Smart Ticketing terms and conditions

These terms and conditions relate to the use of debit or credit cards, smartphones, smart watches, and other wearable devices to pay for your fare. These new fare payment forms will be referred to collectively throughout this document as "Smart Ticketing payment methods".

Customers using go cards can view go card terms and conditions.

Use of Smart Ticketing payment methods

  1. Only customers travelling on an adult fare on contactless payment enabled Translink services will be able to tap on and tap off using their contactless payment method.
  2. You may only use a contactless payment method to travel on Translink services where you see the contactless payment symbol (contactless payment symbol) displayed on Smart Ticketing equipment.
  3. Payment methods that are accepted for use on Smart Ticketing include physical Contactless Visa, Mastercard or American Express credit or debit cards or digital wallets linked to your smartphone, smart watch, or smart device stored in Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay.
  4. Physical or digital cards issued by a Buy Now, Pay Later company, pre-paid gift cards and reloadable debit cards are not accepted on the Smart Ticketing system.
  5. You must tap on to start and tap off at the end of each trip using the same Smart Ticketing payment method at Smart Ticketing equipment displaying the contactless payment symbol ().

    Note: A trip is travel from point A to point B with no transfers. A single trip does not include a return journey.
  6. To benefit from a journey continuation calculation, you need to use the same Smart Ticketing payment method to tap on and tap off for each trip in the journey.

    A journey refers to travel from the customers original point to their destination, according to the following rules:
    • One hour time limit between transfers
    • Maximum of 3 transfers between journeys
    • Total journey length must be shorter than 6 hours
    • Final trip must start within 3.5 hours of the first trip

    If you use different Smart Ticketing payment methods for each trip, Smart Ticketing will record these as individual trips and you will be charged single trip fares. This will result in you paying a higher aggregate of fares for the journey.
  7. You cannot tap on twice with the same Smart Ticketing payment method to pay for yourself and another customer.
  8. If you have a joint bank account with a debit card for each person, or a credit card account with Primary and Secondary credit cards, and the cards display the contactless payment symbol, the cards can both be used as Smart Ticketing payment methods to pay for travel on Translink services.
  9. You cannot use your Smart Ticketing payment method to travel on Translink services that do not display the contactless payment symbol (). Where there is no contactless payment symbol displayed you must tap on and off using a go card or purchase a paper ticket for your journey.
  10. You cannot use your Smart Ticketing payment method to transfer between Translink services unless all services along your journey are fitted with Smart Ticketing equipment displaying the contactless payment symbol ().
  11. If a Smart Ticketing payment method cannot be tapped due to a Smart Ticketing equipment malfunction or a direction given by a Senior Network Officer or Authorised Person to not tap, each unmatched tap in your journey may be charged a default fare. In these circumstances, you will need to call the Translink Contact Centre on 13 12 30 to verify the issue and confirm whether you are entitled to a refund of the difference between the default fare and the fare payable for your trip.

Recording and viewing of personal information

  1. Account registration is not yet available on Smart Ticketing and as such no personal information is collected by Translink when you tap on and off to record your travel. Therefore, if you use a Smart Ticketing payment method you will be travelling anonymously.
  2. Translink may collect your name and mobile phone or email address if you call the Translink Contact Centre with a question, to answer a query or resolve a problem regarding your Smart Ticketing payment method. Any personal information you provide to us will be used and disclosed in accordance with Translink's Privacy Policy.
  3. 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.

Payment of fares

  1. The current adult go card fare will be charged for trips on Translink services displaying the contactless payment symbol (contactless payment symbol).
  2. You must ensure sufficient funds are available in the account linked to the Smart Ticketing payment method you are using to pay for your trips.
  3. If you don't have sufficient funds in your account, your Smart Ticketing payment method will be blocked from being able to be used on Translink services until you have paid for your fare.
  4. You must ensure that your smartphone, smart watch, or other wearable device has sufficient battery life to enable the device to be used to successfully tap at the start and off at the end of each trip within your journey.
  5. The Smart Ticketing system will validate your account is in good standing to travel at each initial tap - that is, your account is active at your financial institution and your Smart Ticketing payment method has not been blocked because of unpaid debt or suspected fraud.
    Note: depending on your financial institution this check may show as a nominal amount in your transactions.
  6. Translink will combine all fares paid by the same payment method on the same day before debiting the funds from your account.
  7. Note: this transaction may not appear in banking channels immediately due to bank processing timeframes.
  8. All concession customers must continue to use their go card or purchase a paper ticket (if applicable) to travel on a concession fare.

Request from a Senior Network officer or Authorised Person

  1. You must produce the Smart Ticketing payment method used for payment of your journey on request by a Senior Network Officer or Authorised Person for the purpose of confirming you tapped to enable payment of your fare. The Senior Network Officer or Authorised Person will use a revenue protection device to determine if you have used the Smart Ticketing payment method to enable payment of the fare for the journey.
  2. If a Senior Network Officer or Authorised Person determines you have not used the Smart Ticketing payment method correctly to enable the fare for the journey to be processed a warning or penalty infringement notice may be issued.

Default Fares and adjustments

  1. You must tap on and tap off using the same Smart Ticketing payment method for each trip within your journey.
    If you use different Smart Ticketing payment methods to tap on and tap off for your trip, Smart Ticketing will charge you a default fare. Smart Ticketing relies on you using the same payment method to tap on and tap off to calculate the correct fare.
  2. If you think there has been an error in a fare you have been charged you may seek an adjustment by calling the Translink Contact Centre on 13 12 30, who will review the details and consider your request according to Translink's policies.
  3. To manage fare evasion risk Translink may limit the number of times a customer using a Smart Ticketing payment method can use the feature described at condition 25.

Refunds and debt recovery

  1. Refunds resulting from trip adjustments for travel using Smart Ticketing payment methods are subject to bank processing requirements and timeframes. The refund will be paid back to the same Smart Ticketing payment method used to pay for the trip. If a refund is to be paid back to your credit or debit account, any outstanding debt on your Smart Ticketing payment method will be taken from the refund to clear the debt. If the debt is greater than the refund due, the debt will be reduced by the amount of the refund.
  2. If you are due a refund, you will need to allow up to 10 business days to receive the refund on your credit card or in your bank account. The timing of the refund to your account is not controlled by Translink. Any questions you have regarding a missing refund should be referred to your financial institution.
  3. Translink has the right to recover debt for unpaid fares. To clear a debt the Smart Ticketing system will make several attempts to settle any outstanding debts from your financial institution. You may also clear the debt by ensuring there are sufficient funds in your bank account and tapping your Smart Ticketing payment method on a Translink validator.

    A failure to clear the debt will result in the Smart Ticketing payment method being blocked, and you will be unable to use it on Translink's services until the debt has been repaid.

Loss, theft or misue of a Smart Ticketing payment method

  1. As per financial institution requirements, you are required to immediately notify the financial institution of the loss, theft or misuse of your credit or debit card.
  2. Translink assumes no liability for any loss, theft, or unauthorised use of a Smart Ticketing payment method. As the Smart Ticketing payment method holder, you acknowledge that you are responsible for following your financial institution's procedures for reporting a lost, stolen, or misused credit or debit card. You also acknowledge that any person with access to your Smart Ticketing payment method may be able to view your travel history and associated fare payments linked to the Smart Ticketing payment method.
  3. Once a financial institution has blocked or cancelled a credit or debit card, any Smart Ticketing payment method linked to the relevant credit or debit card cannot be used on a Translink service and will be blocked from accepting taps. There may be a short period between your financial institution cancelling or blocking the Smart Ticketing payment method and the Smart Ticketing payment method being blocked in the Smart Ticketing system. You should contact your bank or financial institution if you become aware of any travel related transactions that occur during this period.

Terms and conditions

  1. Translink reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions at any time and will publish any changes to these terms and conditions before they commence.
  2. Should you continue to use Smart Ticketing payment methods after any changes are published on the Translink website you agree to be bound by those changes. If you do not agree to be bound by those changes, you must refrain from using the Smart Ticketing payment method for travel on a Translink service.
  3. These terms and conditions are governed by the laws of Queensland. As a user of Translink services, you submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Queensland.
  4. These terms and conditions for the use of contactless payment methods take effect on and from 12 April 2023.

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