On February 22, 2026, the Oxford Bus Company changed how it calculates ticket prices, causing child return fares between Kennington and Abingdon in Oxfordshire to jump by 50 per cent. This change has increased the cost of a return journey from £2.20 to £3.30 for many local students and families.
The bus operator apologised for the price hike and explained that the increase is part of a wider update to how return tickets are priced across their network. While single bus fares in England are currently capped at £3 until March 2027, return tickets are set independently by the companies that run the services.
To help manage costs, the company is encouraging regular passengers to use MyBus Oxfordshire passes instead of buying individual tickets. These passes allow for unlimited travel on most buses in the area for a fixed daily or weekly price.
According to Oxfordshire County Council, a child day pass through this scheme costs about £3.50. This may offer better value for families whose children make multiple trips, even though weekly prices for these passes were also increased on January 11, 2026.
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