Important changes to bus tickets and fares from 24 March 2024

On 24 March 2024, Bee Network bus services started running in even more areas, including Oldham, Rochdale and parts of Bury, Salford and north Manchester. You can check which bus services are included on this list of bus routes.

If you’re travelling through those areas, there are some important changes to bus tickets and fares.

Some individual bus operator tickets you may currently use won’t be valid on Bee Network services.

So if you usually buy an individual operator 1-day, 7-day or 28-day bus ticket – and your bus joined the Bee Network on 24 March – read on to find out more about the best tickets to use on the Bee Network.

You can already buy from a range of Bee AnyBus travelcards that offer freedom to travel on any bus service in Greater Manchester (including Bee Network buses) without having to buy different tickets.

If you buy individual operator 7-day and 28-day tickets

We recommend you don’t buy individual operator 7-day and 28-day tickets if you plan to use them on a bus service that joined the Bee Network on 24 March 2024.

• Instead, please buy from the Bee AnyBus range of 7-day and 28-day tickets, which can be used on the Bee Network and any bus in Greater Manchester. You can already buy them now on the Bee Network app and from Information and Ticket Offices and Paypoint outlets.
• Don’t worry if you already have a 28-day bus operator. You can use it until 28 April 2024 on the new Bee Network services in Oldham, Rochdale, and parts of Bury, Salford and north Manchester.

Find the right ticket for you here.

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If you buy bus operator single, return or 1-day tickets

We recommend you don’t buy a bus operator single, return or 1-day ticket if you plan to use it on a Bee Network service from 24 March 2024.

• Instead buy a Bee Bus single on the bus or a 1-day Bee AnyBus ticket - buy from the Bee Network app or on any bus in Greater Manchester.
• A single ticket costs £2 (Adult) / £1 (Child) and a 1-day ticket £5 (Adult) / £2.50 (Child).

The Bee AnyBus ticket can be used on Bee Network services AND any bus in Greater Manchester.

The Bee Bus single ticket is only valid for your Bee Network bus journey.

Find the right ticket for you here.

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If you have a Stagecoach or First student ticket

Stagecoach student tickets

If you already have a Stagecoach Spring Term UniRider ticket, or a Stagecoach All Terms ticket, you can continue to use this on all Stagecoach and all Bee Network services across Greater Manchester until the expiry date. See a full list of Bee Network services.

After that we recommend you either:

• Use the Bee Network app to buy either Bee Bus Term/All Terms Ticket if you only need to travel on Bee Network services.
• Buy a Stagecoach Term Ticket if you need to travel on Bee Network and Stagecoach services.

First student tickets

First student tickets are not valid on Bee Network bus services. You should request a refund from First if your ticket is no longer of use to you.

You can buy a Bee Bus Term 3 ticket (valid from 1 April to 30 June) from either the Bee Network app or from an Information and Ticket Offices.

If the cost to travel using the equivalent Bee Network ticket costs you more than you previously paid, you may be eligible for support through the Bee Network recompense scheme.

Please read more about this below.

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Recompense scheme

If your bus service has joined the Bee Network, you can benefit from a Bee AnyBus ticket and travel on any bus in Greater Manchester.

We have also committed to keeping capped single fares until the end of 2024 - making bus fares as low and simple to use as possible.

However, a small number of people may pay more for travel since their bus services joined the Bee Network from 24 March.

This is because of price differences between the individual operator ticket some customers currently buy, and tickets that can be used on a Bee Network bus (capped low fares, Bee AnyBus tickets, and Bee Bus tickets).

If you can provide proof of purchase for an individual operator ticket where there is a price difference – and which is dated within the last two months – you will be able to apply for a complimentary Bee Bus ticket valid for use on Bee Network services.

The recompense scheme is limited to one claim per customer

You can apply

Online

Completing the online recompense form which will ask you to provide your details and to select the ticket you currently have or have recently used.

Once you have submitted the form, you will receive an email asking you to provide us with a scan or photograph of your ticket, receipt or email receipt, with the name and date of the ticket clearly showing.

You can reply to our email and add your attached evidence, or you can choose to send in your evidence by post using the reference number in our email.

Please note that once you have received your email, you will have 14 days to provide your evidence.

If we do not receive it within that time, your claim will be closed and you will need to submit a new claim via the form.

Once we receive your evidence, we will aim to process your application within 14 days.

In writing

If you write to us, please include:

• Full name
• Address and post code
• Date of birth
• Name of the ticket you usually buy

Please enclose:

• Your ticket or receipt, or a printout of your email receipt with the name and date of the ticket clearly showing.

Please send it to:

• Customer Contact Team, 2 Piccadilly Place, Manchester, M1 3BG

Please contact us if you have any questions:

• Phone: 0161 244 1000 (Monday to Friday: 7am to 8pm / Weekends and Bank Holidays: 8am to 8pm).

Find out more about the improvements being delivered through the Bee Network.

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