As classes begin at universities across Queensland, students are being encouraged to take advantage of permanent 50 cent fares and choose public transport over parking on campus.
For tertiary students ticketing has ever been easier and they no longer need to apply for concession discounts with all fares on Translink services now 50 cents, regardless of how far they travel on the network or how they choose to pay.
In addition to more affordable and simpler tertiary travel, Translink’s public transport network of buses, trains, ferries, and trams provide plenty of service options for students to get to and from university.
Students heading to the University of Queensland can also access the recently launched Brisbane Metro M2 service, which has replaced Route 66.
Students new to campus can ensure they are familiar with their new routes by planning ahead using the Translink app or heading to the Translink journey planner.
Returning students are also encouraged to plan their journey and look out for any changes to their existing services.
Meanwhile, the Smart Ticketing rollout across South East Queensland (SEQ) is nearing completion with the additional payment methods already available across the SEQ train network, Gold Coast Light Rail, ferries and 90 per cent of bus operators.
The final two largest bus operators, Kinetic Gold Coast and Transport for Brisbane, will activate the technology in the coming months.
Once Smart Ticketing is activated with these bus operators, customers will be able to travel on public transport throughout SEQ using Smart Ticketing.
Quotes attributable to Head of Translink Dr Deborah Hume:
"Tertiary travel has never been easier and more affordable.
“No matter how far you travel on our network to get to class, the fare will be 50 cents per journey – no need to apply for concession fares.
“Choosing public transport also reduces car traffic around universities, which means less congestion for everybody.
“Now is the time to plan your public transport journey and find out what services you need to catch to ensure a stress-free start to your studies.”
Top tertiary travel tips
- If you’re a school leaver, you can continue using your current green concession go card to tap into 50 cent fares. You may need to take your card to a go card retailer or Queensland Rail station ticket office to update the expiry date.
- If you’re using a go card, remember to register your card and set up auto top-up so you always have funds available for travel.
- Always tap on and tap off when using go card or your contactless debit or credit card.
- Always travel with a valid ticket or you could risk receiving a fine.
- Use the Translink app to plan your journey.