From 23rd March 2025, passengers in Greater Manchester will be able to travel seamlessly across the Bee Network’s bus and tram services using contactless ‘tap and go’ payment. This development builds on the existing system available on Metrolink trams.
With this rollout, passengers using a contactless bank card, phone, or smart device will be able to tap on when boarding a bus, with the best-value fare automatically calculated up to a daily or weekly cap. Traditional payment methods, including cash and ticket purchases via the Bee Network app, remain available.
The fare-capping system ensures cost-effective travel, including:
- Bus-only fares: £2 for a single journey, £5 for a daily cap, and £20 for a weekly cap
- Bus and tram fares: Starting from £6 per day (£5.40 off-peak) or £24.80 per week, depending on the number of travel zones
The introduction of tap and go is expected to enhance flexibility and affordability, supporting Greater Manchester’s growing public transport usage.
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.
Launching on the same day, a new annual bus and tram ticket will provide unlimited travel across both modes, with costs ranging between £2.76 and £4.10 per day. Customers can spread payments weekly or monthly without additional charges, supported by a Credit Union loan.
The ticket will be available via the Bee Network app and at Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) ticket offices.
Vernon Everitt, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester said:Introducing tap and go on buses and integrating that with Metrolink’s existing contactless system will help to make public transport even more convenient and affordable, alongside daily and weekly fare caps for multi-modal travel and other flexible tickets.
Increasingly more and more people are using public transport as well as opting to walk instead of driving for short journeys, which is a clear vote of confidence in what we are trying to achieve through the Bee Network. Everyone in our region has a stake in the Bee Network, and the more people we can attract the more we can keep the cost of travel down.
