a face covering when on board
	Sit in a window seat, leaving an empty row of seats in front and behind
	On our double deckers, consider sitting upstairs (if you are able)
	Pay with contactless or purchasing your ticket in advance on our Mobile App
	Use the correct change if you must pay by cash
	No eating or drinking while on board
	Leave windows open to aid ventilation

What additional cleaning is taking place?
Our buses are comprehensively cleaned every night by our expert team of cleaners, including regular disinfection of all grab rails and poles, entrance door handles, window ledges and other touchpoints.

Will you be providing face masks or hand sanitiser for passengers?
No, customers should use their own sanitiser and face covering.

In order to maximise social distancing, when is best to travel and when is best to avoid?
There is usually sufficient capacity on our buses but it's best to plan your travel in advance. Our busiest periods are in the middle of the day, so it is best to travel in the morning and late afternoon. This will help ensure we provide our services to as many customers and key workers as possible while adhering to social distancing guidelines.

With the latest version of the First Bus App you can now track your bus live on a map and it also displays how many seats are available on each bus.

We also advise that you try to travel before the last service of the day, to avoid the risk of the last service bus being full. We will not be able to run extra buses after the last service bus.

What happens if the bus I want to catch is full?
On our buses we are operating at a reduced capacity with around 1 in 2 seats being available. It is therefore likely that that you might see ‘Bus Full’ signs as some services reach their revised capacity more quickly.

If you are waiting at a bus stop and the bus drives past, it is possible it has reached its reduced seating capacity. If the bus does stop, but is near capacity, the driver will only allow one person to board for every person that gets off, so you may need to allow extra time for your journey and be prepared to wait. With the latest version of the First Bus App you can now track your bus live on a map and it also displays how many seats are available on each bus.

What happens if the last service of the day is full?
We advise that you try to travel before the last service of the day, to avoid the risk of the last service bus being full. We will not be able to run extra buses after the last service bus.

Are you still accepting cash on your buses?
We encourage all of our customers to buy tickets using the First Bus App or to pay by contactless card on board. If you are paying with cash, please try to use the exact fare.

Is your Travel Centre open?
Our travel shop is closed. For customer service enquiries you can call us on 0345 646 0707. Our lines are open from 9am to 5pm Mon-Fri. Our quieter times are usually between 11am and 3pm so you may prefer to call then as there will be less of a wait to speak to one of our Customer Support Agents.

You can also contact us on Twitter @FirstAberdeen
Please be advised that our operators may be busy due to increased volume of enquiries but will do their best to assist you.

If you prefer, you can fill out the contact form here instead ⇒  We will get back to you as soon as we can but please be aware that for lost property enquiries our response time is usually within 3 working days  for all other enquiries this could take up to 14 days.

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Are you a key worker? Please tell us if you are concerned that our service changes don't meet your needs.

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Customer Services

You can contact our customer services team between 7am and 7pm, 7 days a week.

Contact us on Twitter @FirstAberdeen

Please be advised that our operators may be busy due to increased volume of enquiries but will do their best to assist you.

COVID-19 Timetables and Service Information

We are currently operating revised timetables across our services Update on 30/07/2020Our timetables changed from Sunday 2nd August until further notice on most services, with revised departures time.

Kids Pack

We've worked to create our very own Kids Pack, designed around the framework for Cirriculum for Excellence, designed to help families, parents, teachers and schools!

Journey planner

Plan your bus journey here.

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