Transperth contactless payments are live: since December 8, 2025, passengers have been able to use contactless Visa or Mastercard cards and compatible digital wallets on Perth buses, trains and ferries. Use the same card or device to tag on and off. Contactless is convenient for occasional standard-fare trips, but it does not provide concession fares or SmartRider discounts.
Is bank-card payment available on Perth public transport?
Yes. Transperth launched contactless payments across its services on December 8, 2025. The option works on buses, trains and ferries; it is no longer just a trial or a planned change. The rollout was part of the SmartRider Upgrade Project, which the Public Transport Authority describes as an approximately $58 million investment in updated validators, back-office systems and SmartRider Hubs. Transperth contactless payments launch announcement project overview
Accepted cards and devices
You can use a contactless Visa or Mastercard debit or credit card, or a compatible Visa or Mastercard card in a digital wallet on a phone, smartwatch or other wearable device. A physical card and that card’s digital-wallet version count as different payment methods. For example, tapping on with your plastic card and off with the same card in a phone wallet may not match the journey correctly. Choose one card or one specific wallet device and use it for both taps. Accepted contactless methods Ticket conditions
How to tag on and off
Tag on and tag off as you normally would with a ticket. The journey is recorded and the fare is calculated by Transperth’s back-end system, so the validator may not give the same clear on/off distinction as a SmartRider reader.
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On a bus
- After boarding at the front, present your card or device to the validator and wait for confirmation.
- Before leaving, tag off on the same bus with the same card or device.
- Present only one payment method at a time. A wallet or purse containing several cards can cause a card clash or charge the wrong one.
On a train
- Tag on at the station validator before boarding.
- Use the same card or device to tag off at your destination, at the first reasonable opportunity after leaving the train.
- If your trip involves a transfer, follow Transperth’s tagging requirements for each leg unless an exception applies.
For a journey involving more than one service, check the ticket conditions if you are unsure which tags are required. A missed or mismatched tag can lead to a default fare.
What does contactless travel cost?
Contactless passengers pay under the standard cash-rate structure, not the discounted SmartRider rate. Transperth’s fare table effective January 1, 2026 lists these standard contactless fares alongside the published SmartRider discounts:
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| Fare type | Contactless | SmartRider, 10% discount | SmartRider, 20% discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Sections | $2.16 | $1.92 | Not separately shown in the fare table |
| Go Anywhere | $3.15 | $2.80 | Not separately shown in the fare table |
The Go Anywhere cash fare is $3.50, while the detailed fare table lists the contactless Go Anywhere amount as $3.15. The table’s contactless figure is the appropriate current amount to use rather than treating the launch announcement’s cash-rate reference as a universal per-trip charge. Fare rules may automatically cap charges. Transperth fares Launch fare information
Three-hour travel and free travel
A Go Anywhere fare allows travel across the Transperth network for up to three hours. That transfer period is distinct from the end-of-day calculation of the total fare. Travel is free every Sunday for contactless and SmartRider users who tag on and off normally; the free period runs from first service to last service, but excludes late-night services after midnight on Saturday. Journeys within Perth’s Free Transit Zone are also not charged, though passengers should still tag on and off. Fare conditions Ticket types
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Bank card or SmartRider: which suits you?
| Option | Best suited to | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Contactless card or wallet | Visitors, occasional passengers, or anyone who wants to travel without obtaining or loading a separate transport card | Convenient, but no concession fares or SmartRider discounts |
| SmartRider | Regular commuters, concession passengers, Autoload users, and people using linked services such as SmartParker or bike shelters | Requires a separate card and balance management unless Autoload is enabled |
| Cash ticket | Passengers who cannot use either electronic option | Bus drivers require exact money and give no change; tickets are also available from train-station and ferry-jetty machines |
SmartRider discounts are 10% or 20% depending on the fare-payment arrangement; Autoload provides a 20% discount under its published conditions. Eligible concession passengers must continue to use the appropriate SmartRider, because a bank card or wallet does not supply a concession fare. Ticket types and SmartRider Autoload and conditions Fare table
When do contactless charges appear?
Transperth collects journey information during the day and generally calculates the fare overnight at the end of its business day. The bank transaction may take one to three business days to appear, depending on the financial institution; several deductions may be grouped together, particularly after weekend travel. A temporary verification authorisation hold may also appear. Transperth’s pages describe the hold differently, so do not assume that a temporary amount is the final fare. Contactless account and journey information Ticket-type FAQ
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Contactless users can review journey and payment history in Transperth’s customer portal, which provides up to 35 days of history. SmartRider activity is available through MyAccount. The contactless portal requires identity verification to retrieve journey information. Customer portal details
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What if a tag or payment goes wrong?
Missed tag-off, wrong card or default fare
A missed tag-off, using a physical card at one end and a wallet version at the other, presenting multiple cards, or tagging off on a different bus can prevent the journey from being matched as intended. Check the contactless portal and confirm which card or device you used. Contact Transperth InfoLine on 13 62 13 if the journey appears incorrect or the payment method is blocked. Contactless help Ticket conditions
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Declined payment or blocked card
If Transperth cannot collect a fare, the card or device may be blocked for further travel until the unpaid amount is paid and authorisation succeeds. Once funds are available, present the same method at a validator to trigger another collection attempt. Transperth says a successful authorisation usually unblocks it in about 15 minutes. If you cannot wait, use another accepted payment method. Mastercard users need at least $1 available to tag on, according to Transperth’s FAQ. Payment failure guidance
Dead phone, multiple passengers or validator error
- A phone or watch must have enough battery to tag on and off. If it cannot be presented when required, you may receive a default fare or face an infringement for travelling without a verifiable ticket; carrying the physical card as backup is prudent. Device and ticket conditions
- One contactless payment method cannot tag on twice for the same journey to pay for two people; each passenger needs their own payment method. Ticket conditions
- On upgraded validators, a green tick indicates a successful tag, an orange tick indicates a successful tag with additional information, and a red cross means the tag was unsuccessful. Follow the screen directions or ask staff for help. Validator and inspection-system information
Revenue inspectors can check contactless cards and digital wallets, so be prepared to present the same payment method used for the journey if requested. SmartRider upgrade information
Where else in Western Australia is it available?
The December 8, 2025 launch announcement also covered Bunbury, Busselton, Kalgoorlie, Esperance and Albany, with rollout intended to extend to Geraldton, Karratha and Port Hedland before the end of that year. Those regional services are distinct from the Perth network launch; check current local service information if travelling outside Perth. Regional rollout announcement
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