Bee Network passengers will soon be able to travel seamlessly across bus and tram knowing they’ll always pay the best fare over the day or week, as Greater Manchester gets ready to achieve its long-held ambition for an integrated, London-style transport system.
From 23rd March, contactless ‘tap and go’ – which is already available on Metrolink – will expand to buses, enabling bus passengers to benefit from the scheme by simply tapping on a bus without needing a ticket. Passengers still wanting to pay cash or purchase tickets can still do so, with tickets also available for purchase via the Bee Network app.
Fares will be capped automatically to ensure passengers pay the best value fare up to the daily or weekly cap. For people making journeys on bus and tram, fares start from £6 (£5.40 off peak) a day or £24.80 for a week, depending on the number of zones you travel through.
For bus-only journeys that is £2 for a single hopper journey, £5 for the day or £20 over a week no matter how many buses you take.
Enabling seamless, affordable and convenient journeys is key to the success of the Bee Network, and the tap and go system means customers can travel when, where and how they want without having to plan or buy in advance – and plans are already being developed to include all local train services by the end of the decade.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “The introduction of tap and go across bus and tram is huge leap forward for the Bee Network. It’s a key step in our plan to ensure we have a world-class public transport system fit for our needs as a growing city-region.
“We’re working hard to deliver a transport network that is greener, cheaper and more reliable than ever before, and this will be the next big milestone since we brought buses back under local control – on time and on budget.
We’re keeping fares down and improving reliability. The Bee Network is working for the people and businesses of Greater Manchester, with growing numbers of people travelling, including on our night buses. With later and more frequent services already in place and tap and go extending to buses in a month’s time, you can be sure that the Bee Network is here to help you get where you need to go regardless of how, where or when you are travelling.”
Launching on the same day, a new annual bus and tram ticket will unlock unlimited travel across both modes for the equivalent of between £2.76 and £4.10 a day. Customers will also be able to spread the payments weekly or monthly – at no extra cost – with the support of a Credit Union loan. Tickets are also available to buy outright from TfGM ticket offices or via the Bee Network app.
This will sit alongside the annual tickets for buses and trams, as well as the £2 ‘hopper’ fare allowing travel across multiple bus within an hour, and 7-day or 28-day travelcards.
