Greater Manchester has become the first place in the UK where bus and tram tickets for the Bee Network can be bought directly through Apple Wallet and stored on the city-region’s Bee Card.
Following launch of Our Pass in Apple Wallet, benefitting young people across Greater Manchester, Apple users of all ages can now purchase tickets directly within Apple Wallet. Once a user purchases a ticket, the ticket will be available on a Bee Card in Apple Wallet which can be used by simply tapping an iPhone or Apple Watch to a card reader when travelling on the Bee Network. For those with Express Mode enabled, there is no need to wake or unlock the device, or even open an app — simply hold an iPhone near a reader to pay and go.
Apple users can add a new Bee Card by opening Apple Wallet, tapping the plus (+) button, selecting ‘Travel Card’ and choosing ‘Bee Network’. They then choose a ticket to purchase.
The tickets available include 1-day and 7-day options for bus, tram or both as well as weekend and family tickets. Once the ticket has been bought, passengers can use it by tapping their iPhone or Apple Watch on the reader on the bus or at the tram platform.
The launch of Bee Card in Apple Wallet comes after Our Pass became the first dedicated travel card in the UK to be integrated into Apple Wallet, offering 16- to 18-year-olds an easy, secure and private way to use the pass which gives them free travel on buses and half-price fares on trams.
Vernon Everitt, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester, said:
“The Bee Network is modernising public transport, making it easier for people to travel around Greater Manchester on trams, buses and, soon, trains.
“Earlier this year, Our Pass became the first dedicated travel card in the UK to be integrated into Apple Wallet, benefiting young people across Greater Manchester.
“We are now giving Apple users of all ages a new way to pay for travel on the Bee Network, which is easy, secure and private.
“This is a further way in which we are making it easier for people to use public transport alongside other improvements like free travel for young people, keeping all fares low and introducing new services like night buses for every district.”
