From Sunday, June 28, 2026, National Express West Midlands will implement changes to several bus ticket prices, with most fares increasing while adult and child single tickets remain frozen.
Which Tickets Are Going Up?
An adult day ticket will rise by 30p to £5.50, and a child day ticket will increase by 20p to £2.80. The group ticket will cost 50p more, now priced at £9.70. Weekly tickets see a £1 increase for adults to £21, while child weekly tickets rise from £10 to £10.50.
Adult single tickets remain at £3, and child singles stay at £1.50. The changes were announced as an annual price adjustment due to rising costs of maintaining the bus network, according to National Express.
Official Statement from National Express
National Express said: "From June 28, 2026 bus fares will be changing. These fare changes represent an annual price rise due to rising costs of maintaining the bus network, and bus fares have been agreed by Transport for West Midlands and all bus operators within the nBus zone."
Political Criticism Over Fare Hikes
The fare increases have drawn criticism from the Conservative group in Wolverhampton. Group leader Councillor Simon Bennet said: "Richard Parker promised that bringing buses under public control would make public transport more affordable. Instead, passengers have seen fare increases every single year since he became Mayor."
He added: "Thousands of people in Wolverhampton rely on buses every day to get to work, college, medical appointments and to support our local economy. Yet under Labour's Richard Parker, the cost of using public transport continues to rise while residents are still waiting to see the improvements they were promised."
Impact on Passengers
The changes affect a wide range of passengers, including commuters, students, and families. With the adult weekly ticket now costing £21, regular users face an additional £52 per year. Group tickets, popular for families or groups travelling together, see a 5.4% increase.
National Express operates services across the West Midlands, including Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Coventry, and the Black Country. Full details of the new fares are available on the NX website.
