Through ticketing to Manchester Metrolink stations

[Mcr Warrior]

Since the Manchester Metrolink system introduced a zonal pricing structure 12 months ago, is through ticketing still available from stations on the National Rail network to Manchester Metrolink destinations, and is there any practical difference when booking same if travelling from (i) rail stations outside of Greater Manchester, (ii) rail stations within Greater Manchester, (iii) rail stations on the Mid Cheshire line.

 

[JBuchananGB]

My old thread might help.
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/split-ticketing-to-access-manchester-trams.195650/

 

[Mathew S]

Through ticketing is available with the start/destination of, e.g., 'Metrolink Zone 1&2'.

In summary:
- when starting from outside Greater Manchester, there is no price difference whether you buy your tram ticket combined with a train ticket, or separately;
- when starting from within Greater Manchester, combined tickets are usually cheaper than buying train and tram tickets separately; and
- when starting from within Greater Manchester, many train tickets will include Zone 1 tram travel without the need for another ticket/add-on.

Some stations on the mid-Cheshire line are in the Greater Manchester rail ticketing area, some aren't, so the position will be one of the first two options above, depending where you're travelling from.

 

[JBuchananGB]

Through ticketing is available with the start/destination of, e.g., 'Metrolink Zone 1&2'.

But only from stations within the TfGM area. As I found out in my earlier discussion, split ticketing is needed. And there is the option of the GM3 Daysaver if mutiple trips within the TfGM area are planned.

 

[Mathew S]

But only from stations within the TfGM area. As I found out in my earlier discussion, split ticketing is needed. And there is the option of the GM3 Daysaver if mutiple trips within the TfGM area are planned.

No, through ticketing is possible from any station, within GM or not. It's just no different, price wise, from buying separate tickets.

I should clarify that this is according to TfGM. Whether you can actually get a station outside GM to sell you such a ticket is, though, another matter.

 

[JBuchananGB]

I rely on brfares.com to show available tickets. I can find fares to Metrolink from stations in the TfGM area, but not from outside. Perhaps there is another way of finding them.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Used to be the case that through tickets from rail stations outside of Greater Manchester had to be to named Metrolink stations, such as SALE MTLK, whereas within Greater Manchester they were instead to Metrolink zones (usually groups of three nearby stations), which originally were letter-coded, e.g. METROLINK ZONE E.

From stations on the Mid Cheshire line, tickets to Metrolink stations such as OLD TRAFFORD MTLK were routed via Altrincham.

Agree with JBuchananGB that I can't see any through fares now showing on BRFares from rail stations outwith Greater Manchester (except for certain stations on the Mid Cheshire line, such as Knutsford).

 

[Mathew S]

I'll see if I can get a definitive answer from TfGM. There is another thread on here where it was all discussed in the context of regular commuting from a station on the Southport line, so I'll try to find out if their position has changed since then (it was only last year, I think).
However, now that I've had a think about it a bit more - a passenger making a one off train/tram journey would be better off using contactless to pay for their tram travel, since they'd benefit from the daily price cap if their plans changed. Regular journeys/commuting get complicated because of things like Traincards, which you can be a bit clever with, but for a one off journey contactless is the way to go, I would argue.

 

[jonnyfan]

Through ticketing is available onto Metrolink from outside of Greater Manchester, however the tickets that have to be selected are different. If it is from a station within Greater Manchester, 'Metrolink Zx' is selected, if from outside of Greater Manchester, then 'GM Metrolink Zx' is selected.

 

[Bungle965]

Through ticketing is available onto Metrolink from outside of Greater Manchester, however the tickets that have to be selected are different. If it is from a station within Greater Manchester, 'Metrolink Zx' is selected, if from outside of Greater Manchester, then 'GM Metrolink Zx' is selected.

Macclesfield is probably the most common that I have seen, (and even then it's maybe only a few times a week (normally more on the weekend when football is on for instance) I have seen one from London once, whether or not people just do not know about them or whether they are relatively poor value for money there isn't a lot that seems to get sold of them.
Sam

 

[Mathew S]

Macclesfield is probably the most common that I have seen, (and even then it's maybe only a few times a week (normally more on the weekend when football is on for instance) I have seen one from London once, whether or not people just do not know about them or whether they are relatively poor value for money there isn't a lot that seems to get sold of them.
Sam

They're either very hard or impossible to buy online, which won't help. I also don't think you can get them as Advances.

 

[Bungle965]

They're either very hard or impossible to buy online, which won't help. I also don't think you can get them as Advances.

I have never seen them online either, and yes you're correct no advance or railcard discounts are available.
Sam

 

[Llandudno]

Through ticketing is available onto Metrolink from outside of Greater Manchester, however the tickets that have to be selected are different. If it is from a station within Greater Manchester, 'Metrolink Zx' is selected, if from outside of Greater Manchester, then 'GM Metrolink Zx' is selected.

If you are purchasing a through ticket onto Metrolink do railcard discounts apply?

 

[Solent&Wessex]

If you are purchasing a through ticket onto Metrolink do railcard discounts apply?

Nope.

 

[Starmill]

There's no reason for there to be no railcard discount. There are loads of through tickets to add-on destinations where you can get a railcard discount, without amending the price of the add-on.

It's just an administration of total laziness, or an attempt to avoid selling too many of the through tickets.

 

[Mathew S]

There's no reason for there to be no railcard discount. There are loads of through tickets to add-on destinations where you can get a railcard discount, without amending the price of the add-on.

It's just an administration of total laziness, or an attempt to avoid selling too many of the through tickets.

I think the argument is that there's no advantage, in this case, to a through ticket. It saves you no money - it's just the two prices added together - and gains you nothing in terms of delay repay or other entitlement, with Metrolink being independent.
Just as easy to use contactless, for the vast majority of people, or if someone must pay with cash then to use a Met TVM.

 

[Starmill]

I think the argument is that there's no advantage, in this case, to a through ticket. It saves you no money - it's just the two prices added together - and gains you nothing in terms of delay repay or other entitlement, with Metrolink being independent.
Just as easy to use contactless, for the vast majority of people, or if someone must pay with cash then to use a Met TVM.

In which case why even have the through tickets in the first place? Are there any cases where it saves money at all?

 

[Mathew S]

In which case why even have the through tickets in the first place? Are there any cases where it saves money at all?

Only if you're travelling from within the Greater Manchester rail ticketting area. In that case, TfGM set the combined ticket price to be lower than buying two tickets. For example, a Wigan to Manchester Anytime Return is £10.10, and with Zones 1 - 4 tram travel added is £15.00. A Zone 1 - 4 peak travelcard is £7, at the moment, so that combined price is a decent saving. If you're travelling from outside Greater Manchester, the combined ticket is just rail ticket + metrolink ticket, with no discount (e.g. Garswood to Manchester Anytime Return is £13.60, and combined with a Z1-4 tram ticket is sold for £20.60).

It's a consequence of them being two totally independent and separate operations, with no common regulation, funding, or other agreements save what TfGM decide to enter into. This is the single biggest reason I'm against expansion of Metrolink to encompass tram/train running to places like Wigan and Stockport (eg. mixed converting the Atherton line, but still running National Rail services to Wigan via Bolton) without fully integrated ticketing where passengers are free - on the same ticket/contactless method of payment - to use either mode without penalty.