What is the key?
The key is an electronic, reusable smartcard we’ve introduced on our network, starting with the routes through Birmingham Snow Hill. It will make buying and using your season ticket easier, and more secure.
Instead of having a paper ticket, your season ticket is stored electronically on your plastic smartcard, so the ticket is difficult to damage, and easy to cancel if you lose it. When your ticket runs out, you simply renew it online, so there’s no more queuing either.
The key will enable you to:
- buy online and load tickets onto your key at stations in a one-touch transaction, without having to go to the booking office
- enjoy added security, as tickets can be quickly cancelled if lost or stolen
- save time at the station, going through ticket gates with one touch
- load multiple tickets on one smartcard
- in future benefit from joint ticketing with other train and bus companies, as well buying tickets at self service machines quicker and much more easily than paper tickets
Getting the key
If you live and travel on the Snow Hill Line, and normally buy a point to point season ticket(i.e a Kidderminster to Birmingham Snow Hill weekly, monthly or annual season ticket) and you wish to apply for the key. CLICK HERE and join the future!
A new era for the Birmingham Snow Hill lines
The season tickets you'll be able to buy for your Smartcard will be valid for point to point journeys (for example a monthly season ticket from Kidderminster to Birmingham Snow Hill only) between 2 of the 41 stations based along the following Snow Hill routes:
- Worcester to Birmingham;
- Dorridge to Birmingham
- Stratford-upon-Avon to Birmingham
Click on the above image to view large version.
Please note that if you do not live and/or travel on the Snow Hill Line; between Worcester and Dorridge/Stratford-upon-Avon your application may not be successful.
If you are a existing season ticket holder, We will process successful applications based on the renewal date of your current season ticket. Passengers who are close to renewal date will be processed first.
How does the key work?
If you are participating in our trial scheme and have received the key smartcard you will need to activate it on our website. You’re then ready to start buying season tickets for the Snow Hill lines.
You can check when your ticket expires (and buy a new one) by signing into your online account after you have purchased your first ticket.
Each time you travel, just ‘touch in’ by placing your key on the smartcard reader at the station before you get on the train. A beep and a green light will indicate you have a valid ticket. At the other end of your journey, ‘touch out’ on the reader before you leave the station - it’s that easy.
To open the automatic ticket gates at Birmingham Snow Hill and Moor Street, simply ‘touch in’ or ‘touch out’ on the reader’s yellow dot above the ticket slot. You will see a green light and receive the message of ‘Enter’ or ‘Exit’ on the gates to indicate a valid ticket.
