West Midlands Swift advice

[90sWereBetter]

I've got a three day trip to the West Midlands planned later this month, using a variety of trains, trams and buses across the conurbation. I'm looking at obtaining a Swfit card but because I'm terribly thick, I'm not sure I understand how to use it. There's a £8.80 Daytripper which I'm planning to use for my first day, and a £11 anytime ticket which I plan to use for the other two days as I'm starting early in the morning.

I'm arriving at Moor Street around 1100 on the first day and aim to pick up the 1111 West Midlands Trains service to Stourbridge Junction, followed by the Stourbridge Town shuttle and then the number 6 bus to Dudley. Do I need to tap in at the gates or show the Swift Card to a conductor, or do I need to activate the ticket beforehand? Answers on a postcard would be greatly appreciated.

The other two days are starting with National Express buses (probably the 74 or the 50 at this stage), do I just buy the £11 ticket and touch in on the bus ticket machine?

Oh for a system as simple as Oyster!

 

[CyrusWuff]

Given Swift Pay As You Go is currently only valid on buses and trams, my understanding is that when you buy a nNetwork day ticket or Daytripper on Swift they issue a paper ticket, using your PAYG balance to pay for it.

Such tickets won't work on ticket gates at stations so you'll need to show them to a member of staff to be let through.

You can also buy them from any Ticket Office as there's no longer a requirement to issue them on dedicated ticket stock. That way you'll get them on either conventional magnetic stock or paper roll, both of which will be accepted at gatelines.

 

[TwinTurbostar]

Hopefully I'm not too late to help. You can't buy single day tickets such as the Network Daytripper on a Swift card as such. Your best bet is likely to buy paper tickets, they can be purchased from any ticket office, including Moor Street, and they should be able to sell you the tickets for the following couple of days too. It's been many years since I've done it, but I do recall buying a Network Daytripper for a future date, from one of the now-closed Network West Midlands offices at a bus station.