This will vary depending on your travel plans and the number of buses and other modes of transport you will use.

Some operators no longer sell return tickets but offer their own day tickets which may be cheaper if your journeys will only be on that operator’s buses and within its validity zone.

If your journeys include more than one operator, transport mode, or you need a wider geographical validity zone then the relevant Day Rover or TNE Day Saver ticket is likely to be the best value.

If you are only going to use one bus each way then your cheapest option will usually to be purchase a single ticket for each journey, this will range from £1.60 with a maximum cap of £2.50 depending on the length of the journey (state your destination to the driver to get the correct single ticket price).

There is no limit on the number of journeys which can be made within the validity of your travel ticket – so the more journeys you make, the more money you will save!

Tickets cannot be re-issued during its validity, and therefore a decision needs to be made in advance of purchasing your ticket as to which product will offer the best value.

In 2026, the North East CA are aiming to implement smart capping which will enable flexibility so the best value fare will be calculated automatically.

Tickets are non-refundable and will not be replaced. In the event you lose your ticket, you will need to buy a replacement.

If you have purchased your ticket elsewhere, you can simply show your ticket to the staff at the ticket barriers and they will let you through. Metro staff are aware of the ticket type and that it can be issued by the bus operators.

You can currently take up to three children aged 11 and under on the Metro and the Shields Ferry at all times. Please see the Kids Go Free section for details of when this offer is available on bus services.