Birmingham bus fares to increase - all day tickets & weekly passes to see price rise

Bus fares in Birmingham and across the West Midlands are set to rise - and the operator is reviewing whether it will continue to participate in the government’s £2 price cap scheme.

All day tickets and weekly passes are being hit by price rises from July 3. The fare for a National Express West Midlands all day ticket is going up 50p from £4 to £4.50 from Monday 3rd July 2023. A weekly pass will be £17, a £2 increase from £15 currently.

The bus operator said: “The West Midlands will continue to have the cheapest bus tickets of any city region in England, and an all day ticket below the price in 2017.” It further advised that paying bus fares by Direct Debit remains the most cost effective way to travel - with a monthly price of £55.

The bus operator stressed that this is the first price rise since 2017 for the majority of fares, saying that the day ticket will remain cheaper than in 2017. It said that the price rises are needed to protect the bus network - the services that customers use every day - in the face of rising costs.

It pointed out that costs including fuel, electricity, parts and labour have increased to 125 percent while the number of people using buses remains around 90 percent of what it was before the pandemic. But National Express West Midlands also pointed out that it  is reviewing whether it will participate in the Government’s forthcoming £2 bus fare cap scheme. Detail of product options and prices:

• All day ticket £4.50, up from £4.00 - and now works on all buses whatever operator
• Weekly pass £17, up from £15 - and now works on all buses whatever operator
• Direct Debit - best value of all - £55 a month - and now works on all buses whatever operator

A National Express West Midlands spokesperson said: “We’re pleased that in the face of a difficult inflation environment, we’re able to protect the bus network and still have the cheapest all day ticket price of any city region in England at £4.50. Our day ticket remains cheaper than in 2017.

“We’re on our customers’ side and we will continue to work hard to ensure a reliable bus service and to help them take advantage of great value travel.” For further details and the latest information about the 3rd July changes, please visit www.nxbus.co.uk/fares.