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  • Breadcrumb

    1. Home
    2. Travel, transport and roads
    3. Public transport
    4. Bus and coach travel
    5. Free bus travel and concessions

    War Disablement SmartPass

    To qualify for free fares on public transport you must be getting a regular War Disablement Pension or Guaranteed Income Payment from the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency, and be permanently resident in Northern Ireland.

    How to apply

    You can get an application form by:

    • calling in person from any manned Translink bus or rail station
    • by phoning 028 9066 6630 (applicants who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus can use the textphone number 18001 028 9066 6630) and asking for a form to be sent to you
    • by emailing smartpass@translink.co.uk and asking for the type of form you require (for example, War Disablement, 60+ or Senior 65+ and so on) to be sent to you (provide name and full address with postcode)

    You will never be contacted asking for any bank account details when you're applying for or renewing a SmartPass. 

    Renewing your War Disablement SmartPass

    SmartPasses are only valid for five years. Check the expiry date on the front of your SmartPass to see when it will run out, as it cannot be used to get free travel after this date.

    Around three months before each SmartPass expires, pass holders should get a letter explaining how to get a new pass.

    If you want further information about renewing your SmartPass, contact Translink:

    • phone: 028 9066 6630 (applicants who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus can use the textphone number 18001 028 9066 6630)

    Lost or stolen SmartPass

    If your SmartPass is lost or stolen, you should report it to Translink as soon as possible to make sure the card is cancelled and avoid the likelihood of fraudulent use. 

    If anyone else tries to use a stolen pass, Translink staff will be alerted.  

    Unauthorised use of a SmartPass may result in prosecution.

    To get your replacement SmartPass, you should either go to your local Translink bus or rail station, or:

    • phone: 028 9066 6630
    • email: smartpass@translink.co.uk

    Faulty or damaged SmartPass

    If your SmartPass is faulty or damaged, you can get a free replacement. 

    Go to a Translink bus or rail station and exchange your SmartPass at the ticket office for a ‘Faulty SmartPass Receipt’ ticket. This will provide you with free travel on buses and trains for a seven-day period, during which time a new free replacement pass will be issued. 

    Or you can also get a free replacement pass by contacting Translink: 

    • phone: 028 9066 6630
    • email: smartpass@translink.co.uk

    The ‘Faulty SmartPass Receipt’ ticket is only available at a Translink train or bus station when exchanged for the faulty or damaged pass. 

    Using a War Disablement SmartPass

    You should note that:

    • War Disablement SmartPasses are issued for the sole purpose of proving eligibility for concessionary travel on eligible scheduled services operated by Translink and other participating operators
    • a valid working SmartPass must be shown on every journey to get free travel, or else the full adult fare will be charged for the journey
    • War Disablement SmartPasses are valid on point-to-point cross border bus and rail services, but not valid on journeys made entirely within the Republic of Ireland
    • War Disablement SmartPasses are not transferable, nor are any tickets issued with them
    • use of the War Disablement SmartPass is subject to the full conditions of carriage of the transport operator
    • the SmartPass remains the property of the Department for Infrastructure and may be withdrawn at any time
    • after you have boarded the vehicle and asked for your ticket, you should check the ticket to make sure that the details of your journey are right - if the details are not right, you should tell the driver/ conductor immediately
    • it is the responsibility of War Disablement SmartPass holders to keep their SmartPass in good working condition

    The Concessionary Fares Scheme privacy notice is available on the DfI website.

    You can find out more information about the SmartPass at this link:

    • SmartPass user guide

    Glider services

    You can use your War Disablement SmartPass on all Glider services.

    SmartPass users do not need to use Glider ticket vending machines but must tap their card on a validator at the Glider halts before boarding the Glider. 

    Contact information

    If you have any queries, contact Department for Infrastructure (DfI) Concessionary Fares.

    More useful links

    • Motoring, travel and transport for people with disabilities
    • Planning a trip if you have a disability
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    Free bus travel and concessions

    • 60+ SmartPass and Senior (65+) SmartPass
    • Free and concessionary bus and rail travel
    • Half Fare SmartPass - Driving Licence Refused
    • Half Fare SmartPass - Learning Disability
    • Half Fare SmartPass - Partially-Sighted
    • Half Fare SmartPass - Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
    • Registered Blind SmartPass
    • War Disablement SmartPass

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    Email 
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    Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

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    Personal Independence Payment

    Call 0800 587 0932

    If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

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    For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

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    For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

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    • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
      contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
       
    • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
      contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

    If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

     

    For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

    For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

    For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

    If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

    If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

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    For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

    For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

    If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

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