Travel gets smarter in Greater Manchester

14 August 2017

Travelling in Greater Manchester just got smarter

Thousands of passengers can now, for the first time, use a single smart card for all their journeys on any Greater Manchester tram and bus.

This latest development is the next phase of Transport for Greater Manchester’s (TfGM) ITSO 'get me there' smart card system, working with operators through Greater Manchester Travelcards Ltd (GMTL), and is a further step forward towards delivering a fully integrated smart system across the city region.

The ITSO 'get me there' smart card system makes it easy for users with a 'get me there' account to view and purchase a range of products online, making travel easier and more flexible, with no need to carry cash or queue at ticket machines.

Season ticket holders will benefit from added security as any lost or stolen tickets and travelcards that have more than 7 days left to run will be replaced, with customers able to order new cards online.

As well as being able to buy a new range of multi-modal bus and tram products, new 16 – 18 and corporate smart cards have also been introduced.

The 16 – 18 card will allow almost 100,000 young people to enjoy half price bus travel, after a new offer was agreed with bus operators and GMTL – the industry body which manages multi-operator and multi-modal ticketing in Greater Manchester, with a half price 1-day ticket launching in September.

TfGM, with GMTL supporting multi-modal developments, remain committed to delivering the best possible fares and ticketing to the region’s public transport users and continues to work towards contactless account-based ticketing, where passengers use their bank card to touch in and touch out instead of a smart card.

ITSO scheme statistics

In 2015, GMTL and TfGM developed a multi operator, multi modal smart ticketing scheme under the brand name 'get me there'. Launched in November 2015 with bus products first, the work to grow the products available on smart continues today.

All the major local and regional bus companies, including Arriva, First and Stagecoach, accept ITSO 'get me there' smart cards. This means customers can travel seamlessly across Greater Manchester, hopping on and off as many buses as they want to.