Tyne and Wear Bus Pass and Metro Gold Card Guide
Last checked November 2026. Offers and rules change: confirm with the provider before you rely on them.
In Tyne and Wear the older person's Concessionary Travel Pass is issued by Nexus from State Pension age. The pass itself covers buses; what makes the area different is the Metro Gold Card, a low-cost yearly add-on giving unlimited off-peak travel on the Tyne and Wear Metro, plus cheap tickets on the Shields Ferry and one local rail line.
Who qualifies
Nexus's guidance, now published on the Travel North East website under concessionary travel for people who are State Pension age or older, says you can get a Concessionary Travel Pass (Nexus calls it a CT Pass) if you live in Tyne and Wear and have reached State Pension age. Tyne and Wear means the council areas of Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland.
Nexus spells out the ages clearly:
- born on or before 5 April 1960: eligible on your 66th birthday;
- born from 6 April 1960 to 5 March 1961: eligible at between 66 years and 1 month and 66 years and 11 months, depending on your month of birth;
- born from 6 March 1961 to 5 April 1961: eligible on your 67th birthday.
Our State Pension age checker gives your exact date. Nexus's page does not list an older person's pass available before State Pension age.
What the pass gives you on its own
| Type of transport | With the CT Pass |
|---|---|
| Buses in Tyne and Wear | Free from 9.30am Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays |
| Local buses elsewhere in England | Free from 9.30am to 11pm Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays |
| Shields Ferry | 60p a ticket at the same off-peak times |
| Northern trains between Newcastle and MetroCentre or Blaydon | 50p a ticket at the same off-peak times; buy from a machine before boarding |
| Metro, and Northern trains between Newcastle and Sunderland | No discount with the pass alone; full adult fare unless you hold a Metro Gold Card |
These fares are as shown by Nexus at the time of writing (November 2026). Before 9.30am on weekdays you pay the full adult fare on all of them, with one exception described below. On the Northumberland Line, Nexus says you need a Senior Railcard for a discount or you pay the full adult fare.
Early hospital appointments
If you need to travel before 9.30am to get to or from a hospital appointment, and your journey starts in Tyne and Wear, Nexus says you can travel on your pass (or Gold Card) by showing your hospital appointment card or letter when asked. That is a helpful local extra which the national scheme does not include.
The Metro Gold Card
The Gold Card is loaded onto your CT Pass. According to the Metro Gold Card page, it gives unlimited travel on:
- the Tyne and Wear Metro;
- the Shields Ferry;
- Northern rail services between Newcastle and Sunderland.
It is valid from 9.30am Monday to Friday, all day at weekends and on public holidays, and all day throughout July and August.
What it costs
At the time of writing (November 2026), Nexus lists the Gold Card at £18 a year for people who live in Tyne and Wear and £24 a year for concessionary pass holders who live elsewhere. Some older pages on the Nexus site still show earlier prices, so check the current figure when you buy. If your CT Pass has less than a year left to run, a shorter Gold Card is sold at a reduced price.
Points to note
- You must hold a valid concessionary pass first.
- The Gold Card is not refundable.
- It is not valid on the Northumberland Line.
- For the Northern trains between Newcastle and Sunderland, Nexus says you currently need a free paper counterpart ticket as well, because rail staff and gates cannot read the pass. Ask at a Nexus Travel Shop.
How to buy it
You can load a Gold Card onto your pass at a Metro ticket machine by touching the pass on the reader and choosing Metro tickets, or buy one at a Nexus Travel Shop or a Payzone outlet.
How to apply for the CT Pass
- Online: through Nexus's "Buy and Apply" portal.
- By post: with the application form from the Nexus page, a photo attached and photocopies of your documents.
Either way you need a passport-style colour photo, proof of age (such as a passport, driving licence or birth certificate) and proof of a permanent Tyne and Wear address (such as a council tax, gas, electricity or phone bill dated within the last 6 months).
You can only apply within the 28 days before your pass is due to start, and Nexus says issuing can take up to 28 days. Your first pass is free. A replacement costs £5 if it is lost, stolen or damaged, or if you need to change your name or photo. Nexus's helpline for passes is 0191 20 20 747.
Passes are renewed automatically if you have used yours on a bus in the last 12 months and Nexus has your current address, so use it now and then and tell Nexus if you move.
More help
The national rules are on our free bus pass page. For outings, see bus pass days out. If you cannot manage ordinary buses or the Metro, see community transport and taxi cards and travel tokens.
Common questions
Is the Metro free with a bus pass?
No. With the pass alone you pay the full adult Metro fare. You need to add a Metro Gold Card, which is a yearly charge, to travel on the Metro without paying each time.
Can I use the Gold Card before 9.30am?
Not on ordinary weekdays, except for hospital appointments as described above. Nexus says it is valid all day at weekends, on public holidays and throughout July and August.
Can I get a pass at 60?
No. Eligibility in Tyne and Wear follows State Pension age. See what you get at 60 for the things that do start earlier.