Can I use my OAP bus pass on Manchester trams?

If you have a TfGM-issued older persons travel pass, to benefit from unlimited off-peak travel on trams and trains in Greater Manchester you need to pay an annual £10 fee.



In Manchester, your English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (OAP bus pass) typically does not grant free travel on Metrolink trams unless it was issued by Greater Manchester (TfGM). If your pass was issued by a different local authority in England, it entitles you to free bus travel nationwide, but tram travel in Manchester is a local benefit. However, as of March 1, 2026, Greater Manchester has implemented a major change: residents with a local concessionary pass can now travel 24/7 for free on both Bee Network buses and Metrolink trams within the region. If you are a visitor from outside Manchester with a standard OAP pass, you will generally need to purchase a ticket or use contactless "touch-on/touch-off" at the tram stop. Always check for the "Bee Network" logo; if you are a local resident, the previous "after 9:30 AM" restriction has been permanently lifted to allow for better accessibility to early morning appointments.

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Where can I use my bus pass? Your bus pass is valid for use on all registered Bus services within England, so if you are visiting other places you should be able to use your pass. It is not valid in Wales* or Scotland.

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If you are an eligible person aged over 60 and live in Greater Manchester you can apply for a national travel pass from Transport for Greater Manchester. The pass allows you to travel free on any local bus in England between 9.30am and 11.00pm, Monday to Friday.

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You can get an older person's bus pass when you reach State Pension age, which is currently 66 for both women and men. If you're 60 or over and live in London, then you can get free travel on buses, trains and other modes of transport in and around London with a 60+ London Oyster photocard.

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You can also travel on Metrolink in zone 1 (See tram map) at no extra cost if you have one of the following tickets: The destination on your train ticket is “Manchester Central Zone” (MANCHESTER CTLZ). This is available for train tickets from anywhere in Greater Manchester into Manchester city centre.

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If you're looking to take a one-way journey on Manchester's tram system, then a single journey ticket may be the best option for you. The single journey ticket prices table below shows the cost of a one-way tram journey for different passenger types.

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Transferring your 60+ Oyster pass to a Freedom Pass As long as you didn't opt out of TFL sharing your data with London Councils you will be sent a letter asking you to confirm your name and address. Once we have received confirmation of your details we will issue you with a new Freedom Pass.

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Having carefully considered an equality impact assessment, and stakeholder feedback, I confirmed on Wednesday 18 January 2023 that the temporary travel time restrictions on 60+ Oyster and Older Person's Freedom Passes would become permanent.

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If you're 60 or over and live in a London borough, you can get free travel on our transport services with an Oyster photocard.

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I'm over 60 - can I use my concessionary pass and travel for free? Unfortunately, English and Welsh National Concession passes, Railcards, and Rail Rover tickets aren't valid on megabus services.

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