News: Sheffield - Rotherham tram-train fare cut
A major boost for public transport in South Yorkshire has been announced as Supertram fares and child concessionary fares across bus and tram are frozen, along with a cut to the long distance single Supertram fare. It includes the Sheffield - Rotherham tram-train.
£2 bus fares were introduced nationally but came to an end in 2024, reverting to a single fare cap at £3 in 2025.
Stagecoach, the previous operator of the Supertam service in Sheffield and Rotherham, introduced £2 single fares and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) covered costs to extend the scheme. Under public control, Supertram fares were previously capped at £2.80 and changed to £3.40 in 2025 "to offset increases in operating costs, align with broader transport fare changes in the region and enable continued investment."
Now the South Yorkshire Mayor has confirmed that Supertram fares will be frozen at their current rate for 2026 and the adult long distance Supertram single fare will reduce in price from £3.40 to £3 - putting the cost in line with the national bus fare cap price.
South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “My mission is simple: to create a world-class, integrated public transport system that’s affordable and accessible. For decades, Supertram has suffered from a lack of investment, and fixing that hasn’t been easy. But we’ve brought Supertram back under public control – and buses will follow in 2027.
“That means decisions are made here in South Yorkshire, for the benefit of the people who live and work here – including the fares you pay. Whether you’re commuting, studying, visiting family or heading out for the night, we’re building a transport network that works for everyone.
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“From January, for the whole of 2026, we’re cutting the price of an adult long-distance tram ticket from £3.40 to £3 and freezing all other Supertram fares. We’re also keeping the child concessionary fare at £1 across buses and trams – helping families travel more easily.
“Freezing and reducing fares is just the start. In 2026, we’ll also open the new tram-train station at Magna, as well as spending millions to make the network more resilient and reliable, and accelerate our preparations for bus franchising in 2027. It’s going to be an exciting year as we continue to transform our public transport in South Yorkshire.”
Since Supertram was brought back into public control, work has started on a £110m investment by SYMCA into the existing tram network improving the track, the lines and the network – and initiatives including allowing dogs on trams are opening up the network to more people.
SYMCA papers state that the first year of the Supertram system being under public control saw strong performance with growing patronage. However, this increase has slowed and has since declined this year with tram patronage down 3% on an annualised/rolling basis. The data suggests that, following the fare increase, passengers may be viewing public transport as too expensive / not offering value for money.
The Supertram Business Plan is expected to come before the MCA Board ahead of the new financial year and contain more details around the performance of the system, and improvements and efficiencies made.
The reduction in the cost of the Adult Long Distance Supertram Single fare applies to on-board purchases of single tickets. Passengers can also continue to make more savings on travel by purchasing multi-day tickets and using the TSY Mobile App where further discounts apply. Adult Tram Day prices remain at £5.70 if bought on the tram or £5.30 bought in advance using the app.
The child concessionary fare across buses and trams will also remain at just £1 per journey, funded by SYMCA. Since November 2023 the price for a ticket has been £1 and the freeze on the fare applies across Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield.
In Barnsley, SYMCA is one of the partners, along with Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, funding the MiCard pilot which currently offers free bus travel for children and young people aged 5 to 18, as long as the journey starts or ends in the Barnsley local authority area and is within South Yorkshire.
Supertram website
Images: Supertram
£2 bus fares were introduced nationally but came to an end in 2024, reverting to a single fare cap at £3 in 2025.
Stagecoach, the previous operator of the Supertam service in Sheffield and Rotherham, introduced £2 single fares and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) covered costs to extend the scheme. Under public control, Supertram fares were previously capped at £2.80 and changed to £3.40 in 2025 "to offset increases in operating costs, align with broader transport fare changes in the region and enable continued investment."
Now the South Yorkshire Mayor has confirmed that Supertram fares will be frozen at their current rate for 2026 and the adult long distance Supertram single fare will reduce in price from £3.40 to £3 - putting the cost in line with the national bus fare cap price.
South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “My mission is simple: to create a world-class, integrated public transport system that’s affordable and accessible. For decades, Supertram has suffered from a lack of investment, and fixing that hasn’t been easy. But we’ve brought Supertram back under public control – and buses will follow in 2027.
“That means decisions are made here in South Yorkshire, for the benefit of the people who live and work here – including the fares you pay. Whether you’re commuting, studying, visiting family or heading out for the night, we’re building a transport network that works for everyone.
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“From January, for the whole of 2026, we’re cutting the price of an adult long-distance tram ticket from £3.40 to £3 and freezing all other Supertram fares. We’re also keeping the child concessionary fare at £1 across buses and trams – helping families travel more easily.
“Freezing and reducing fares is just the start. In 2026, we’ll also open the new tram-train station at Magna, as well as spending millions to make the network more resilient and reliable, and accelerate our preparations for bus franchising in 2027. It’s going to be an exciting year as we continue to transform our public transport in South Yorkshire.”
Since Supertram was brought back into public control, work has started on a £110m investment by SYMCA into the existing tram network improving the track, the lines and the network – and initiatives including allowing dogs on trams are opening up the network to more people.
SYMCA papers state that the first year of the Supertram system being under public control saw strong performance with growing patronage. However, this increase has slowed and has since declined this year with tram patronage down 3% on an annualised/rolling basis. The data suggests that, following the fare increase, passengers may be viewing public transport as too expensive / not offering value for money.
The Supertram Business Plan is expected to come before the MCA Board ahead of the new financial year and contain more details around the performance of the system, and improvements and efficiencies made.
The reduction in the cost of the Adult Long Distance Supertram Single fare applies to on-board purchases of single tickets. Passengers can also continue to make more savings on travel by purchasing multi-day tickets and using the TSY Mobile App where further discounts apply. Adult Tram Day prices remain at £5.70 if bought on the tram or £5.30 bought in advance using the app.
The child concessionary fare across buses and trams will also remain at just £1 per journey, funded by SYMCA. Since November 2023 the price for a ticket has been £1 and the freeze on the fare applies across Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield.
In Barnsley, SYMCA is one of the partners, along with Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, funding the MiCard pilot which currently offers free bus travel for children and young people aged 5 to 18, as long as the journey starts or ends in the Barnsley local authority area and is within South Yorkshire.
Supertram website
Images: Supertram
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