What can travellers expect from the new West Midlands Metro ticket machines? - Everything you need to know

This week sees the launch of a new way to pay for travel on the expanding tram network.

From Wednesday, passengers will be able to purchase tickets from newly installed machines at stops across the tram network, before boarding the tram.

West Midlands Metro said the advancement aligns with Metro’s commitment to providing a smooth and customer-friendly travel experience. 

Ahead of the change, we've put together this guide to talk about what the machines are being introduced, how they work, where you can find them and what can be purchased from the machines.

Why are the ticket machines being introduced?

West Midlands Metro said that the ticket machines will provide customers with a new way to buy a ticket for a tram journey and also be able to buy and top-up Swift cards using the machines.

How many ticket machines will be at each stop?

There will be at least one ticket machine installed at each tram stop, conveniently located at the entrances on one of the platforms.

Metro ticket machines will also be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

How easy are the machines to use?

West Midlands Metro have said the machines will be quick and easy to use, making buying a ticket or topping up a Swift card over in a few seconds. 

Simply select a journey, choose a ticket, and make the payment. The machines have a user-friendly interface which explains the price and what tickets are available and ensures that even first-time travellers can navigate the process smoothly.

What tickets are available to buy from a ticket machine?

Single and day tickets will be available for tram and bus + Metro travel, as well as weekly and monthly passes and adult season tickets on a Swift card.

How can customers pay for tickets?

All of the new ticket machines have been equipped to accept payment by Cash, contactless through debit and credit cards and on mobile payment options like Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Customers can also purchase tram tickets from the My Metro App, which is available on Android and iOS and can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play. 

The My Metro app allows customers to buy a selection of Metro-only and bus+Metro tickets, for both adult and child travellers. These range from day tickets to weekly and monthly season tickets, with 3-day, 4-day and flex & save tickets exclusively available on the app. 

Customers can also pay monthly with the Direct Debit scheme, which is available on Swift. 

What will West Midlands Metro be doing to help with the change?

To ease the transition from conductors to ticket machines, Metro colleagues will be available at stops over the coming days to assist customers with any questions about the new way to pay. 

Metro Mascots, Wes and Mindy have also become familiar faces across the network and will help the team to promote the new way to buy tickets and educate passengers about Buy Before You Board. 

Their tutorials, offering instructions on how to use the ticket machines, their locations along with other payment methods, are available on Metro’s dedicated web page.

What are the stations of the West Midlands Metro?

There are four zones on the metro network, running from Edgbaston Village in Birmingham to Wolverhampton Station.

Zone One: Edgbaston Village, Five Ways, Brindleyplace, Library, Town Hall, Grand Central, Corporation Street, Bull Street, St Chads, St Paul's and Jewellery Quarter