Metro customers made a record 4.3 million journeys with Pop Pay As You Go in 2023, saving money on every trip compared to buying a paper ticket.
Customers who choose Pop PAYG on Google Pay via Android smartphones or as a smart card, don’t just save money but also save time through not having to use a ticket machine.
Metro trips have grown 13.5% in the last year as thousands of people discover the value of Pop PAYG, alongside Metro’s Take The Kids For Free price promise and £1 single fare for those aged 21 and under.
Huw Lewis, Nexus Customer Services Director said: “It’s fantastic to see Pop PAYG becoming more and more popular and we expect even more customers will be making the switch this year. A record 4.3 million Metro journeys were made with Pop PAYG 2023, with customers clearly recognising it’s the best way to get the cheapest single and day fares available.
“Moving to PAYG Go in Google Pay, or getting a free Pop card from nexus.org.uk, which now has a minimum top of just £5, means customers can save up to £1.35 every day, compared to paying for travel from a Metro ticket machine.
“The evidence is that Pop is encouraging our customers to travel more often as we have seen numbers grow 13.5% as Metro continues to recover towards pre-pandemic levels.
“I recommend that customers make the switch even if you travel only once a week or less - either by finding Pop in your Google Pay application or applying for a Pop card online from the Nexus website.”
Anyone aged 22 and over saves money on every Metro trip with a Pop PAYG card, compared to adult paper day and single tickets – at least 95p on a single ticket and up to £1.35 on all-day travel depending on the zones used.
Customers aged 21 and under can also get a Pop Blue card from nexus.org.uk to take advantage of a new £1 flat fare introduced last year.
Using a Pop PAYG card is easy, and it’s simple to check and top up the balance at any Metro ticket machine, and to tap the card or Android smartphone on the gates and validators at the start and end of a journey.
Pop can also be used to make payments on bus routes in North East England as well as on the Shields Ferry, making it the largest smart travel system outside London.
Metro became the first rail system outside London to offer the convenience of pay as you go smart travel on the iconic Pop card when it first launched in November 2015.