Content

  1. Public transport 
    • buses: tickets, timetables and journey planners
    • trains: tickets, timetables and journey planners
  2. Travelling to hospital and health appointments
  3. Driving in UK

1. Public transport

Buses

In East Devon there’s 2 bus companies that service routes from town to town – Stage Coach and Dartline. You can pay directly to the driver when boarding the bus (contactless or cash, no credit cards)or buy your tickets in advance. You can buy weekly tickets from the driver and get monthly tickets from the bus station or online.

Here you can find a guide on how to use the buses and what to expect on the bus: On the bus - a brief guide - Travel Devon.

Buying your tickets in advance or getting a seasonal or other bus pass is usually cheaper.

If you are receiving Universal credit and looking for jobs – it might be worth asking for a free or discounted Bus and Rail pass at your local Job centre.

Children under 5 travel free – those aged 5 to 15 can normally buy reduced single and return fares.

You can get an older person's free bus pass when you reach State Pension age, which is currently 66 for both women and men.

You can apply for your free bus pass here Apply for a bus pass - Travel Devon.

School and college transport - read about school buses and how to register.

The Devon Access Wallet makes catching buses and trains easier for anyone with communication difficulties, people with disabilities, deaf people and those whose first language is not English. It will also give bus and train staff a better understanding of the requirements of all disabled passengers. Find out more, including how to apply, on the Access Wallet page.

You can check the buses timetables and routes on various apps.

Real time bus information: Departure monitor

Devon Interactive Bus map: Interactive bus map - Travel Devon

Plan your journey with Traveline

Plan your Journey with StageCoach Bus

Buy your StageCoach Travel pass here: All Tickets | Stagecoach 

Some of the services you can get via an app on your phone:

You can buy your StageCoach tickets via the Stagecoach Bus App.

Trains

Travelling by train might be cheaper if you have a railcard.

Different types of train tickets and how to buy them: Railcards | Digital Railcard and Prices | National Rail.

Buy a discount Senior Railcard here: Senior Railcard | Official Retailer | National Rail  (For those aged 60 and over, you can save 1/3 off rail fares with this card).

Plan your journey: Traveline (both bus and train planning).

Trainline : Search, Compare & Buy Cheap Train Tickets

National Rail - Official source for UK trains

2. Travelling to hospital and health appointments

You may be able to get help with your travel costs to attend hospital appointments under the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) or the NHS Low Income Scheme.

Travelling to hospital and health appointments

3. Driving a car in UK

Rules and regulations of driving a car in UK

Great Britain has a driving licence exchange agreement with Ukraine, and Ukrainian driving licences can be exchanged for GB licences. However, only Ukrainian licences issued after 28 December 2021 specify the type of vehicle transmission that a driver passed their test in. Therefore, licences that were issued prior to this date can only be exchanged for a GB licence which restricts the driver to driving automatic vehicles. For those Ukrainians with licences issued before this date, to obtain a GB manual licence they must take a GB manual test.

  • Given the exceptional and temporary nature of Ukrainians’ residence in the UK under the Ukrainian Visa Schemes, the use of Ukrainian Driving licences in UK have been extended until the end of the driver’s BRP (No longer required to exchange your driving licence after 12 months), after which they would need to take a full UK driving test.
  •  You also don’t need to register your car anymore after 6 months - see https://ukrainianrefugeehelp.co.uk/driving-licences and https://ukrainianrefugeehelp.co.uk/driving

You can watch a comprehensive video guide on Driving in the UK.

Exeter Advanced Drivers can help anyone who holds a full UK driving licence to improve their driving up to advanced test standards.

They can also help anyone who holds a valid Ukrainian driving licence to improve confidence with driving in the UK.

To learn to drive, however, you need to contact Approved Driving Instructors, with the driving schools.

If you are interested in taking their help - contact them via website Exeter Drivers. Membership costs just £12 per year and covers all the tutoring. Members must have a valid driving license (Ukrainian or UK), a roadworthy vehicle with insurance, and MOT if necessary.

You can find a driving instructor by searching sites like Book Instructor with your postcode or look on Google or spot cars driving locally with Driving School advertisement.