How to buy and top-up with Swift

Online

You can get most types of Swift card online. Use the ticket finder to find the best ticket for you.

You cannot buy an e-Daysaver card online. You can only get a Swift Go card online.

It takes up to 5 working days to receive a Swift card if you buy it online.

At a Payzone shop

There are over 800 Payzone shops in the West Midlands that sell Swift pay as you go cards. You can top up your Swift card at a Payzone shop using a credit or debit card. You can also top up with cash.

They do not sell any other type of Swift card, for example student tickets or 52 week tickets. Payzone shops cannot help you if you have a problem with your Swift card.

At a Swift ticket machine

Swift ticket machines are at most bus stations and key interchanges. You can buy most types of Swift cards at a Swift ticket machine, for example pay as you go and adult photo cards.

They do not sell student tickets, child Swift cards or e-Daysavers. You cannot pay with cash at a machine.

Swift on Mobile app

You can use your phone as a Swift card with the Swift on Mobile app. It uses Google Pay to store a virtual Swift card. You can buy tickets for this using a credit or debit card.

It only works on the tram. It is not available for iPhone.

At rail stations

Rail stations in the West Midlands with a ticket office sell nnetwork paper tickets. You can pay with a credit or debit card, or cash.

They do not sell nnetwork, nbus, ntrain or Metro tickets on Swift cards.

Adult Swift photocards

All adult and student tickets go onto this type of card. This card is also used for Swift Go.

You can get one:

• online when you buy a ticket from our ticket finder or the National Express West Midlands website
• when you buy a ticket on the TfWM app
• at a Swift ticket machine

They are not available at:

• Payzone shops
• rail stations

Child Swift photocards

These cards are for children under 15 years. All child season tickets go on to this type of card.

You can get one online when you buy a child ticket. This can be from our ticket finder or the National Express West Midlands website.

They are not available:

• from Payzone shops
• when you buy a ticket on the TfWM app
• at Swift ticket machine
• from rail stations

16-18 photocards

These cards are for people aged between 16 to 18 years. You can load child tickets onto them. They work on buses, trains and trams depending on the ticket you have bought.

You can get one:

• online when you buy a ticket from our ticket finder or the National Express West Midlands website
• though the TfWM app

They are not available:

• from Payzone shops
• at Swift ticket machine
• from rail stations

Swift pay as you go cards

Pay as you go cards do not have a photo on them so you can share them with friends and family. You can top them up with money to use on the bus, tram and at some car parks.

You can get one:

• online when you buy a ticket from our ticket finder or the National Express West Midlands website
• though the TfWM app
• at a Swift ticket machine
• from a Payzone shop

They are not available from rail stations. Swift pay as you go cards don’t work on trains.

nbus multiday cards

This type of card stores a bundle of nbus tickets. You can buy bundles of 5 days or 10 days. It works on all buses that accept nbus tickets.

You can get one:

• online when you buy a ticket from our ticket finder
• though the TfWM app
• at a Swift ticket machine

They are not available from:

• Payzone shops
• the National Express West Midlands website
• rail stations. Swift pay as you go cards don’t work on trains.

e-Daysaver cards

This type of card stores a bundle of day saver tickets. They only work on National Express West Midlands buses. You can only buy them from their website, they are not available anywhere else.

Need more help?

We have created step-by-step guides depending on the type of card you need. 

Visit the relevant page and open the "How to apply/register - step-by-step" accordion.

Child Swift photocard

16-18 Swift photocard

Student tickets 

Register your existing Swift card

If you have issues collecting your ticket using your phone, try the below troubleshooting steps:

• Check your NFC is turned on
• Check the app for any version updates
• Check your phone for any version updates
• If you have a case on your phone, take it off when trying to collect
• Consider trying a ticket machine