Greater Manchester rail fares set by TfGM from 7 December

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has heralded the biggest shake-up in rail tickets for decades as a major step forward for passengers in the city region, paving the way for eight rail lines to join the Bee Network next year. 

 

From Sunday 7 December, people in Greater Manchester will be among the first in the country to benefit from simpler and more convenient train travel. The complicated web of train fares and ticket types – which often restrict passengers to certain routes and specific train operators – will be replaced with two simple on-the-day options: ‘anytime’ and ‘off-peak’. Overall the change will mean that average fares will fall by 5.6%. More than half of train journeys in Greater Manchester will be cheaper, with customers saving up to £1.50. It will mean that passengers can travel on any route and with any train operator between two destinations in Greater Manchester, and know they are getting the best value on-the-day ticket. They will be available to buy from 96 stations and on-line. 

 

The simplified ticket structure is a key stepping stone to rail being integrated into the Bee Network, with the first two lines set to join in December 2026. Mayor Burnham will say that the change will make train travel easier, more affordable and pave the way for Greater Manchester to become the first place outside London to join-up ticketing across bus, tram and train. 

 

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: 'For too long, confusion around the complicated web of tickets has been a barrier to people choosing the train. In December, Greater Manchester will be the one of the first city region’s outside London to get a simple set of on-the-day fares – vital progress in making rail travel easier, fairer and more accessible for everyone. We’ve seen that making public transport more affordable and simpler boosts passenger numbers, with more people than ever boarding our yellow buses and integrated tap and go payments with our tram network. These simpler fares are a stepping stone to bringing rail into the Bee Network in December 2026, joining up trains with buses, trams and active travel for an integrated public transport system like those enjoyed by other global cities’.