This page explains how to pay on buses and Metrolink trams in Manchester, which tickets and passes are available and who travels free or at a reduced fare. It applies to every route in the city.
How to pay
Bee Network buses take cash for a hopper single, a 1-day and a 7-day ticket, and drivers usually give change. On Metrolink trams there are no tickets on board: buy one before boarding from a machine, which takes cash and cards.
With a contactless card you tap once when boarding a bus, and tap in and tap out for the tram. Daily and weekly caps apply separately to buses, trams and bus plus tram, as long as you use the same card. There is also the Bee Network app and the Bee Card, igo and Our Pass smartcards.
Tickets and passes
A hopper single lets you change to other Bee Network buses at no extra cost within 60 minutes of buying it. Bee Bus 1-day, 7-day, 28-day and annual tickets are valid on all buses in Greater Manchester, and Bee AnyBus + Tram tickets (1-day and 28-day) add the tram in the zones you choose.
Who travels free or at a reduced fare
Children under 5 travel free; those aged 5 to 16 pay a child fare, and from 11 they need an igo card. Young people aged 16 to 18 with Our Pass travel free on local buses, 18 to 21 year olds can buy a 28-day Bee Bus ticket at half price, and care leavers aged 18 to 25 travel free. Child fares are not available with contactless.
Greater Manchester residents with an older person’s pass travel free on buses at any time; on trams only with a paid annual off-peak add-on. Across England, older and disabled bus passes give free travel on local buses from 9:30 to 23:00 on weekdays and all day at weekends and on bank holidays; the older pass starts at state pension age. Penalty fares apply on buses and trams.
What we could not confirm
We could not confirm the hours of the disabled person’s pass in Greater Manchester or the rules for companions.
Routes
Buses: bus 7, bus 11, bus 17, bus 18, bus 23, bus 25, bus 29, bus 33, bus 41, bus 42, bus 42A, bus 42B, bus 43, bus 50, bus 52, bus 53, bus 59, bus 66, bus 70, bus 76, bus 76A, bus 76B, bus 79, bus 81, bus 83, bus 84, bus 85, bus 85A, bus 86, bus 87, bus 93, bus 94, bus 95, bus 97, bus 99, bus 103, bus 111, bus 112, bus 114, bus 117, bus 118, bus 119, bus 135, bus 142, bus 143, bus 147, bus 150, bus 151, bus 156, bus 159, bus 171, bus 172, bus 182, bus 183, bus 191, bus 192, bus 197, bus 203, bus 205, bus 231, bus 256, bus 322, bus 327, bus 370, bus 371, bus 415.
Checked on 25 September 2026. Sources: Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), Bee Network.