Choosing the most appropriate ticket option for a journey by public transport isn’t always easy. The best ticket to choose will depend upon how you are travelling, where from, and how frequently.
What is for sure, however, is that unless your journey is one off or infrequent, paying for single or return tickets on the day could be costing you more than it should. There are a wide range of ticket options available which can dramatically reduce the cost of public transport journeys made, so make sure you have checked out your options! To help out we have provided some useful pointers below:
Travelling by Bus Only?
If your journey by public transport involves only using the bus, then it is best to consider the following:
- If you only use one bus operator (e.g. Go North East, Stagecoach or Arriva), you are likely to be best exploring the range of operator specific tickets they offer (including weekly, monthly or annual passes). Visit their website for further details;
- If you regularly use different bus operators, then you may be better off with a ticket from Nexus, click here to explore their range of bus tickets.
Travelling by Metro Only?
Your best ticket option will depend on where you’re travelling to/from as well as how often you travel on Metro. The closest Metro stations to NGP, Kingston Park and Regent Centre, are both in Zone B of the Metro network. Meaning that, if you’re travelling to/from the city centre you’ll need a two-zone ticket.
Choose between a single, day, one week, four week or annual ticket for your travel, where most also get you free travel on Shields Ferry and local rail services too. Explore all of your options on the Nexus website by clicking here.
Travelling by Train Only?
It is also possible to buy rail season tickets if you undertake a regular journey between the same two stations. National Rail provides an easy to use Season Ticket Calculator to help you work out how much a ticket would cost, and how much you could save.
If your journey by train isn’t frequent enough to benefit from a season ticket, be sure to try and book your journey in advance. Unlike bus tickets, train fares can vary depending on the point at which you buy your ticket. Buying tickets in advance, especially on longer journeys, can save you some serious cash.
Travelling by a Combination of Bus, Metro and Train?
If you use a combination of different public transport options, don’t worry, you can still make great savings on tickets!
Find out about all of the multi-mode tickets available on the Nexus website or alternatively, take a look at the Pay as You Go POP Card, as a smart way to pay for your public transport journeys across the region.
Explore Further Ways to Save
Think you’ve saved all you can by picking an annual pass? Think again! There are a number of ways that you can save even more money.
- Corporate POP Card Scheme: Through the Corporate POP Card scheme employers can provide staff with a saving on the cost of an annual POP Card. Ask your employer today if they’re part of the scheme.
- First Commuter Travel Club: You can save up to 12.5% on monthly bus tickets through the First Commuter Travel Club;
- Arriva Employer Travel Club: Spread the costs of an annual ticket with a monthly direct debit to save even more on your bus travel;
- Stagecoach Corporate Tickets: Save 10% on the cost of an annual megarider ticket if your employer is part of the scheme.
- Commuter Club: Make savings on the cost of your annual rail season ticket and pay monthly through the Commuter Club – a scheme open to everyone.