disability travel card scotland

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Disability Information Scotland

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Mobility, travel and transport.

Information Guides

Choosing a mobility scooter or electric wheelchair/powerchair, using international disability parking permits in scotland, travel concessions for disabled people, blue badges and car parking, mobility, travel and transport: frequently asked questions.

Through our helpline we receive enquiries spanning a wide range of different topics. Here is a selection of those most asked:

Can I get a reduction of Vehicle Excise Duty?

If you are disabled you may be entitled to a reduction or exemption on vehicle tax. The vehicle must be registered in your name or a specific driver’s name and must only be used for your personal needs.

You can apply for exemption if you get the:

• higher rate mobility component of  Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• Enhanced rate mobility component of  Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• enhanced rate mobility component of  Adult Disability Payment – mygov.scot
• War Pensioner’s Mobility Supplement
• Armed Forces Independence Payment

You can get a 50% reduction in vehicle tax if you get the Personal Independence Payment standard rate mobility component or Adult Disability Payment standard rate mobility component Adult Disability Payment – mygov.scot

You can find out more here Vehicles exempt from vehicle tax – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

How can I search for accessible places to visit in Scotland?

Whether you are planning a meal out, a weekend trip or day out to one of Scotland’s parks, there are websites and apps you can use in your search for an accessible venue or activity.

Euan’s Guide  is a disabled access review website and app that aims to ‘remove the fear of the unknown’ and inspire people to try new places.

Disabled Go  provide access information on venues across the UK and Ireland.

For more information on accessible places to visit in Scotland search our  Scottish Disability Directory .

How do I get a bus pass entitlement card?

Many people in Scotland are entitled to free bus travel, including some disabled people, younger people and people aged 60 or over. Other concessions can apply to trains and ferries.

You will need to complete an application form and have

• a recent photograph
• proof of age or disability
• proof of your current address

You can find out how to apply for your card here How to apply for or renew your National Entitlement Card | Transport Scotland

How can I get a RADAR key?

The National Key Scheme (NKS), often referred to as RADAR keys, offer disabled people independent access to locked public accessible toilets around the country. You can buy from  Disability Rights UK  either over the phone or through their website.

You can also purchase RADAR keys through some chemists and online.

For further information see our  Accessible Toilets information guide  or the  Disability Rights UK  website.

Call the Disability Information Scotland helpline on:  0300 323 9961

How can I get a disabled parking space outside my house?

If you need a disabled parking space outside your house, contact your council. They will assess your circumstances and may charge for this.

To qualify, you must

• have a current blue badge
• either be the driver of the vehicle or be assisted by a carer who is the driver if they live where the space is needed
• keep the vehicle at the address you give on the application form
• normally have difficulty getting a perking space on the public road.

A disabled parking space can be used by anyone with a blue badge, not just the person who applied for it.

For further information or help searching for your local council’s contact number then please contact our helpline on   0300 323 9961 .

For more information on getting a blue badge, check out our  Blue Badges Information Guide .

How to I get a Blue Badge for parking?

The quickest way to apply for a blue badge is on-line here  Apply for a blue badge online

If you do not have access to the internet some councils can support you to apply on a paper application form.

For further information or help searching for your local council’s contact number then please contact our helpline on:  0300 323 9961  or check out our  Blue Badges Information Guide .

How do I hire a mobility scooter or wheelchair on holiday?

Shopmobility have members throughout the UK who rent out wheelchairs and scooters to help people access shopping centres and leisure activities. You can find a list of their members here Find a ShopMobility Centre | ShopMobility UK

In Wales, Northern Ireland and England you may be able to rent a wheelchair from the Red Cross Rent or hire a wheelchair | British Red Cross

The website Mobility Equipment Hire Direct connects you to commercial suppliers in the UK and across the world.

You can search for local providers in Scotland using our Scottish Disability Directory  or  contact us  and one of our information workers can help you search.

For further information on hiring equipment away from home check out our  Accessible Holidays Information Guide

Mobility, Travel and Transport: Search for Local Organisations

Our quick search tool can connect you to over 3000 service providers, suppliers and organisations supporting people across Scotland. To find support near you, simply enter your search term and select your local authority.

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Disabled card

Introduction.

• How to apply for a disabled card
• How to use your disabled card
• Change of address disabled card
• Request a replacement disabled card
• Disabled card discounts

The card is available if you are resident in Scotland and have a disability.

Eligible disabled people of fare-paying age (aged five and over) who meet the qualifying criteria, can travel for free, at any time, on any local bus service or scheduled long-distance coach service. The card also entitles you to cheaper fares on First ScotRail trains and the Glasgow Subway. 

The National Entitlement Card scheme also allows for free travel for companions where required by eligible disabled people of any age (including children under 5). 

This card and its application process are managed by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT). Find out more about  applying for a card . For enquires and eligibility information, please contact  SPT . 

As well as using the card for concessionary travel, you can use it for leisure and library services. You should advise leisure and libraries staff that you have a NEC and they will set it up for you to access the service. 

Full scheme eligibility criteria can be found  Eligibility and Conditions for the 60+ or Disabled Traveller .

Companions can make travel much easier, helping you to get on and off buses, carrying shopping and communicating with the driver. You can stay free and mobile, while making full use of your NEC. 

Companions can travel for free with all NEC holders that have this logo on their card.

Your companion and journey can vary, but your companion can only travel for free when they are with you. You are not obliged to travel with a companion, but the entitlement is there for when you need it. 

Please note that companions must be aged 5 or over. 

Eligibility

Your companion is entitled to travel for free if you meet one of the following criteria: 

You live in a care/residential home or hospital and are eligible for the higher or middle rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance, or Personal Independence Payment or Attendance Allowance. In many cases, DWP benefit may be suspended whilst someone is in care or hospital - in that case, you can provide a letter from the hospital/care home confirming that you live there and receive 24-hour care. 

You receive the higher or middle rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance. 

You receive the standard or enhanced rate of daily living component of Personal Independence Payment. 

You receive Attendance Allowance. 

You are registered as severely sight impaired (blind). 

You receive war pensions constant attendance allowance. 

If you receive Attendance Allowance, the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance under the higher/middle rate of care or live in a care or residential home or hospital, you'll need a letter to confirm your eligibility. For details on getting your letter, please contact the  disability benefits helpline . 

If you are registered as severely sight impaired (blind), please provide a copy of your registration certificate.

Page last updated: 05 May 2022

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If you have a question or comment about a council service or would like a reply, please contact us .

Thistle Assistance Card

The Thistle Assistance Card and App was developed to make using public transport easier for older people and those with disabilities or illness.

It is supported by all 7 Regional Transport Partnerships, Transport Scotland, Transport Operators and disability groups (including RNIB, SATA, Disability Equality Scotland).

The card and App, is supported by a wide variety of voluntary organisations across Scotland and by most bus, train, tram, ferry and airport operators. It is credit-card sized and comes with a supply of peel-off stickers, which advise the driver or conductor of your disability and the help you need in an easy-to-read format.

The App is downloadable for both Apple and Android enabled devices from  Apple App Store  and  Play Store .

The card is available to all people who require it with no eligibility criteria required.

Find out more on the SEStran website or you can e-mail  [email protected]  or call 0131 524 5153.

NATIONAL ENTITLEMENT CARD

THE NATIONAL ENTITLEMENT CARD

What is the national entitlement card.

The National Entitlement Card (NEC) is Scotland’s National Smartcard, offering access to many public services across the country. You may recognise or know the NEC as your bus pass, library card or Young Scot card, however this one card may be able to grant you access to multiple other services as well.

Public services are continually improving and developing to be delivered at the highest possible quality for citizens and their local areas. The National Entitlement Card Programme Office (NECPO) supports the 32 Scottish Councils by assisting with the integration of various national and local public services on the smartcard.

If you would like to apply for your NEC, need a replacement card, or want to find out what services and entitlements you could be able to access with your NEC, please visit " Apply ".

Find out what you could do with your NEC

FIND OUT MORE

Find out where the NEC can be used across the country

Frequently Asked Questions

Need some help.

See frequently asked questions below.

If your question is still unanswered, please use the Contact page to submit your query.

Does my transport operator offer smart travel options?

The vast majority of the public transport network in Scotland is now covered by smartcards , m-ticket mobile apps and/or smart payments.

To see if your transport operator is operating smart, click Smart Operator List  or visit the link below.

I have lost my operator smartcard. What do I do?

Contact your smartcard provider. Let them know if there are any other tickets from other operators stored on the card. Keep receipts so you can claim the tickets back or have them added onto your new card.

My smartcard does not work. What do I do?

Contact your smartcard provider. They will take you through their fault finding process.

I have bought a season ticket. Do I need to do anything?

Make sure you register your card and ticket with the operator to ensure your ticket is protected should you lose it or a fault occurs.

What is a National Entitlement Card (NEC)?

The NEC is your concessionary travel card; you may know it as your free bus pass. It is for all Scottish residents over the age of 60 or for eligible disabled persons. Some local authorities issue a standard NEC for their residents.

Where can I get a National Entitlement Card?

You can apply for a Over 60s or Disabled Persons Concessionary Card (bus pass) below if you have not already got one. The card is already smart enabled to allow you to load ITSO tickets for alternative modes of public transport, not just your bus pass.

Some local authorities issue a standard NEC to its residents upon request for additional local services. These too are already smart enabled for storing ITSO travel tickets.

I have lost my National Entitlement Card. What do I do?

If you have lost your National Entitlement Card or require a replacement, please contact your local authority.

Is my smartcard an ITSO smartcard?

If your smartcard has the ITSO dot on, then your card is ready to be used on multiple modes and with multiple operators. ITSO is the Integrated Transport Smartcard Organisation responsible for the technical specification which allows your tickets to be stored and used securely.

Can I use my ITSO smartcard on cross-border rail services?

ITSO smartcards are accepted by all participating Scottish Transport operators.

Most operators currently accept ScotRail season tickets on smartcard, and Cross Country and Transpennine Express also accept some other ticket types on smartcard. We are continuing to work with cross-border operators to extend this to other ticket types.

Please check with your operator before travelling.

Can I load money onto my ITSO smartcard?

Your smartcard can be used to store tickets for multiple modes of transport from multiple transport operators. It is not a payment method.

However, Glasgow Subway users can load Pay As You Go (PAYG) credit onto their ITSO smartcard and the appropriate fare will be deducted when you tap at the gate.

Why can't we have just one ITSO smartcard instead of many?

There are over 2 million smartcards in use across Scotland now, so allowing people to retain those they already have will help to reduce the number of new plastic smartcards being produced.

These ITSO smartcards all now work the same, so any one of them can be used across modes and operators.

Can I load a Stagecoach ticket onto my ScotRail smartcard?

Yes. You can now load any ITSO travel ticket onto any ITSO smartcard, regardless of who issued you the card.

The smartcards available to load any ITSO travel product are listed on our website.

How do I use my ITSO smartcard?

All ITSO smartcards can be loaded with any ITSO smart ticket across transport operators and travel modes.

It is not a payment method, smartcards are used to hold your tickets and reduce the need for multiple paper tickets or plastic smartcards in your wallet.

Depending on your operator, smart tickets can usually be purchased and uploaded at ticket offices, ticket vending machines (TVMs), on board or online and you can pay by cash, card or contactless. Please note that some season tickets require a photo smartcard to be purchased.

Are ITSO smartcards available on mobile?

Not at the moment.

We recognise the potential for mobile technology and convenience for travellers and Transport Scotland have committed to a study on how the over 60s and disabled person's National Entitlement smartcard concessionary travel scheme can be delivered on mobile.

ITSO are working with First Bus to trial this using Google Pay and SPT Subway are currently piloting the SmartApp with ITSO technology on mobile.

For other ITSO tickets, it is a commercial decision for operators to consider adopting this on mobile.

Can I load an SPT ZoneCard onto my ITSO smartcard?

No, the Zonecard is not an ITSO travel product.

In Glasgow there is a bus to bus smartzone available on ITSO, this is the Glasgow Tripper ticket.

We will continue to work with operators to make improvements and expand the range of smart-enabled tickets available moving forward.

Can I load a PlusBus ticket onto my ITSO smartcard?

You can purchase your PlusBus ticket from any ScotRail ticket vending machine and these are widely accepted on ITSO smartcards on Stagecoach buses.

We are continuing to work with other bus operators to accept PlusBus tickets on ITSO smartcards.

Will an ITSO smartcard get me a discount on travel?

The National Concessionary scheme provides free bus travel for eligible cardholders. In some areas your National Entitlement smartcard may get you discounts on other modes of transport depending on where you live, although this is subject to operator's commercial arrangements. You can find out more by phoning the number on the back of your card.

Some operators also provide other types of discounted travel, such as savings on season tickets, student discounts or promotional offers. Please check your operator's website for details.

Who doesn't accept ITSO smartcards?

Most major public transport operators now accept ITSO smartcards, however some do not and use other smart travel ticket and payment methods instead.

For example, Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams do not yet accept ITSO smartcards, however have their own non-ITSO smartcards, and accept m-tickets and contactless payment.

• Glasgow City Council
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• > Concessionary Travel

Concessionary Travel

Contact spt travel card unit.

• Phone 0141 333 3211

What is it?

If you're over 60, or have a disability, you could be eligible for free or subsidised travel to get around Scotland and your local area.

The National Entitlement Card gives holders free bus travel in Scotland and reduced fares on trains and Subway in the Strathclyde area.

How to apply?

You can download an application form from the SPT website , or alternatively people aged 60 and over can get an application form (LS304) from their local Post Office.

People with disabilities can get an application form (NCT001) from the Social Work office or contact the SPT Travel Card Unit on 0141 333 3211 for advice on where to apply.

You will need:

• A completed application form
• A recent photograph
• Proof of age or disability
• Proof of your current address

Check the  National Entitlement Card  website for more information on proofs required to confirm your identity and address.

Young persons' Free Travel Scheme

From 31 January, 5 to 21 year olds living in Scotland will be eligible for free bus travel. 

Children and young people who are 5 to 21 years old will need a new or replacement National Entitlement Card (NEC) or Young Scot National Entitlement Card (Young Scot NEC) to travel for free by bus. Parents or guardians of 5 to 15 year olds must apply on their behalf. 

Children under 5 years old already travel for free on commercial bus services and do no need a card, however you can apply two weeks before your child is due to turn 5 for their card.

Read the latest news on  Free bus travel for under 22s . Further information on the legislation can also be found on the  Transport Scotland website .

How to apply for the Young Persons' Free Travel Scheme

You can either apply online at  getyournec.scot  or (if your child's school uses it) on  parentsportal.scot . If you're applying online, you may find it useful, before starting the application process, to download or look out the documents as outlined on  getyournec.scot  that you will need. 

• If you are aged 16-21 you must apply for a new NEC yourself
• A parent or guardian must apply on behalf of 5-15 year olds and provide approval for them to travel for free by bus
• Children under 5 years old do not need a card as they already travel for free on commercial bus services

Need to get in touch about the Young Persons' Free Travel Scheme

If you need to contact somone about the the Young Persons' Free Travel Scheme you can email Glasgow Life at  [email protected] .

Related links

• SPT website
• Apply for a National Entitlement Card

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Apply for a disabled person's bus pass

Contact your local council to find out who issues disabled bus passes in your area as part of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme. You’re eligible for a disabled person’s pass if you live in England and are ‘eligible disabled’.

Find a postcode on Royal Mail's postcode finder

What you need to know

• Available in England only

Get more information about a disabled person’s bus pass in:

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How do the EU's new disability cards facilitate cross-border travel?

The European Union is introducing a new EU-wide Disability Card and an updated EU Parking Card for people with disabilities. This aims to solve issues for people with disabilities who travel within the EU by enabling them to prove their disability status anywhere across the EU . Currently, eight EU countries have been piloting the European Disability Card since 2016.

The new rules will apply for short stays of up to three months, with an exception for disability card holders who move to another Member State for a mobility programme. Member States will have 30 months to adapt and another 12 months to formally implement the new rules.

Both cards will replace national cards currently issued by local authorities. Cardholders who travel to other EU countries will have access to discounts on local transport, assistance on trains and other public transport, reduced or zero entry fees, priority access and reserved parking. The new rules will also cover accompanying care support personnel or care support animals.

• Transport for people with reduced mobility
• Europe-wide

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Who can get an older persons bus pass

To get an older persons bus pass you must be:

• resident in Scotland

If you're under 60, you can apply:

• for a disabled persons bus pass , if you're disabled
• for a young persons bus pass , if you're under 22

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