Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has published a detailed plan for bringing local rail services into the Bee Network, with the first lines scheduled to join the integrated transport system in December 2026. Mayor Andy Burnham outlined the next stages of the programme alongside rail industry leaders at Manchester Piccadilly, where a yellow-branded Northern train was unveiled to mark the countdown. The initiative forms part of the city-region’s wider strategy to deliver a unified public transport offer across buses, trams, trains and active travel.
Yellow Northern train promoting services joining the Bee Network from Dec 2026. © Transport for Greater Manchester
First lines to join in 2026
From 13 December 2026, the Glossop and Stalybridge lines will become the first rail routes to operate within the Bee Network. Seventeen stations will adopt new branding and customer information points, and contactless ‘tap in, tap out’ payment will be introduced with weekly fare caps for rail.