West Midlands Metro is set to introduce a contactless 'tap in, tap out' system by early next year, with the role of onboard tram conductors coming to an end.

The West Midlands Metro is upgrading how passengers pay for tram travel across its network — with new validator poles being installed at stops through the autumn, paving the way for a full contactless ticketing system early next year.

Earlier this year the Metro rolled out new ticket machines at all tram stops — the first step in its “Buy Before You Board” push.

With ticket machines already in place, the validator installation represents the next phase in modernising the network.

Validator Poles across the West Midlands Metro network | West Midlands Metro

placeholder image — Validator Poles across the West Midlands Metro network | West Midlands Metro

Once live, the new “smart ticketing” validators will allow passengers to:

Tap in at the start and tap out at the end of their journey,
Pay directly with a contactless debit/credit card or mobile device,
Have ticket validity instantly confirmed during inspections.

Officials say the upgrade will make travel faster, fairer and more flexible, giving passengers greater control over when and how they pay.

A key benefit of the new system is that it will automatically calculate the best fare for each journey — and apply daily or weekly fare caps for those making multiple trips.

The changes also mark the final step in removing onboard ticket sales: earlier this year, the Metro announced that new ticket machines would replace the traditional role of conductors.

Passengers are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the new system once it goes live — and to purchase tickets or tap in before boarding to avoid penalties under the new “Buy Before You Board” scheme.