firstbus.co.uk Reviews 

This is for the Firstbus Glasgow and the customer service:
I think I had a return ticket, £17, for the 500 service to/from the airport. Buying the ticket wasn't straightforward as the 500 service is in a separate region from Greater Glasgow. Going from the airport was easy, and on that leg of the hour, I had no issues - very smooth and quick service to central Glasgow.
Despite a live barcode, the return ticket wasn't accepted on the bus and flagged as “expired.” For my return trip, I had to buy a single journey ticket for £11. The bus driver wasn't the most helpful, but the ticket booth staff at the airport was. The lady at the booth scanned my “expired” return ticket and deemed it working, then advised me to use the app to report the incident.
The app is horrible, and finding a way to contact is painful so email anyone you find online.
So, one week later and it's resolved -they “have requested a refund on the single ticket that was purchased as a goodwill gesture” … a goodwill gesture??? They only got the second star for the ticket booth lady, and if they (Milo from customer service) hadn't referred to it as “goodwill,” they would have gotten another one.

532961 driver ash is a good cheerful driver always a cheerful and careful driver she is nice to all customers and is respect to everyone she works for first bus bradford at bowling back lane depot she a good driver very nice and very lovely and friendly with passenger and everyone

I will never understand why people who don't like dealing with the public get jobs dealing with the public. The bus driver on the number 12 to littlesea caravan park obviously needs to go on an intensive people skills course. 11 million people not working in the UK and management can only get this bloke.

I've had several poor experiences with this company across the country over recent years, all handled badly, eg re overcharging, often not turning up... but the bus I was riding on in Suffolk swerved and crashed into a tree. I was one of those with most impact as the entire glass shattered all over me. I was and am very distressed and I am still trying to gain justice. My details of my complaint were passed to a 3rd party without permission and they have been cold and avoidant for nearly 3 months, adding to my trauma.

They make claims about laws regarding such a claim, but when I repeatedly asked for links/references (such laws if they exist are likely to be unlawful) they didn't reply. They took over 2 months to show the redacted CCTV which conveniently misses off the main impact and the glass all over the top deck. Although I have been firm, they have been slow (deliberately, it's believed) and downplaying, changing my subject lines each time and using subtle tactics to undermine. They've not even as much as refunded the ticket of that day, and I've not exactly received after care. Bus Users are aware and they didn't verify the above alleged regulations, which if true mean that the government has sponsored extra trauma for victims and made it very hard to gain justice. This needs scrutiny.

I fear I'll not cope with another bus journey and I'm unwilling to pay First until they suitably compensate me. They admit that their terms are not there to support customer rights and their charter tries to let them dodge repeated no shows and other basic issues.

It is time this over-prevalent company is held to account

UPDATE, FEB 2026
I am still awaiting compensation; First Bus's insurance company have misled regarding the ation I 'must' take and Official Injury Claims and others verified that they are a possible tool/portal, not a required one, and then this company admitted that I could take civil procedures. Every reply from them has taken a month or more, always cold, downplaying, and disingenuous., eg saying "these reasonably requested items" which are not, and they haven't provided what I asked them for...

I continue to boycott First.

Firstbus Aberdeen - very poor timetable planning - different bus times published on the firstbus app, bustimes dot org, and the bus shelter displayed timetable all makes planning a journey impossible, perhaps firstbus dont expect customers to plan journeys? Firstbus needs to employ more expertise in scheduling and take lessons from other operators like Flix, Ember etc who appear to be able to run a timetable effectively. I've e mailed firstbus previously to complain but it's just met with indifference, almost apathy. I guess they're still in business as demand is there fir a service, albeit a very poor one which lets the people of Aberdeen down badly.

Misleading information on the weekly and monthly tickets. Looks like you can travel all over South West Wales when in reality to Gower and Cardiff it is other companies. Expensive tickets. No service on Sunday between Port Talbot and Swansea. Literally NO service. Shocking. Driver attitude to be fair has improved a little in this region (Swansea and Port Talbot / Neath). It used to be shocking but now they are friendlier and more helpful. The one star review relates to the bad-faith and misleading advertising for weekly and monthly tickets. Thank goodness we did not buy the monthly!

I would like to warn all job seekers not to join Firstbus Co as the Management is a real Mafia, where too many workers are fired with false accusations by pervert Managers who have been imposing their low wishes for years like dictators.

The Hullbridge bus is regular, punctual and this mornings driver named Gareth was the best one so far. He said a cheerful hello to EVERY passenger and I was on the bus all the way to Southend. Consistent with every customer and alot had smiles on their faces after talking to him. Praise where praise is due! Well done Gareth

Charlatans, cap off peak travel fees but if you embark a wrong bus they sting you for extra fees. How, seriously? Stick to what you advertise.

23 bus late again, supposed to arrive at Purland Road stop at 07.32. Arrived at 07.45, another 23 bus passed us on the heartsease estate. Totally incompetent company, can Norwich council use a better bus company instead.

Fraud. Don’t use their tap on tap off service. It double charged me for a fare due to the driver swapping buses mid journey and they won’t admit any fault. An hour on the phone and several emails later I still haven’t been refunded. They just keep asking for more card and bank details and for information I have already sent them. They have offered me a free ticket on a system I don’t use as a gesture of goodwill which is useless to me. If you use them be sure to check your bank transactions.

Totally unreliable. Useless company

Missed my shift at work because I was waiting for a bus meant to come at 8:15 which never turned up not even 30 minutes late

Strikes still not resolved service runs when it like I'm a monthly ticket holder pay up front for a non insistent service no care dirty buses dreadful sort your selves out and provid Portsmouth and serounding area with a service worth paying for

Worst Bus

They're always late, the timetables mean nothing.

Unreliable service

I am generally very pleased with the First Bus service around Gosport, Fareham and Portsmouth, however not on this occasion! I return to Gosport once a year and take a weekly bus and ferry ticket for my husband, son and I so we can get around over the 3/4 days we are visiting my Mum. On the 27/12/24 I purchased the 3 tickets on the bus by card - 2 transactions were declined. In the rush and confusion the driver asked me to pay the total in cash 103 GBP, which I did, only to find out later that the card transactions had gone through! First Bus refuse to reimburse me despite proof of purchse!!!
Paying twice made this a very expensive trip!

Extremely poor service. Avoid this company. The coach was 26 mins late. The customer service assistants are unhelpful and refused to provide a refund. They will justify the bad service. The company doesn't know anything about treating customers fairly. And definitely lacks a duty of care to customer. Wish I read the reviews before I purchased my ticket. Never again!!!!

Would like to say a big thank you to this bus driver who went out of his way to find my mates daughter phone his driver number is as I don’t know his name 50136 thank you so much great customer service

Terrible. 2024 and no tracking on buses. Waited 30 mins on a promise then started walking. Bus passed me at 50 mins after scheduled time. Why no tracking ???. How much profit do these guys make and how many villas and billion dollar Yacht’s do they buy at the expense and pain of bus users who have mobility and poverty issues. Get a grip at least for your return provide a traceable and effective service for the community who can plan if cancelled or delayed. While you bask in the sun and your wealth. You are Pathetic.