Your MetroCard

Can I see details of journeys that I have made? 

At the moment this level of detail is unavailable but we are hoping to introduce this in future.  

I don’t currently have a MetroCard - how do I get one?

You can buy a smartcard and your first ticket at any PayPoint retailer, Merseytravel Centre, on board an Arriva or Stagecoach bus or at any rail station across the region. There is a £1 activation charge when you buy your new smartcard. This fee is to cover the card production and distribution costs. You will then be able to register your smartcard and buy a Solo or Merseyrail-only Railpass ticket online and register for Merseyrail Tap & Go.

My card is not working on board the bus.

Please make sure that you have a valid ticket for the day and area of travel loaded on to your smartcard. Your receipt should display this information, or if you bought it online you can check this in the “My Tickets” section. You can also check the status of your ticket here to make sure that it has not expired. In the unlikely event that your card doesn’t read but you believe that it is valid please visit a Merseytravel Centre. Keep your receipt or email confirmation as proof of purchase.

I use my MetroCard to buy Railpass tickets or to use Merseyrail Tap & Go. Who should I contact with any queries?

If you have a question about Railpass please contact Merseyrail for help.

 

What is MetroSmart?

MetroSmart is a website where you can register your Merseytravel smartcard, buy tickets online and register for Merseyrail Tap & Go.

Why should I register my smartcard?

You can register for an online account and link your smartcard & multiple other smartcards to a single account. The MetroSmart website allows you to buy a range of Solo or Merseyrail-only Railpass tickets online and register for Merseyrail Tap & Go. You can also track your online ticket purchases and view the status of your ticket and expiry dates.

How do I register?

Simply click the “Register” button on the home page and follow the 2-step registration process. You will need to enter your personal details, including your name, address and email address and you will then be asked to select a password for security. Before the registration process you must read and accept the terms and conditions. To link a smartcard you will need to verify your email address and then enter the last 8 digits of your smartcard. You may also wish to give your card a user name.

Which tickets can I buy online?

You can buy;

• Solo Adult and Young Person;
  • One-day, three-day or five-day bundles
  • Weekly
  • 4-weekly
  • Term Time

• Merseyrail-only Railpass Adult and Young Person;
  • Weekly
  • 4-weekly
  • Annual

You can also register for Merseyrail Tap & Go.

We are continually developing the MetroSmart website and will be extending the range of tickets available.

How do I pay for my ticket?

We accept all major debit and credit cards displaying the Visa or MasterCard logo through our secure payment checkout.

If you have previously bought a ticket on the website you can simply click on the “buy again” button to speed up the process.

Is there an app?

We do not currently offer an app but our MetroSmart website is mobile friendly and the site can be accessed online, via your mobile phone or tablet. .

How do I collect my ticket?

When you have completed your online ticket purchase you will be sent an email confirmation. This will show the ticket type, price of your ticket and when your ticket will be available to collect. Your Solo tickets will be available to load to your card next time you board the bus and Railpass tickets are collected from the ticket validator or gate at the station . Tickets will be available to collect on your smartcard between 24-36 hours after purchase.

How do I get a receipt for proof of purchase?

You will be sent an email confirmation following any online ticket purchase which serves as your proof of purchase. Please keep hold of this to help staff with any queries.

What are the terms and conditions for smart tickets?

You can read the Terms and Conditions here or visit www.merseytravel.gov.uk. 

Can I add more than one smartcard to my online account?

Once a smartcard has been registered to create an account, additional smartcards can be added to that same account. This will be useful in particular for families.

Can I have a refund? 

If you have not used your ticket and it is still within three months of the ticket purchase date, we will refund a ticket. You must provide your smartcard and the receipt or email confirmation for that ticket. 

Unfortunately, we cannot refund a daily or weekly Solo ticket if it has already been activated. 

We will refund the unused part of a Solo 4-weekly, term time or annual ticket in line with our refund policy. You can complete a ticket surrender form online, attach your MetroCard or annual ticket and post this to Merseytravel, PO Box 1976, Liverpool, L69 3HN or submit it in person to your nearest Merseytravel Centre. If you are entitled to a refund, we will process it within three weeks.  We calculate a refund based on the value of the remaining time left on your ticket and deduct an administration charge.  

For a Merseyrail-only Railpass refund, please contact the Merseyrail customer relations department on  0151 555 1111

Can I buy multiple tickets?

Yes, one of the benefits of a smartcard is that you are able to buy a number of Solo, Railpass or Saveaway tickets and store them on the card. Adult/Young Person Solo or Merseyrail-only Railpass tickets are available online, Saveaway tickets are available from PayPoint retailers, Merseytravel Centres or rail stations. 

If you have more than one Solo or Saveaway ticket on your smartcard, the bus driver will ask you which one you want to use when you first board the bus. These only become active on first use. 

I bought a ticket at a Paypoint retailer/rail station/Merseytravel Centre – but it is not showing on my recent purchase history?

The MetroSmart website will only show your online ticket purchases. You should keep your email confirmation as proof of purchase to help if you have any queries. Your email shows date of purchase, area, when it is valid for travel and other additional information to help you.

I have activated my ticket on board the bus or at the station – why does the status still show as “pending”?

When you place your smartcard on the driver’s ticket machine, station gate or ticket validator your ticket will be collected and activated if you chose to do so. There will be a delay in the information reaching the back office system, you should allow 24 hours for the card status to change from “pending” to “active”.

Can I check when my ticket is due to expire?

Yes, if you visit the “My Smartcard” section of the website you can see a detailed summary of your tickets and the status of each ticket. You can also see the date that your ticket is due to expire.

I need some help in planning my journey.

The easiest way to plan a journey is using our online journey planner at jp.merseytravel.gov.uk

For local rail queries, you can speak to Merseyrail or for other rail services, check out online services for National Rail.

You can also send us a tweet or direct message on Twitter using @Merseytravel

For journeys outside of the Merseyside region, please use traveline.info or you can call Traveline directly on 0871 200 22 33

Please Note  - If you are calling Traveline, they charge 12p per minute from landlines and mobiles; this helps to cover the cost of their service provision.  Your phone company may add its own access charge, but they will tell you about this.