Pop Blue FAQs

Where can I use my Pop Blue card?

You can use Pop Blue on Metro, on almost all bus services and the Shields Ferry. Pop Blue works differently on Metro, bus and ferry. See below for more details.

Pop Blue is valid on services in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Teesside.

• On buses – pay for single, return and day tickets from the driver using your Pop Blue balance.
• On Metro – pay for your trip by tapping in at the Metro station validator or gate at the start of your journey and tapping out at the end. You’ll only pay for the journey you have made and we’ll calculate the best fare for you.
• On the Shields Ferry – pay for 18 and Under Ferry Single and 18 and Under Ferry Day Tickets from the ferry operator using your Pop blue balance. Please note that, unlike on Metro, there is no daily price cap for journeys on the Shields Ferry

•  Online here. Then load your purchase onto your Pop Blue card at a Metro station validator, gate or ticket machine.
• At any Metro station ticket machine

On Metro you need to touch in at the start of your journey and touch out at the end. You do this by touching your Pop Blue card onto the reader on the yellow Metro station validator or the orange card reader on the Metro station gates – even if they’re open.

If you don’t do this, you won’t have a validated smartcard and you could be issued with a Penalty Fare Notice.

When you touch in at the start of your journey, we deduct the cost of a single Pop Blue fare from your Pop Blue balance. You must then touch out to complete your journey. If you make a second journey on the same day, you’ll be charged another single fare, and will reach the daily price cap. You must continue to touch in and out for any additional journeys, so that your Pop Blue card is validated – but you won’t be charged for any more journeys once you’ve reached the daily price cap.

Please note that, unlike on buses and the Shields Ferry, you can’t use your Pop Blue card to buy tickets from Metro station ticket machines.

Pop Blue is cheaper than adult single and Day tickets – the current fares are here.

You can travel as many times as you like in a day. Your card is charged each time you travel until you reach the daily price cap. You’ll never pay more than the daily price cap as long as you touch in and out.

Please note that if you’re using your Pop Blue card more than 3 or 4 days a week, it might be cheaper to buy an 18 and Under Season Ticket. See nexus.org.uk/metro for more information.

If you don’t tap in or out, your journey will be incomplete and you may be liable for a penalty fare – so remember to tap in and out.

On buses, you use the balance on your Pop Blue card to buy a single, return or day ticket from the driver.

Simply tell the bus driver which ticket you want to buy, then tap your Pop Blue card on to the reader on the ticket machine. Take your ticket from the machine as normal. The cost of the ticket will be deducted from your Pop Blue balance. Your new balance will be printed on your ticket.

Please note that, unlike on Metro, there is no daily price cap for journeys on buses.

You can use Pop Blue on selected bus services – check nexus.org.uk/pop/payg/buses for the most up to date list.

Just tell the ferry operator which ticket you want to buy, and then touch your Pop Blue card on to the reader on the ticket machine. Take your ticket from the machine as normal. The cost of the ticket will be deducted from your Pop Blue balance. Your new balance will be printed on your ticket.

Please note that, unlike on Metro, there is no daily price cap for journeys on the Shields Ferry.

You may be asked for proof of age when travelling with a Pop Blue card; here’s what we’ll accept as ID:

• Full or Provisional UK/EU driving license
• ID card with the PASS hologram
• NUS Extra card
• Under 16 Pop card (can be expired)
• Passport or birth certificate (can be a copy)

You can check your balance quickly and easily:

• online here (it can take up to 48 hours for this to be up to date)
• by using the Pop card checker app (visit Google Play and search for Pop card checker)
• at any Metro station ticket machine
• on your bus or ferry ticket when you use Pop Blue on bus or the Shields Ferry
• on the Metro station gate or validator every time you tap out.

On Metro, you can’t start a journey if your Pop Blue card has a negative balance (ie less than zero), so you need to top up your Pop Blue card balance or find another way to pay for your journey.

If your card is in credit when you tap in at a Metro station, we’ll give you one last trip to make sure you can get to where you need to be, even if making another journey will take your card into a negative balance. Your card then can’t be used again until you top it up.

Once you reach 22 you won’t be able to use your Pop Blue card. You’ll need to use your balance before your 22nd birthday

If you change your mind about using a Pop Blue card, and have registered your card, you can apply for a refund.