Smart Ticketing FAQs

The Smart Ticketing project is a Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) initiative that is is introducing new ways to pay for travel.  Smart Ticketing is making it easier for you to plan, catch and pay for public transport by:

• introducing new contactless payment methods
• upgrading existing ticketing equipment
• delivering new digital channels to improve how customers can self-manage their travel account online

Smart Ticketing is being implemented across all modes of public transport in South East Queensland and 18 regional urban bus services.

The current card-based system is more than 20 years old and is approaching end-of-life, meaning the system does not have the capability to evolve with changing technology and customer needs. It has been superseded by new cloud-based ticketing systems and secure contactless payment technology.

Smart Ticketing is delivering new digital channels to help you self-manage your travel account online and record individual account requirements, such as concessions. 

Right now, you can view your trips and request a fare adjustment online through the Translink Ticketing Assistant. 

More digital channels are currently in the development stage, and once complete, will progress into testing and user trials prior to public launch.

Translink is committed to ensuring a secure, privacy-compliant payment solution for Queensland. As part of our commitment, we are working with the Queensland Privacy Commissioner and other stakeholders to ensure the best outcome for customers, including ensuring customers can travel anonymously if they wish. 

All Smart Ticketing devices are secure, privacy-compliant, ticketing payment solutions, certified to the same global standards required of any banking system or device. This includes end-to-end EMV compliance, Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliance and Payment Card Industry PIN (Personal Identification Number) Payment Transaction Security (PCI-PTS) compliance. 

Access to travel history and associated fare payments for a Smart Ticketing payment method linked to a credit or debit card is available to the holder of the credit card linked to a credit card account or a debit card linked to a bank account, including joint bank account card holders. Any person with access to your Smart Ticketing payment method may be able to access your travel history and associated fare payments. If you are concerned that someone is using your card details to access your travel history, we suggest you use a different card, a registered go card or a paper ticket. Please phone 13 12 30 if you have further questions or view the Smart Ticketing terms and conditions

You can trial Smart Ticketing for travel on

• All South East Queensland (SEQ) trains and trams
• Brisbane River ferries 
• Bus services operated by: Brisbane Bus Lines, Caboolture Bus Lines, Hornibrook Bus Lines, Kangaroo Bus Lines, Kinetic Sunshine Coast, Thompson Bus Services.

The remaining SEQ bus and ferry operators will be progressively activated, operator-by-operator in the coming months. Read more about the rollout of Smart Ticketing.

Smart Ticketing payment methods are contactless Visa, Mastercard or American Express debit or credit cards, including cards in the digital wallet of your smartphone, smart watch or other smart devices. 

Eftpos or prepaid cards are not accepted with Smart Ticketing. 

You can still use your go card on new Smart Ticketing equipment or purchase a paper ticket to pay for travel.

To use Smart Ticketing successfully, you need to prepare early, take your card out of your wallet or case or prepare your smart device ready to tap. Simply present one payment method to the centre of the validator and wait for a message to be displayed. You do not need to physically touch the screen. 

Tap on at the start of your trip and tap off at the end of your trip using the same card or device. If you tap on with one payment method and use a different payment method to tap off, you will be charged a default fare on both payment methods as you will have an incomplete journey/s.

Contactless debit and credit card payment is available on South East Queensland (SEQ) trains, trams, Brisbane River ferries and is being progressively rolled out on SEQ buses. If you're transferring to a bus, you can check whether contactless is available for your journey. If you're transferring to a South Moreton Bay Island ferry, keep using your go card for now. 

Remember to tap on and tap off with the same payment method when transferring between any station or service to ensure you are charged the correct fare for your journey.

Every person needs to tap on and tap off using their own contactless debit or credit card or go card. 

If you have multiple devices for one account (like a physical card, digital card, or smart watch), these can be used as separate payment methods. 

Alternatively, you can buy a paper ticket.

No, your digital cards and physical cards are considered different payment methods when tapping on and off.

To make sure you pay the correct fare, always tap on and tap off with the same card or device – for example if you tapped on with your smartphone, tap off with it too. 

When you add a credit or debit card to your digital wallet, a new virtual card number is generated. This is why they are not interchangeable, even if they’re linked to the same bank account.

If you paid using a contactless debit or credit card, you can check your trip history online through the Ticketing Assistant. You can also request a fare adjustment if something doesn’t look right. 

If using a go card, please continue managing your travel through your go card account. 

You can also call us on 13 12 30 if you have an enquiry about your travel.

If you see a large white tick with green lights and hear the sound of one beep, your tap was accepted.

If your plans change and you decide not to travel, you can cancel your first tap by tapping the same card or device at the same station, from 11 seconds up to 20 minutes after your first tap. There is no charge for cancelling a tap.

• Card already read – you have already tapped. If you need to cancel a tap, please wait 10 seconds and tap again.
• Tap cancelled – your tap has been successfully cancelled. The Smart Ticketing validator has accepted two taps within 10 seconds up to 20 minutes from the same card or device at the same station.
• Card expiring soon (go card only) – your tap was accepted, however your go card is expiring soon. Please visit a retailer to have the expiry date extended.
• Low balance (go card only) – your tap was accepted, however the balance on your go card is low. You can top-up your go card online, at a fare machine, retailer or call Translink on 13 12 30.
• Please contact Translink on 13 12 30 (go card only) – your tap was successful, however there is an issue with your go card account. Please call Translink on 13 12 30 for more information. 

If you see a large white cross with red lights and hear a double beep sound, your tap was declined.

You must have an accepted payment tap from a Smart Ticketing validator or purchased a paper ticket for valid travel. If your tap was declined, you may need to try again, use a different contactless payment method, go card or purchase a paper ticket.

• Please try again – your tap was not accepted, and you need try again by presenting your go card or contactless payment method to the centre validator screen to tap on or tap off. Remember to present one card or device to tap on and tap off, to avoid a card clash.
• Present one card – more than one card has been detected by the validator for payment. Please remove the card that you would like to use from your wallet or case and present one card or device to tap on and tap off. 
• Invalid card – your card invalid and cannot be used to tap on and tap off for travel. Please use a valid go card or contactless payment method to tap on/off. Alternatively, you can purchase a paper ticket. If your go card is invalid, please call Translink on 13 12 30. If your bank card is invalid, please contact your bank or financial institution.
• Not accepted – your card is not accepted and cannot be used to tap on or tap off for travel. It may be from a non-participating scheme, reported lost, stolen or has been blocked by your financial institution. For more information on your contactless payment method, please contact your financial institution. For immediate travel, please try another payment method. 
• Card has expired – your card has expired. For immediate travel, please try another payment method. To extend your go card expiration date, please visit a participating retailer. 
• Insufficient balance (go card only) – there are insufficient funds available on your go card for travel. For immediate travel please top-up your go card or use a valid contactless payment method to tap on and tap off. Alternatively, you can purchase a paper ticket. 
• Pass has expired – your Translink pass has expired. For immediate travel, please use another payment method. To extend your pass expiration date, please visit a participating retailer.

The Translink Ticketing Assistant is a new online self-service tool we’re trialling as part of Smart Ticketing, to help you view your recent travel history or request a fare adjustment for any travel paid for using your contactless debit or credit card.

The Ticketing Assistant can help you to view your trips, check if your fares look right, and request a fare adjustment if needed. It uses a simple question and answer style interface to guide you through these tasks. 

If you need assistance with something complex like multiple fare adjustments, queries involving a go card, or a fare adjustment involving a pre-booked Airtrain ticket, please contact us on 13 12 30.

Customers who use their contactless Visa, Mastercard or American Express debit or credit card to travel, including those in a digital wallet, can use the Ticketing Assistant. 

If you travel using a go card, please continue to manage your go card here.

The Ticketing Assistant will show you up to 20 trips at a time. To start with, it will show you travel from the past 14 days, but you can also search for trips from specific date ranges. 

If you need help with travel further back than the Assistant can provide, please call 13 12 30.

If the Ticketing Assistant can't retrieve your travel history, it may be for one of the following reasons: 

• The details you entered are incorrect
• Your card hasn’t been used for travel with Translink
• Your card has expired
• Your card has been blocked by your financial institution

If you're sure the card details are right, there may be an issue with your account. This can happen if a charge was declined. In this case, you’ll need to wait until your charge goes through successfully to use the Ticketing Assistant. We'll automatically retry declined charges overnight for you.

When you submit a fare adjustment request using the Ticketing Assistant, you’ll receive a Translink case reference number. This number is helpful if you need to phone us to follow up. 

If we find that you were charged an incorrect fare, a refund will be credited to the card you travelled with. We aim to process your request within 10 business days.

You can check if a refund has been processed by selecting 'Follow up on an existing fare adjustment' in the Ticketing Assistant. This will show you the date any refund was approved. Please note the trip you requested an adjustment for will still display the original fare.

Completed trips should be visible in the Ticketing Assistant within minutes of tapping off. 

If you forgot to tap on or tap off, you’ll need to wait six hours for your incomplete trip to be visible. You can then request a fare adjustment to complete your trip correctly.

Sometimes it could take longer for your travel to appear. If your trip is still not appearing after 24 hours, call us on 13 12 30 for further assistance.