Passengers in Salford will be among the first in the country to benefit from simpler train fares when the current wide range of ticket types is replaced by two standard options in December.
More than a dozen different fares are currently available for journeys on certain routes, including many which restrict customers to travelling on a particular service or with one train operating company.
But from Sunday, 7 December, everyone who buys a ticket on the day they are travelling between two railway stations in Greater Manchester will be offered only Anytime and Off-Peak options.
The new fares will be valid on rail services run by all operators and all single journeys will be half the price of return trips. Overall, the change will mean the average fare in Greater Manchester will fall by 5.6%, the Bee Network says.
They will be available to buy from the 96 stations in Greater Manchester and online. Other types of tickets will still be offered to those who book in advance.
The new system aims to make ticketing simpler and prices more transparent, so passengers can trust they have got the best value fare for the journey they are making.
It is part of the Government’s UK-wide transformation of fares, which they say will make them easier to understand and journeys more seamless, in turn bringing more people back to rail.
Greater Manchester will be one of the first areas in the country to benefit from this type of rail fare reform, which will also pave the way for contactless payments and integration with the Bee Network from December 2026.
More than half of train journeys (52%) in Greater Manchester will be cheaper, with customers saving up to £1.50 on some trips, as many single fares will be reduced to ensure they are half the price of a return.
It could also save money for around 4,000 customers a week who are not currently getting the best deal, by using anytime tickets to travel during off-peak periods.
On the remaining 48% of journeys, customers will see a slight price increase. But for most of these trips (85%), it will be a rise of 20p or less.
The new system has not been implemented to increase revenues for train operating companies.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, hailed the change and said it will pave the way for eight rail lines to join the Bee Network next year.
He 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 one of the first city regions 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.”
Alex Hornby, Northern’s commercial and customer director, said: “Customers tell us that buying railway tickets has become too complicated and the fare system needs to change.
He said: “That’s why we’re looking forward to introducing these new fares in Greater Manchester, which will make train travel much simpler, provide customers with more choice about which services they travel on and stop thousands from overpaying for their journeys.
“Of course, we will have our colleagues on hand to help customers get to grips with the new tickets and we will be welcoming and listening to all feedback to ensure they work for everyone.”
TransPennine Express (TPE) services between Stockport and Manchester, Manchester and Stalybridge, and Manchester and Manchester Airport will be included in the fare reform.
Darren Higgins, commercial director at TPE, said: “We’re pleased to support the introduction of simpler fares across Greater Manchester, which will make rail travel easier for our customers.
“This change, which affects several key TPE routes, including services to and from Manchester Airport, will help customers to avoid overpaying for everyday journeys.”
Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy, said: “We know the current labyrinth of fares and prices can be confusing, and fixing that is crucial to rebuilding trust in our railways and encouraging more people to take the train.
“Across the UK, we’re driving forward a programme of fare reforms – introducing simpler ticketing, expanding digital and contactless options, and laying the foundations for Great British Railways to deliver a better service for passengers.”
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) said it is working with the government and the rail industry to bring services and stations into the Bee Network to deliver a fully joined-up public transport system for the city region.
In March 2025, tap and go payments were launched across Greater Manchester’s Bee Network, with capped fares across its buses and trams – giving passengers more flexibility. TfGM is now looking to expand daily and weekly fare caps to also include train travel.
When the simplified rail fares are introduced in December, Advance Purchase tickets and season tickets will still be available to those who book before the day they travel.
Station ticket offices will continue to accept cash payments and print paper tickets.
Railcard discounts will still apply and the season tickets currently on offer in Greater Manchester will remain unchanged.
The announcement of simplified fares in Greater Manchester follows landmark legislation in Parliament yesterday (5 November) to establish Great British Railways (GBR).
The government said the Railways Bill will empower GBR to bring fares and ticketing into the 21st century, making travel more flexible and simpler.
More information is available on the Bee Network website.
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