go card allows you to travel on all Translink bus, train, ferry, tram and on demand services across greater Brisbane, Ipswich, Moreton Bay, Redlands, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast regions.
It cannot be used to pay for travel in regional areas in Queensland.
Using go card is easy, simply:
- top up your card
- tap on at the start of your journey
- tap off at the end.
Select your go card
There are three types of go card available.
If you already have a green concession go card, you can keep using it or extend its expiry date, but concession fares no longer apply.
No matter which go card you use, you'll only pay 50 cents per journey.
Adult go card
For all customers 15 years and over.
This includes school students (15 years and over), tertiary students, pensioners, veterans, job seekers, and asylum seekers.
Child go card
For children aged 5 to 14 years. Children can travel for free on weekends with this card.
Children aged 4 years and under travel free at all times and do not need a go card.
Seniors go card or Seniors Card +go card
Other ticket options
We also offer tickets and travel options for:
- Tourists and visitors - who are visiting the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast
- Businesses - requiring multiple cards all under the one account
- Concession card holders - carers and special concessions
- Group travel - including bulk orders for go cards and paper tickets.
Ready to travel?
To travel, simply tap your go card to the electronic card reader each time you start and finish your trip.
When you tap off, your fare is automatically deducted from your card balance. The card reader will display your fare, along with your remaining balance.
If you forget to tap on or off, you may be charged a default fare at the end of your trip.
For information on how to use and maintain your go card, take a look at our go card user guide (PDF).
Card reader sounds and lights
The card reader sound and lights will be different depending on your type of card.
The reader will give:
- a green light and one beep for adult cards
- an amber light and two beeps for children, seniors and concession cards.
Getting a red light or a cross? Try again, or try another card reader.
Register your go card
It only takes a few minutes to register your go card online. It means you can:
- top up your card online and over the phone
- set up auto top-up to always have travel credit on your card
- protect the money loaded onto your card if it's lost or stolen
- check your balance and transaction history
- request a refund or a balance transfer
- receive SMS or email notifications (you can choose the type of notifications you receive)
- check your expiry date.
If you've recently purchased a new go card, you won't be able to register your card until our backend system recognises it. In most cases, this will only take a couple of hours but sometimes it could be up to 24 hours.
Need to register a child go card? You won't be able to register online so you'll need to call us on 13 12 30.
All go cards are programmed with an expiry date.
The date varies depending on the type of go card. In most instances, go cards are programmed to expire after 10 years.
Once your card expires, it is no longer valid for travel. So it's a good idea to update it BEFORE this happens.
Expiry dates for go card
| Card type | Expiry date |
|---|---|
| Adult | 10 years from date of issue. |
| Child | On the child's 15th birthday. |
| Senior | 10 years from date of issue. |
| Concession | 10 years from date of issue for new cards. Existing concession go cards with expiry dates linked to a proof of eligibility can be extended for additional 10 years. |
| go explore card | Pass loaded to the card is valid until the last service on the day you activate the pass. |
Check your go card's expiry date via your online go card account (registered cards only).
How to update your go card expiry date
- Visit selected go card retailers or Queensland Rail ticket offices (only in South East Queensland) and ask to update your expiry date. Then you can continue to use your go card.
- If more than 255 days have passed since your go card expired, you need to buy a new go card to travel. You can request a refund of your expired go card travel balance by completing a go card refund form.
Dormant cards
If you don't use your go card for five years, your card becomes dormant and you cannot use it to travel.
However, you can apply for a refund of any unused credit on your card, along with the refundable deposit. Any unused funds from dormant go cards are reinvested into the public transport network.
Your go card travel credit does not expire.
If you don't use your go card for 5 years, your card becomes dormant and you cannot use it to travel. However, you can apply for a refund of any unused credit on your card, along with the refundable deposit.
Top up reversals
If you top up your go card via one of the following ways and you don't tap on within 60 days, the top up is reversed and the money will be returned to your credit or debit card:
- online
- via auto top-up, or
- over the phone
Your current balance is displayed on the card reader each time you tap on or off.
You can also check your balance online or at your local retailer.
If you think you've been overcharged or received a default fare of $2.50 because you weren't able to tap on/off correctly, you can request a balance adjustment within 120 days from the date the error occurred.
The easiest way to request a balance adjustment is online via your go card account. You can also call us on 13 12 30.
How to request an adjustment online
- Login to your go card account. If you don't have one, you'll need to register your go card first.
- Click the 'History' tab to see a list of your trips.
- Click the 'Report' link next to the trip with the incorrect charge. This will open the 'Fare adjustments' tab.
- Check the details are correct including the date and time of the trip. You can add any special comments about your trip in the box at the bottom of the page.
- Click the 'Submit fare enquiry' button at the bottom of the page.
We usually process balance adjustment requests within 48 hours.
Your card balance will update the next time you tap your go card on a validator. You are required to tap on within 60 days to ensure the balance is applied.
To check if your balance adjustment has been made, login to your go card account and check your transaction history.
go card refunds
You can get a refund of any unused go card travel credit and deposit, minus any outstanding fares, fees and charges at any time. This also applies to cards belonging to deceased estates.
To receive a refund, you must surrender your go card and it will be cancelled (unless it's a registered go card that has been reported as lost or stolen).
Learn more about refund options for go cards.
Contactless payments refunds
If you have used a contactless Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card to pay for travel and think you may have been charged incorrectly, you can request a refund using our Translink Ticketing Assistant or call us on 13 12 30.
You can transfer the balance and refundable deposit from your old go card to your new go card, if both cards are registered.
Customers who do not wish to register their go card should apply for a go card refund.
To request a balance transfer, you can:
- log in to your go card account
- call 13 12 30
Balance transfers are usually completed within 10 business days.
Your go card balance will update the next time you tap your go card to a validator. You are required to tap on within 60 days to ensure the balance is applied.
If your lost or stolen go card is registered, call us on 13 12 30 immediately and we'll block it so it can't be used.
If you buy a new card, you can transfer the balance from your old card.
Register your go card today for peace of mind.
If you find a go card that someone has lost, please post it to:
Translink Cardholder Support
Reply Paid 83865
Brisbane QLD 4001
No stamp is required.
If you're unable to tap on or off, first check:
- you are tapping your go card flat to the card reader
- nothing is interfering with your card — sometimes the card won't read properly if it's touching another card in your wallet or purse
- for any marks, scratches or holes — these may have damaged the card and prevent it from working.
If your card still isn't working, it may be damaged or faulty and you'll need to buy a new go card. You can then transfer the balance and refundable deposit from your old card to your new card.
There are third party applications on the internet and for mobile phones that display go card account balances and other go card information.
Translink doesn't endorse these products. Customers who provide their go card details to non-Translink third party applications or non-endorsed service providers are breaching the go card terms and conditions.