This service - Surrey Connect - was brought to our attention by a This is Haslemere reader whose daughter uses this service to get to and from work using the Surrey Connect app. 

Our reader's daughter, Poppy, shared with us:

“Booking through the the app is super easy & efficient. The bus arrives on time & drops me almost outside my front door. Saves me a walk up my hill! Intuitive & flexible service as it’s available when I need it & where I need it. Brilliant!"

Surrey Connect is a safe and reliable bus sharing service connecting you to your local community. It is available to everyone in Surrey in the areas shown on this map.

It is a digital on demand bus service, known as a Digital Demand Responsive Transport (DDRT) solution.

How it works

The service uses accessible minibuses, with journey bookings made on a first come first served basis. Their software cleverly groups customer demands together in real time.

When the booking is made with the "leave at" feature, the software takes your requested time and compares it with other customer requests in the area.

It then links them up to create single journeys that are convenient for a group of users at once, scheduling the pickup time within a window of 10 minutes before or 10 minutes after the preferred booking time.

Alternatively, if you need to be at your destination for a specific time, such as a train departure, you can use the "arrive at" feature. It will then dynamically generate options for you that will get you there and ensure you are never late.

When you can travel

The connect service operates Monday to Friday 7am to 7pm and Saturday 8am to 6pm.

You can book up to 7 days in advance or on the same day. A minimum of 30 minutes notice is required to communicate your booking with the connect driver.

Who can use the service

The connect service can be used by anyone (young, old and in-between!)

How much it costs

Adult single fare

• Under 5 miles: £2

• 5 to 7 miles: £4

• 7 to 10 miles: £6

• 10 to 12 miles: £8

20 and under single fare

• Under 5 miles: £1

• 5 to 7 miles: £2

• 7 to 10 miles: £3

• 10 to 12 miles: £4

Read more about this brilliant service on Surrey County Council's website here.