Simonds of Botesdale operate a network of bus services under the Central Connect brand. Our Diss network is being reviewed and a revised, simplified and enhanced network will be in place from Monday 2nd September 2024.
Our local bus network from Monday 2nd September 2024:
Route 70 / 70A
Route 70 operates on Mondays to Saturdays, providing fast and direct links between Diss and Bury St Edmunds, via Botesdale, Stanton, Ixworth and Great Barton. Buses run hourly all day. At school times, buses serve SET Ixworth School, Thurston Community College, West Suffolk College and St Benedicts Catholic School - these buses are numbered 70A. These will arrive and depart from stand 7 at Bury St Edmunds Bus Station.
Route 73
Route 73 operates on Mondays to Fridays, connecting Garboldisham, Stanton and Bury St Edmunds, via a wide range of intermediate villages. This service is operated with financial support from Suffolk County Council. This service is being operated on a trial basis until December 2024, so we would encourage as many passengers as possible to travel with us, in order to help make this service sustainable for the longer term.
Route 81
Route 81 operates on Mondays to Saturdays, linking Diss, Scole and Harleston, with extensions to Bungay and Beccles. This route now offers an hourly service between Diss and Harleston, and serves the new housing developments on Mendham Lane in Harleston. This service is operated with financial support from Norfolk County Council.
Routes 81 and 82 provide a combined half hourly frequency between Diss Bus Station, Diss Railway Station and Scole on weekday daytimes.
Route 82
Route 82 operates on Mondays to Saturdays, linking Diss, Scole, Long Stratton and Newton Flotman with Norwich. At peak times buses extend to Norwich Railway Station. NEW for September 2024, evening buses run six days a week, with financial support from Norfolk County Council and HM Government's Bus Service Improvement Plan.
Routes 81 and 82 provide a combined half hourly frequency between Diss Bus Station, Diss Railway Station and Scole on weekday daytimes.
Routes 83 and 84
Routes 83 and 84 operate on Mondays to Fridays, and provide local links into Diss from Pulham Market, Pulham St Mary, Roydon and Bressingham. These services are operated with financial support from Norfolk County Council.
Routes 110, 112, 113 and 114
Routes 110, 112, 113 and 114 operate on Mondays to Saturdays, linking Diss and Eye with Ipswich, via a wide range of intermediate villages. These services are operated with financial support from Suffolk County Council.
Saturday only routes 37A and 86
On Saturdays we operate routes 37A and 86 on behalf of Norfolk County Council.
Service 37A operates between Diss and Norwich via South and North Lopham, East Harling and a range of other villages. On Mondays to Fridays this route is operated by Coach Services. For full details click here to see the timetable on the Coach Services website.
Service 86 operates between Alpington and Norwich. On Mondays to Fridays this route is operated by Our Hire. For full details click here to see the timetable on the Our Hire website.
School bus route 371
School bus route 371 connects Larling, East Harling, Kenninghall, Banham and Winfarthing with Diss High School. The service operates on schooldays only, but is open to the general public, and is not restricted to school students only. This route is excluded from the £2 fare scheme, and single fares are not available on board. To travel on this service, either purchase a Network Day ticket on board the bus, or use Network Week, Month or Three Month tickets (available to purchase via the myTrip app).
Central Connect local bus services operated by Simonds do not operate on Sundays or Bank Holidays.