concessionary train travel manchester

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) Travel Voucher Scheme

Travel vouchers are for people who are not able to use ordinary buses, trains or Metrolink and who have serious walking difficulties or are registered blind. They can be used to pay for taxis and for travel on accessible bus services such as Ring and Ride and community transport. See website for further details of the vouchers available.

Who to contact

Where to go, get directions to m1 3bg using google maps, availability.

You may qualify for travel vouchers if you are a resident in Greater Manchester and:

• are registered blind with your local authority, or
• are in receipt of DLA (Higher Rate Mobility Component), or
• are in receipt of Higher Rate Attendance Allowance, or are in receipt of the War Pensioners Mobility Supplement, or
• If you do not receive any of the above benefits, you may still be entitled to travel vouchers if you are not able to walk 100 metres or more, or climb steps of 300 millimetres or more, however, this must to be certified by your doctor on your application form

For an application form and further information please write or phone.

Last Updated

Last updated: 03/04/2024

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Pensioners now have to pay to keep free tram and train travel across Manchester...it's been called a 'pre-Christmas blow'

Those with a concessionary bus pass will have to pay £10 to continue getting free tram and train travel

• 13:52, 20 DEC 2019

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From next year, people with concessionary bus passes across Greater Manchester will have to pay £10 to continue getting free tram and train travel.

From February 1 2020, people will need to pay the fee once a year to add other modes of transport to their pension-age or women's concessionary bus pass.

Currently, the passes allow free off-peak travel for buses across England and for trams and trains across Greater Manchester.

There will be no change to free, off-peak bus travel and, if you only use buses, you can choose not to pay to add tram and train.

But one resident slammed the plans and described the announcement as a "pre-Christmas blow for pensioners".

Ross Foss, who lives in Spinningfields, said TfGM's decision will further isolate elderly residents.

He said: "TfGM haven’t given much notice. The scheme starts on February 1, but seems to have been implemented without any consultation with either pass-users or age-friendly groups and organisations - not even Manchester council’s own Age-Friendly Board.

"This new charge seems to have been sneaked in just before the Christmas break, when news outlets are quiet, and will only add to the social isolation felt by older people, especially those with mobility issues, who are unable to get about a city where the public transport infrastructure is poor, especially in the city's badly served suburbs."

TfGM explained the scheme starts on February 1, but residents will be able to pay early from January 5 2020.

If you pay early, you will be covered for one year from February 1 2020. After February 1, you’ll be covered for a full year from the date you pay.

You can pay:

• in person at a TfGM Travelshop • in person at a PayPoint shop (available from January 25 2020) • online at getmethere.com

To buy online, you will need to link your concessionary pass to a Get Me There account; you can find more details and a step-by-step guide at getmethere.com/add-a-card.

Once you have paid online, you will need to touch-in with your concessionary pass at a Metrolink smart reader within 14 days, at any tram stop, and your pass will be updated to show you have paid to add tram and train.

If you need your pass for travelling by train, and won’t be able to visit a Metrolink stop first, travel bosses have suggested it's best you buy from a PayPoint or a TfGM Travelshop.

More information is available at tfgm.com/add-tram-and-train.

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• Transport for Greater Manchester
• Traffic and travel
• Most Recent

Concessionary Pass Travel in Greater Manchester

Closed 3 Mar 2023

Opened 9 Feb 2023

[email protected]

Since the Covid-19 pandemic fewer people are using public transport in Greater Manchester. However, the reduction has been greatest amongst older people: concessionary pass use in Greater Manchester usage is considerably lower than pre-pandemic levels. To understand why this is the case, and to help ensure that the Bee Network is accessible and attractive to all age groups, Transport for Greater Manchester, the Greater Manchester Ageing Hub and the Greater Manchester Older People’s network are asking for your time completing a short questionnaire. If you need assistance to complete the questionnaire, please phone 0161 244 1000. Please click here for TfGM’s  privacy policy . Further information about how TfGM processes your personal information collected in this survey, including who we may share it with and how long we will hold it for, is provided in the  privacy notice  for this survey.

• General public

Carers travel and transport Transport For Greater Manchester Concessionary Travel

Get directions (opens in Google Maps)

0161 244 1000

You may be able to get free travel on local buses anywhere in England between 9.30am and 11pm Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays, if you:

- are of an eligible age over 60 (the age at which you become eligible is the same as the State Pension Age for women)

- are an eligible disabled person.

Full details about any of the above can be obtained from TfGM.

This information was supplied by Serco Global Services on 14 March 2024.

Report an issue with the information on this page

Train strikes in May 2024: Full list of dates and lines affected

Rail lines are set for disruption in the week following the first May bank holiday as train drivers at 16 rail companies strike on different days.

Thursday 25 April 2024 10:29, UK

Train drivers will stage a fresh wave of strikes and overtime bans in May, causing disruption to the rail network.

The strikes are part of a long-running dispute over pay.

Members of Aslef union at 16 rail companies will walk out on different days from 7 to 9 May.

Additionally, all members will refuse to work any overtime from 6 May to 11 May.

Here is a full list of the services affected by strikes and when.

Rail strike dates

Tuesday 7 May

Strikes will affect c2c, Greater Anglia, GTR Great Northern Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern, Gatwick Express and South Western Railway.

Wednesday 8 May

Strikes will affect Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway and West Midlands Trains.

Thursday 9 May

Strikes will affect LNER, Northern Trains and TransPennine Express.

Overtime ban dates

From Monday 6 May to Saturday 11 May union members will not work overtime.

Overtime bans, an action short of a strike, means some services may not be running or may be reduced as drivers refuse to work their rest days.

People are advised to check before they travel, as some areas may have no service.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

How do strikes and overtime bans affect services?

Strikes tend to mean services on lines where members are participating are extremely affected or cancelled entirely, whereas overtime bans often lead to reduced services.

Are there strikes on the Tube too?

There have been regular strikes on London Underground too recently, and while there aren't any planned walkouts for drivers, customer service managers are set to walk out on Friday 26 April in a dispute over terms and conditions.

There will also be an overtime ban for the customer service managers on the following days:

Monday 29 April

Tuesday 30 April

Wednesday 1 May

Tuesday 2 May

Wednesday 3 May

Thursday 4 May

Friday 5 May

The Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) says the action by its members is likely to cause Tube stations to close at the last minute, including on the Saturday following the strike (27 April), while TfL has said on its website "some stations may need to close at short notice".

Despite the warning, a TfL spokesperson has said they aren't expecting significant disruption.

This action follows strike action taken by the same workers on 10 April, which the TSSA said had a "real impact" with "many stations shut at short notice".

They say they are "extremely concerned" about TfL's 'Stations Changes' proposals.

"We have made it clear that our union will not accept the continued threats to our members' roles, locations, terms, and conditions to stand unchallenged," a TSSA spokesperson said.

"We will continue to take sustained action until London Underground is prepared to negotiate with us in good faith."

Commenting on the impending strikes, a TfL spokesperson said: "We are disappointed that TSSA is continuing with this strike action following a consultation process.

"While we don't expect this action will cause significant disruption, we urge TSSA to continue to work with us to help find a resolution.

"There are no planned job losses as part of these vital changes which will improve the service we provide to customers at our stations."

How can I stay in the loop?

You can use the National Rail's journey planner to see when trains are running.

Be sure to check it close to when you plan to travel, as it will be updated regularly.

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Why are the strikes still happening?

Aslef rejected a two-year offer of 4% in 2022 and another 4% this year, saying it is way below inflation, and is linked to changes in terms and conditions.

Aslef said train drivers have not had an increase in salary for five years, since their last pay deals expired in 2019.

The union said after its members voted overwhelmingly in February to continue taking industrial action, it asked the train operating companies to hold talks.

General secretary Mick Whelan said the year-old pay offer of 4% and another 4% was "dead in the water".

Related Topics

• London Underground
• Rail strikes

Roads and transport Concessionary travel passes

Deaf people.

Most severely or profoundly deaf people will be entitled to a concessionary travel permit. People with mild or moderate hearing losses may not be eligible - if you are unsure, contact the Manchester City Council Sensory Provision Team for more information.

If you are deaf and without speech, or your speech is not easily understood, you are entitled to a free travel pass.

Application forms are available from the Manchester City Council Sensory Provision Team or Transport for Greater Manchester . Once your form is completed the Manchester City Council Sensory Provision Team will need to authorise it, your concessionary pass will be issued by Transport for Greater Manchester.

You will need to bring:

• proof of identity with photograph (e.g. passport, driving licence, etc.)
• proof of your name and address (e.g. Council Tax bill, gas or electricity bill, etc.)
• proof of your hearing loss (an audiogram from a hospital audiology clinic)

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