The Bee Card is now fully supported in Apple Wallet, allowing all Bee Network ticket types to be added to an iPhone or Apple Watch in Greater Manchester. Transport for Greater Manchester previously limited Apple Wallet support to younger riders using free or discounted Our Pass tickets.

The expanded support means passengers can purchase bus and tram tickets in Apple Wallet, store them on a virtual Bee Card, and use a compatible Apple device at Bee Network card readers.

How to add a Bee Card to Apple Wallet

To add the card, open Apple Wallet and tap the plus button in the top-right corner. Select Travel Card, although some users may see the option labelled Transit Card, then scroll to the United Kingdom section and choose Bee Network.

Once set up, the virtual card can hold purchased Bee Network tickets. Passengers can then hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near a card reader when boarding buses or travelling on the tram network.

Express Mode enables faster fare checks

Apple Wallet supports Express Mode for the Bee Card. When it is enabled, passengers do not need to wake or unlock their iPhone or Apple Watch before holding the device near a reader.

This can make the payment process quicker, particularly when passengers are boarding a bus or entering the tram network. The feature allows the device to be used for the fare check without the usual unlock step.

iOS 27 is required

Adding the Bee Card to Apple Wallet requires iOS 27. The support also applies to Apple Watch use, although the source announcement does not specify a separate watchOS requirement.

The change gives Bee Network passengers another way to manage tickets without carrying a physical card. It also extends the Apple Wallet integration beyond the initial Our Pass rollout to the full range of Bee Network tickets.