Spectrum
From the end of November 2025, Spectrum ticket prices will increase slightly following a decade-long price freeze. Derby City Council and local bus operators have worked closely to keep the changes as low as possible, ensuring services remain sustainable while continuing to offer excellent value for money.
These adjustments are designed to maintain the affordability of multi-operator ticketing, helping to ensure that bus travel remains the best way to get into and around Derby City Centre.
To support passengers during the transition, Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) funding will be used to temporarily discount Spectrum tickets for up to a maximum of six months. During this period, adults can enjoy unlimited travel within Derby City on any operator for less than £3.60 per day with a 28 day ticket.
Derby Spectrum card
Spectrum is the multi-operator bus travel ticket for Derby, which allows unlimited bus travel from 5am to midnight on the day of purchase on most Arriva, trentbarton, Kinchbus, and Notts & Derby services within the Derby city area.
How it works
Customers can buy single day tickets as well as better value 7 day or 28 day advance tickets from the bus station information office. You can make as many journeys as you want on any participating services within the city during the 1 day/7 day/28 day period. Customers can then continue to top up additional saver tickets at the bus station or on participating Arriva, trentbarton, Notts & Derby services or Kinchbus.
At the start of each new day of travel, customers will simply need to place their Spectrum card on the bus ticket machine to activate that days travel. There is no need to touch off when you get off the bus. Every time you board a new bus service during the day, you will need to do the same thing.
Family and friends can share the card too, so when you’re not using it they can.
Where you can use your card
You can use your card on any bus operated by Arriva, trentbarton, Notts & Derby, and Kinchbus in the Derby city area and the built up area of South Derbyshire immediately adjacent to the boundary of Shardlow Road and Stenson Fields, with the following exceptions:
Excluded services:
- all travel outside of Derby city
- Coach or National Express
- X38
- Red Arrow, xprss38 and 6X
- trentbarton (departing the city centre after midnight and before 5am)
- all football specials.
Costs
Child
| Duration | Cost | Cost from 23 November 2025 |
Cost from 24 May 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | £3.80 | £4.50 | £5.60 |
| 7 day | £16 (40% saving) | £20 (37% saving) | £23 (41% saving) |
| 28 day | £55 (48% saving) | £67 (47% saving) | £80 (49% saving) |
b_line
| Duration | Cost | Cost from 23 November 2025 |
Cost from 24 May 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | £4.35 | £5.30 | £5.80 |
| 7 day | £18 (41% saving) | £22.50 (39% saving) | £25.10 (38% saving) |
| 28 day | £64 (47% saving) | £75 (49% saving) | £88.50 (46% saving) |
Adult
| Duration | Cost | Cost from 23 November 2025 |
Cost from 24 May 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | £5.80 | £7 | £7.70 |
| 7 day | £24 (41% saving) | £30 (39% saving) | £33.50 (38% saving) |
| 28 day | £85 (48% saving) | £100 (49% saving) | £118 (45% saving) |
(Savings compared to buying 7 or 28 single day tickets)
How much money you can put on your card
- 1 day ticket - up to 10 top-ups in one purchase
- 7 day ticket - up to 4 top-ups in one purchase
- 28 day ticket - up to 4 top-ups in one purchase
How to get a Spectrum card
Cards are available from the bus station information office which is open from 8:30am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday and from 8:30am to 1pm on Saturday. Once you have purchased a Spectrum card you can top up on participating bus services.
Unfortunately paper tickets are no longer available to purchase.
For more information, email spectrum@derby.gov.uk.
Lost or damaged cards
If you have lost or damaged your card, go to the bus station information office, where a member of staff will be able to issue you with a new card. Unfortunately any credit on your lost card can not be transferred.