Travel passes for disabled people

Apply for a disabled person's travel pass

You can get a disabled person's travel pass if you:

• live in Greater Manchester,
• have an eligible disability that's expected to last at least 12 months and
• are aged 5 or over.

You may be eligible if you:

• are blind or partially sighted
• are severely or profoundly deaf in both ears
• cannot speak naturally
• have trouble walking
• cannot use both arms
• have a learning disability
• have a medical condition that means you can't get a UK driving licence

You'll need to include proof of your disability when you apply.

The application form explains how to do this.

Costs and benefits

Disabled person's travel pass

The pass is free, and lasts between one and five years depending on your disability.

Within Greater Manchester:

• Travel for free on all buses and Metrolink trams within Greater Manchester between 9.30am and midnight, Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays.
• You can travel for free on trains within Greater Manchester on journeys scheduled to run at or after 9.30am, Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays.
• If you travel outside of these times you must pay for a concessionary fare where available or otherwise the full adult fare. Find information on concessionary fares.

Throughout England:

• Travel for free on all local buses between 9.30am and 11pm Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays.
• If you travel outside of these times you must pay the full adult fare.

Travel plus pass for disabled people

The pass is free and lasts between one and five years depending on your disability.

This pass is for use by the person named on the pass only. Any carers or other people accompanying the card holder will be required to pay the normal fare.

Within Greater Manchester:

• Travel for free on all local buses, on Metrolink trams and on trains within Greater Manchester at any time.

Throughout England:

• Travel for free on all local buses between 9.30am and 11pm Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays.
• If you travel outside of these times you must pay the full adult fare.

How to use the pass

You must always remember to:

• touch-in at the card reader when boarding buses
• touch-in and touch-out at a yellow smart reader on tram stops, for Metrolink
• touch-in on a (train)station electronic barrier, or present the pass if asked by a train ticket inspector.

For concessionary fares, you will be asked to show your pass when buying a ticket on a bus and when inspected during your journey on trams or trains.

The smart readers on tram stops now accept contactless cards and devices for travel. Please move your concessionary pass away from your payment cards, when you use a smart reader.

For example, if you keep your pass in a wallet or purse, remove it before you touch-in and touch-out. This will make sure you’re not charged on a contactless card you didn’t intend to use.

Renew your pass

You can only renew your pass if you’ve received a letter from us confirming it’s time for renewal. We’ll let you know that your pass is due to expire 12 weeks in advance.

If it is an automatic renewal, you will receive your new pass before the existing pass expires.

You will need to complete a renewal application and send it back to us. Please be aware it can take up to six weeks for us to process your application from the date we receive it back.

If you have changed your appearance since your last pass was issued, then please include an up-to-date passport sized photograph.

If you have changed address, then please let us know. There may be a £10 charge for the replacement of a pass sent to a previous address.

Online renewals

We’re currently trialling online renewals for people with:

• walking difficulties
• walking difficulties (as a result of losing a leg in active service)

You can either renew these passes online via the links below or by following the instructions on your renewal letter.

Replace your pass

There is a £10 administration cost for the replacement of a lost, damaged or stolen pass.

To order a replacement pass you can:

• Call TfGM on 0161 244 1000 to make a card payment (7am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 8pm at weekends and public holidays).
• Visit an Information and Ticket Office to order and pay for a replacement pass.