Pop app and Mobile Tickets
With the Pop app, your smartphone becomes your ticket (Android only) – you can purchase a One Week Metro season ticket in the Pop app and use your smartphone to touch in and out on Metro.
Downloading the app
• You can download the app by searching for Pop Nexus in the Play Store and the App Store.
• The app will be installed on your smartphone as Pop.
• When you open the app for the first time, you’ll need to review and accept the Terms and Conditions and End User Licence Agreement.
Buying a Metro season ticket in the app
- To buy a ticket, select the + icon in the bottom right hand corner of the app and select Buy ticket.
- An adult One Week Metro Season Ticket is the only ticket currently available in the app.
- Select the Start date you want your ticket to start – this can be up to 7 days in advance; the End date will be automatically set based on the Start date you select.
- Select the Zones you want your ticket to be valid for travel in. You can view the Metro zone map by selecting View zones.
- Select Pay with card or Buy with GPay.
If you choose Pay with card, you’ll need to add your credit/debit card details and select Confirm.
If you choose Buy with GPay you’ll be prompted to select the credit/debit card saved in your Google Pay account you wish to pay with.
- Once you’ve confirmed your payment method, the transaction will proceed.
All payments are handled by Stripe, Nexus’ payment service provider. For further information, please read the Stripe Terms and Conditions.
- You will be advised that your purchase has been successful and you will be asked to click continue.
- If you receive a fault message you will be prompted to try again. If you receive a further fault message, please contact us.
- You will be prompted to complete an action and will be shown several choices including Google Pay, we recommend that you select Google Pay.
If you complete the action Always, you will not be prompted in the future when purchasing a ticket.
- Click to activate the ticket, you will be asked to View the ticket in the app, click view in app.
- You will be taken to your Google Pay Wallet where the ticket you have purchased will be stored, ready for you to travel.
The Metro Season Ticket on your Pop app works differently on Metro, the Shields Ferry, Northern rail services and Quaylink buses. See below for more details.
Travelling on Metro
- You must validate your Mobile Ticket by using your phone to touch in at the start and touch out at the end of every journey you make using gates and validators.
- To validate your Mobile Ticket, unlock your phone and present the back of it (not the screen side) to the orange reader on the gate or the area under the screen on the validator.
- A successful touch will generate a tick on the screen of your phone and the gate or validator will display the message Welcome to Metro and gates will open. If you do not touch in, you will be travelling without a validated Mobile Ticket as required by the Metro Conditions of Carriage and will be liable for a Penalty Fare Notice and/or prosecution.
- If one or more of the gates or validators at a Metro station are out of service due to faults, you must use all reasonable endeavours to use other available gates or validators to validate your Mobile Ticket.
- If all gates or validators at a Metro station are out of service due to faults, speak to a member of staff or use a Help Point to contact staff in the Metro Control Room. Your details will be recorded, and you can then commence your journey.
- You must be able to display your Mobile Ticket on your smartphone when requested by a member of staff, ticket inspector or other authorised officer when travelling. This includes your smartphone being in appropriate working order that all ticket details are legible when displayed on the screen. Only an original Mobile Ticket displayed in the Pop app will be accepted; screenshots and copies will not be accepted. If you are unable to display your Mobile Ticket, you will be liable for a Penalty Fare and/or prosecution.
Travelling on Ferry
- An all zones (A+B+C) Metro Season Ticket is valid on Ferry.
- Display your Mobile Ticket on your smartphone and present it to the crew when boarding. Only an original Mobile Ticket displayed in the Pop app will be accepted; screenshots and copies will not be accepted.
- If you are unable to display your Mobile Ticket for inspection by Ferry crew upon boarding, you will not be permitted to travel using it and will need to pay for your journey using alternative means.
Travelling on Northern rail services
- An all zones (A+B+C) Metro Season Ticket is valid on Northern rail services between Newcastle and Sunderland.
- Display your Mobile Ticket on your smartphone and present it to Northern staff on board trains and to station staff at Newcastle station ticket gates. Only an original Mobile Ticket displayed in the Pop app will be accepted; screenshots and copies will not be accepted. If you are unable to display your Mobile Ticket, you may be refused travel or liable for a Penalty Fare or prosecution by Northern under the National Rail Conditions of Carriage.
Travelling on Quaylink bus services
- A Metro Season Ticket that includes zone A is valid on Quaylink bus services in the Central Zone.
- Display your Mobile Ticket on your smartphone and present it to the driver when boarding. Only an original Mobile Ticket displayed in the Pop app will be accepted; screenshots and copies will not be accepted.
- If you are unable to display your Mobile Ticket for inspection by the driver upon boarding, you will not be permitted to travel using it and will need to pay for your journey using alternative means.