If you are aged over 60, live in Tyne and Wear and have a Concessionary Travel Pass, you can travel on buses in England for free.
Concessionary Travel Passes are free of charge; all you need to do is download the application form and follow the instructions on how to apply for your travel pass.
Metro journeys are not free of charge but you can avoid paying full fares by buying a Metro Gold Card
Am I eligible for a CT Pass?
The Government has changed the age at which people become eligible for a Concessionary Travel Pass.
People no longer receive a free bus pass when they reach their 60th birthday. Instead both men and women become eligible in line with the rise in the age at which women become eligible for a state pension. This is rising on a sliding scale, from 60 to 65, between 2010 and 2020.
If you were born on or before 5 January 1951, you can apply for your Concessionary Travel Pass immediately.
If you were born after 6 January 1951, see the table below to see when you are entitled to receive a Concessionary Travel Pass.
If your date of birth is: |
Your pass will start from: |
| 6 December 1950 to 5 January 1951 | 6 September 2011 |
| 6 January 1951 to 5 February 1951 | 6 November 2011 |
| 6 February 1951 to 5 March 1951 | 6 January 2012 |
| 6 March 1951 to 5 April 1951 | 6 March 2012 |
| 6 April 1951 to 5 May 1951 | 6 May 2012 |
| 6 May 1951 to 5 June 1951 | 6 July 2012 |
| 6 June 1951 to 5 July 1951 | 6 September 2012 |
| 6 July 1951 to 5 August 1951 | 6 November 2012 |
| 6 August 1951 to 5 September 1951 |
6 January 2013 |
| 6 September 1951 to 5 October 1951 | 6 March 2013 |
| 6 October 1951 to 5 November 1951 | 6 May 2013 |
| 6 November 1951 to 5 December 1951 | 6 July 2013 |
| 6 December 1951 to 5 January 1952 | 6 September 2013 |
A CT pass entitles you to travel -
- free of charge on buses in Tyne and Wear from 9.30am Monday to Friday and all day at weekends and on public holidays.
- free anywhere else in England on local buses, between 9.30am and 11.00pm Monday to Friday and all day at weekends and on public holidays.
- for 60p on the Shields Ferry from 9.30am Monday to Friday, all day at weekends and on public holidays
- for 50p on Northern Rail services between Newcastle and MetroCentre/Blaydon from 9.30am Monday to Friday, all day at weekends and on public holidays
Please note that there are no discounted fares on Metro, or on Northern Rail services between Newcastle and Sunderland, for Concessionary Travel Pass holders. However you can travel Travel on Metro, and Northern Rail services between Newcastle and Sunderland, as well as the Shields Ferry, with a Metro Gold Card.
How to apply
You will need to send us the following:
- A completed application form, available at the bottom of this page
- A colour passport photo attached to the application form in the box provided
- Proof of your age - for example your passport, driving licence or birth certificate
- Proof that your permanent address is in Tyne and Wear - for example a council tax, gas, electricity or phone bill
- Please send photocopies of your proof of age and address if you are applying by post
- A stamped self-addressed envelope
All CT Passes are issued by post. You should apply for a pass 28 days before the date at which you become eligible, to ensure you get your pass on the first possible day.
You have a choice of how to apply for your pass - either by post or in a TravelShop. If you apply by post, please send us photocopies of your proof of address, not the originals (Nexus accepts no responsibility if original documents are sent).
Where do I send my application?
Either hand it in at any Nexus TravelShop or post it to us at -
Concessionary Travel Bureau, Nexus, Grainger Chambers, 3-5 Hood Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6JQ
Special envelopes addressed to Nexus are available in Nexus TravelShops for you to use to send your application to us.
However, if you choose to drop your application into a TravelShop, you can take originals of your proof of address. The TravelShop staff will check it and hand it straight back to you. They will then send your application to our Concessionary Travel Bureau for your pass to be issued. Most TravelShops also take passport photos for £3.
I've lost my pass, what do I do?
If you think you lost your pass while using public transport, please contact the appropriate operator. Call Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 if you are unsure which operator’s service you were on.
If the operator has not found your pass, you will need to complete a new application form. A replacement Concessionary Travel Pass costs £5.
You will need to send us the following:
- Completed application form
- A stamped self-addressed envelope
- £5 (cheque or postal order made payable to Nexus if posting, cash can be paid at any TravelShop)
My pass is about to run out, how do I renew it?
You can renew your pass during the month that it runs out or in the month before that. You will need to complete a new application form. There is no charge for renewing your Concessionary Travel Pass. You do not need to send in your current or expired CT Pass when you renew it.
You will need to send us the following:
- Completed application form
- A stamped self-addressed envelope
How to use your Concessionary Travel Pass
On buses – show the driver your pass when you board the bus after 9.30am Monday-Friday, all day at weekends and on public holidays. You must pay the full adult fare before 9.30am Monday-Friday
On the Shields Ferry – show the ferry operator your pass to buy your 60p ticket from 9.30am Monday-Friday, all day at weekends and on public holidays. You must pay the full adult fare before 9.30am Monday-Friday.
On Northern Rail services between Newcastle and MetroCentre/Blaydon – from 9.30am Monday-Friday, all day at weekends and on public holidays, either buy your 50p ticket from a ticket machine or buy it from the conductor; you will need to show the conductor your pass. You must pay the full adult fare before 9.30am Monday-Friday.
On all Metro services and Northern Rail services between Newcastle and Sunderland, if you do not have a Metro Gold Card, you must pay the full adult fare at all times.
How to use your Metro Gold Card
On Metro – show an inspector your Metro Gold Card when requested, from 9.30am Monday-Friday and all day at weekends and on public holidays. You must pay the full adult fare at all other times.
On the Shields Ferry - show the ferry operator your Metro Gold Card when you board, from 9.30am Monday-Friday and all day at weekends and on public holidays. You must pay the full adult fare at all other times.
On Northern Rail services between Newcastle and Sunderland – from 9.30am Monday-Friday and all day at weekends and on public holidays, show the conductor your Metro Gold Card. You must pay the full adult fare at all other times.
Can I travel free of charge to early morning hospital appointments?
Yes, if you need to travel before 9.30am in order to get to/from a hospital appointment, just show your hospital appointment card or letter with your CT Pass or Metro Gold Card when requested.
How to update your details
If you move house, call us on 0191 20 20 720 and give us your CT pass number, old address and new address, or write to us at:
CT Bureau, Nexus, Grainger Chambers, 3-5 Hood Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6JQ
You can also contact us at this address or phone number to inform us of the death of a passholder. This will ensure that they are removed from our database, and you will receive no further correspondence from us.