Metro operator Nexus will roll out a new pre-pay travel smartcard system, named Pop, across England's Tyne and Wear region in 2011.
The Pop cards will now replace the regular Metro season tickets and under-16 identification cards.
A phased rollout of the card will begin over the next year, and it will be developed into a complete ‘pay as you ride’ option with stored cash balance on cards in 2012.
Nexus also stated that from now on, traditional season tickets for different periods will be carried on the Pop Card.
In future all passengers will be able to put ‘credit’ on a Pop card and then use it to pay as they ride.
Nexus is investing £15m ($24m) from government funds in smart ticketing, as part of the Metro: all change modernisation programme.
The programme will include the replacement of 225 Metro ticket machines, the introduction of gates at key stations and smart validators across the system.
