Passengers in Greater Manchester will soon benefit from simpler, more transparent train fares as the current complex system is replaced with just two options from December.

Currently, journeys across the city region are served by more than a dozen different fares, many of which limit travel to a specific service or operator. From Sunday, 7 December, passengers buying tickets on the day of travel will be offered either an Anytime or Off-peak option.

The new tickets will be valid across all operators and single fares will cost half the price of return journeys. Overall, the changes are expected to reduce the average fare in Greater Manchester by 5.6%, and the simplified system will be available at all 96 stations in the region as well as online. Advance-purchase tickets and other fare types will remain available.

The reforms aim to make train travel easier to understand and reassure passengers that they are paying a fair price for their journey. Greater Manchester will be one of the first areas to benefit from the UK-wide fare transformation programme, which also lays the groundwork for contactless payments and integration with the Bee Network from December 2026.

More than half of journeys in the region will be cheaper, with some passengers saving up to £1.50 per trip. Around 4,000 passengers each week who currently overpay could benefit by using anytime tickets for off-peak travel. On the remaining 48% of journeys, fares will rise slightly, though 85% of these increases are expected to be 20p or less. The changes are not intended to increase revenue for train operators.

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. 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 services on routes including Stockport to Manchester, Manchester to Stalybridge, and Manchester Airport will also adopt the new fare structure.

Darren Higgins, commercial director at TPE, added: “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.”

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 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.”

Transport for Greater Manchester is working with the government and the rail industry to integrate services and stations into the Bee Network, aiming to create a fully joined-up public transport system for the city region. Tap-and-go payments, launched in March 2025 across buses and trams, will eventually be extended to include trains, along with daily and weekly fare caps.

Advance-purchase tickets and season tickets will continue to be available, station ticket offices will accept cash and print paper tickets, and Railcard discounts will still apply. The simplified fare announcement comes as the government passes landmark legislation establishing Great British Railways, which aims to modernise fares and ticketing across the country.

Image: Northern