MetroBus is Bristol's limited-stop, buy-before-you-board bus network, running as the M1, M2 and M3 routes. A single adult fare is £2.60, a day ticket is £6.80, and it uses the same First Bus tickets and app as the rest of the network. Here's what each route covers and when it actually beats a normal bus.
What MetroBus actually is
MetroBus isn't a separate company or a tram, it's a First Bus service that runs on largely segregated bus lanes with fewer stops, so it moves faster through the busiest parts of the city than a standard route. The tradeoff is that it's a "buy before you board" service (except for contactless tap on, tap off): you can't pay the driver with cash, so you need a ticket from the First Bus app, an iPoint machine at the stop, or a tap of a contactless card or phone before you get on.
The three routes
M1: Cribbs Causeway to Hengrove Park
The M1 runs from Cribbs Causeway shopping centre in the north, via Aztec West, Bradley Stoke, UWE's Frenchay campus, Begbrook and the city centre, down through Bedminster and Parson Street station to Hengrove Park in south Bristol. It's the route to use if you're travelling between the northern retail/business parks and the city centre or south Bristol without a car.
M2: Long Ashton Park & Ride to the city centre
The M2 connects the Long Ashton Park & Ride site, just off the A370 southwest of the city, to the centre via Bristol Temple Meads station. It's the option most visitors arriving by park and ride from the south and west will end up using.
M3 / M3x: Emersons Green to the city centre
The M3 runs from Emersons Green in the east, via the Lyde Green Park & Ride site and UWE's Frenchay campus, into the centre. The M3x is a faster, more limited-stop variant on the same corridor at peak times.
Fares and tickets
| Ticket | Adult | Student/young person (16-21) | Child (5-15) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single (one journey) | £2.60 | £2.34 | £1 |
| Day (unlimited that day) | £6.80 | £6.10 | £3.40 |
| Week (unlimited, 7 days) | £28 | £25.20 | £14 |
A five-person group day ticket is £13.60, valid from 9.30am Monday to Friday or all day on weekends and public holidays, bought through the First Bus app. Children up to age 4 travel free with a fare-paying adult, and anyone with an English concessionary bus pass for older or disabled people rides free, with disabled pass holders able to travel free 24/7 across the wider West of England area.
If you're paying by contactless card or phone using Tap On, Tap Off, your daily spend is automatically capped: £2.60 for one trip, £5.20 for two, and £6.80 (the day ticket price) for three or more, with a £6.80 as a fixed cap. This cap resets weekly too, at £28, calculated Monday to Sunday, so frequent riders shouldn't need to plan ahead. All these tickets, plus BristolRider multi-operator tickets, work across MetroBus and ordinary First Bus services, since they share the same fare structure.
How to pay before you board
At every MetroBus stop you'll find an iPoint, a self-service machine for buying tickets with a bank card or contactless device (no cash). You can also buy and store tickets in the First Bus app ahead of time, or simply tap a contactless card or phone as you board if you're using Tap On, Tap Off. There's no way to buy a ticket from the driver on MetroBus, which is what allows it to board faster than a normal service.
Is MetroBus worth it over a normal bus?
For the specific corridors it runs, generally yes: bus lane priority and fewer stops mean it's usually the quickest way to get between the northern and eastern edges of Bristol and the centre without a car. If you're going somewhere off those three routes, though, you'll want an ordinary First Bus service or the harbour ferries instead, and MetroBus won't get you to Bristol Airport, which has its own dedicated Flyer coach.
For more on getting around the city day to day, see our guide to getting around Bristol, or if you're driving in, our guide to Bristol's park and ride sites. For ride-hailing alternatives, see Uber in Bristol.
FAQs
Is MetroBus a separate company from First Bus? No. MetroBus is operated by First Bus and uses the same tickets, fares and app as the rest of the First Bus network in Bristol.
Can I use a normal First Bus ticket on MetroBus? Yes. Any First Bus ticket valid in the Bristol zone, including BristolRider multi-operator tickets, works on MetroBus services.
Does MetroBus go to Bristol Airport? No. The airport has its own dedicated Flyer coach service rather than a MetroBus route.
Can I pay the driver with cash on MetroBus? No. MetroBus is a buy-before-you-board service. You need to use an iPoint at the stop, the First Bus app, or tap a contactless card or phone if you're using Tap On, Tap Off.
What are the three MetroBus routes? The M1 runs Cribbs Causeway to Hengrove Park, the M2 runs Long Ashton Park & Ride to the city centre via Temple Meads, and the M3/M3x runs Emersons Green to the city centre via Lyde Green Park & Ride.
How much is a MetroBus day ticket? An adult day ticket is £6.80, giving unlimited MetroBus and First Bus travel in the Bristol zone for the day. Contactless Tap On, Tap Off riders are capped at the same amount automatically.