West midlands metro logo

Buy Before You Board

You must have a valid ticket or pass before you board the tram.

BBYB-Transitioning-

Buy Before You Board

As our network grows, we want buying a ticket to feel the same wherever you travel. Buy Before You Board brings us in line with other transport operators, gives you more ways to pay, and keeps things fair for everyone travelling with us.

From August, we’re transitioning to Buy Before You Board across the West Midlands Metro network. This is part of a wider programme to modernise ticketing across our network, and supports the new £100 Penalty Fare, bringing Metro in line with other UK public transport networks.

During the transition, you can still buy tickets from the conductor on board. We’d encourage you to start buying before you travel now, to get ready for the change taking full effect in September. Our team is on hand to help customers throughout this period on the network.

Key Dates

Date

Change

August

Buy Before You Board transition begins. Start buying before you travel to get ready.

September

Buy Before You Board will be fully in place. A valid ticket or pass is needed before boarding the tram for every journey.

Most Metro customers pay for their journey. Travelling without a valid ticket is unfair to those who do pay and reduces the income available to operate and improve the network.

Every ticket purchased helps fund:

  • Reliable tram services

  • Network maintenance

  • Service improvements

  • Future investment and expansion

Buy Before You Board ensures everyone pays their fare thus contributing fairly, speeds up boarding and improves the overall customer experience.

Revenue Officers

As we change to Buy Before You Board, you’ll start seeing Revenue Officers across our network. Using handheld technology, they’ll carry out regular ticket, pass and mobile payment checks to make sure things are fair for everyone who pays and to help stop fare evasion.

If you’re found to have travelled without a valid ticket or pass, and you had the chance to buy one, you may be issued a Penalty Fare Notice.

Penalty Fares

Customers travelling on a tram, or on the platform having just got off one, without a valid ticket or pass, and who had the chance to buy one, may be liable to pay a £100 Penalty Fare. This aligns West Midlands Metro with national transport standards and supports efforts to reduce deliberate fare evasion across the network.

Ways to buy your tickets before you board

MyMetro App

Download the app

Pay for daily, weekly, or monthly tickets by zone or destination before you board the tram.

Ticket Machine

At every tram stop

Pay for single, daily, weekly, or monthly tickets by destination or zone as well as top up your Swift card.

Direct Debit

Monthly payments

 Save money with a monthly Direct Debit season ticket.

Swift

Buy tickets

Pay for daily, weekly, monthly or annual season tickets and add money to your Swift card.

BBYB-Transitioning-

Have more questions?

Click on the FAQs button below for more information on the Buy Before You Board ticketing system.

It’s a ticketing change to how you travel on Metro. We’re introducing it from next month, and by September you’ll need a valid ticket or pass before you get on the tram, rather than buying once you’re on board

The transition starts next month with Buy Before You Board fully in place by the end of September. Start buying before you travel now, so you’re ready for the change.

Yes. During the transition period, you can still buy from the conductor. This will stop once Buy Before You Board is fully in place from September.

You can buy your ticket or top up your passes easily before you travel:

    • Ticket Machines at every tram stop.

    • MyMetro App, which you can download for free on your smartphone. Make sure you activate your ticket before you board.

    • Swift cards, including Swift Pay-as-you-go and monthly passes.

If a ticket machine is unavailable, you should use another available option, such as the MyMetro app or another machine at the stop. If a genuine issue prevented you from purchasing a valid ticket, the circumstances will be taken into account.

A Revenue Officer may ask to see your ticket or pass on the tram or on the platform as you get off. If you don’t have one, and you had the chance to buy one, you could be issued a £100 Penalty Fare.

Yes, if issued by the West Midlands Combined Authority. Older persons and disabled persons passes give free travel after 9:30 am. Passes issued by other local authorities aren’t valid on Metro.

Yes, any tram tickets issued on a Swift card will be valid. Make sure your ticket is in date and covers the zones you are travelling in.

Yes, Swift Go will continue to be accepted on tram. You can find out how to use Swift Go on tram on the Swift Go webpage.

Plan your journey on the Metro

Journey Planner
Network Map
Get the App

Sign up to receive offers and updates.

We'd love to send you details of promotional offers and services updates from West Midlands Metro by email.

Privacy policy

West Midlands Metro
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.