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Our Penalty fare is £100

You must have a valid ticket before boarding the tram, or you will be liable to pay a £100 Penalty Fare.

The Penalty Fare for travelling without a valid ticket on the West Midlands Metro network is £100.

The Penalty Fare for travelling without a valid ticket on the West Midlands Metro network is £100. This brings us in line with national transport standards. Travelling without a valid ticket is unfair to the customers who do pay. Every ticket purchased helps fund improvements to service reliability, network expansion and better passenger journeys.

Buy Before You Board (BBYB)

From August 2026, we’ll begin introducing, Buy Before You Board, providing customers with more ways to buy tickets before travelling.  

During the transition, you’ll still be able to buy tickets from the conductor on board. However, we’d encourage you to start buying before you board now, to get ready for when the change is fully introduced in September. Our team will be available across the network to answer questions and help customers to make the switch.

You must have one of the following before you travel:

  • A valid printed paper ticket

  • A valid MyMetro mobile ticket

  • A valid concessionary or Swift pass

Revenue Officers

As we introduce Buy Before You Board, you’ll start seeing Revenue Officers across our network. Using handheld technology, they’ll carry out ticket and pass inspections on trams and at tram stops. Their role is to help ensure everyone travelling has a valid ticket and reduce fare evasion, making things fair for customers who pay for their travel.

If you’re travelling without a valid ticket or pass, you may be issued a Penalty Fare by the team.

Penalty Fares

Customers travelling on a tram, on the platform immediately after leaving a tram, without a valid ticket or pass, may be liable to pay a £100 Penalty Fare. This brings West Midlands Metro in line with other public transport networks and supports our efforts to reduce deliberate fare evasion.

Penalty Fare is £100

Ways to buy your tickets before you board

MyMetro App

Download the app

Pay for daily, weekly or monthly tickets by zones or destinations.

 

Ticket Machine

From the tram stop

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

 

Direct Debit

Monthly payments

Best value Metro way to travel.
Set up a monthly Direct Debit and save money every month.

Swift

Pay as you go

Pay‑as‑you‑go travel with automatic daily and weekly capping.

Have more questions?

Click on the FAQs button below for more information on the upcoming Penalty Fare policy.

A Penalty Fare is a higher fare issued to passengers travelling without a valid ticket. This change brings the West Midlands Metro network in line with national standards and ensures fairness for all passengers.

The transition starts next month, and the £100 Penalty Fare will be fully enforced from September, as part of the Buy Before You Board rollout. We encourage all passengers to start buying their tickets before they board now, in preparation for this change.

You can purchase your ticket easily from the following options before you travel:

If a ticket machine is not working, you can easily purchase a ticket using the MyMetro app on your smartphone. The app is available for free from the Apple and Google Play Store.

Yes. All existing concessionary passes, child fares, and discounts remain valid, if issued by the West Midlands Combined Authority. Passes issued by other local authorities aren’t valid on Metro.

Yes. We’re rolling out signage and platform posters to remind passengers to Buy Before You Board to avoid a £100 Penalty Fare. Our teams will also be available to support and answer questions during the transition.

At the moment, Yes. This will change soon, as passengers will be required to have a valid ticket or pass before boarding the tram. 

Yes. Conductors will remain on board during the transition to help customers, but they will be redeployed over time as Buy Before You Board is fully rolled out.

If you board without a valid ticket or pass, and you had the chance to buy one, you will be liable to pay a £100 Penalty Fare, and in some cases may face prosecution. To avoid this, use one of the ways to buy before boarding the tram.

Any passenger travelling without a valid ticket or pass, or travelling beyond the zone specified on their ticket, will be liable to pay a £100 Penalty Fare or face prosecution. 

Yes. If you believe a Penalty Fare was issued in error, you will be able to appeal. The detailed appeals process will be published ahead of the implementation of Buy Before You Board in September.

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