At a glance
- Fare
- 50 cents per journey on Translink bus, train, ferry, tram and on-demand services in South East Queensland, as of 18 October 2026
- Not included
- Airtrain, which charges its own fares
- Ways to pay
- Visa or Mastercard tapped on and off, a go card, or a paper ticket from a fare machine
- Cash on board
- Not accepted in South East Queensland
- Transfers
- Next trip within 1 hour, up to 3 transfers, journey under 6 hours
- Missed tap
- A default fare may be charged (Translink’s FAQ mentions a $2.50 fee)
- Help
- Translink 13 12 30, 24 hours
Every journey on Translink buses, trains, ferries, trams and on-demand services in South East Queensland costs 50 cents as of 18 October 2026, however far you travel and however you pay. You can pay by tapping a Visa or Mastercard on and off, with a go card, or with a paper ticket from a fare machine, and cash is not accepted on board.
The flat fare covers a whole journey, not just one vehicle. If you change from a bus to a train to a ferry, it still counts as one journey as long as you follow the transfer rules below. This guide sets out what is covered, how to pay, what happens if you forget to tap, and who travels free. It is based on the Translink fares and tickets page and the linked Translink pages, checked on Sunday 18 October 2026. Translink’s pages do not give an end date for the 50 cent fare, so check them before you travel.
What does the 50 cent fare cover?
Translink says the flat rate applies to all bus, train, ferry, tram and on-demand services in South East Queensland, except Airtrain. Some areas sit outside the South East Queensland fare network: Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast Hinterland, Kilcoy and North Stradbroke Island buses are not part of it, so they need separate tickets.
Airtrain, the airport train, is run by a separate company. Translink says you can pay an Airtrain fare with a go card, but special Airtrain fares apply, and it lists the Airtrain as a non-Translink service. Our Brisbane Airport to the city guide covers those fares.
How do I pay?
- Credit or debit card: tap on and off at the start and end of your trip. Visa and Mastercard are accepted, including virtual cards on a smart phone or other smart device.
- go card: Translink’s electronic ticket for buses, trains (including Airtrain), ferries and trams in greater Brisbane, Ipswich, Moreton Bay, Redlands, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast. Your fare is worked out and taken from your balance when you tap on and off.
- Paper ticket: buy from fare machines at train, tram and busway stations, including some bus interchanges, or from cashless ticket offices at train stations during opening hours.
Translink says it does not accept cash on its services in South East Queensland, and you cannot top up a go card or buy a paper ticket while on board. Paper tickets must be bought before boarding. Translink’s pages are not consistent about cash at the machines themselves: its buy-and-refund page says fare machines accept correct money and give change in coins up to $19.90, while its group travel page says South East Queensland services are currently accepting cashless payments only. If you need to pay cash, check the machine before you rely on it.
Does tapping a bank card work the same as a go card?
Almost. Translink says contactless payment is available on all South East Queensland trains, trams, ferries and buses, and that the fare is the same 50 cents however you pay. Several points differ from a go card:
- Use the same card or device to tap on and tap off. If you tap on with a smart watch, tap off with it too, or you can be charged an extra fee.
- A digital wallet card (Apple Pay, Samsung Pay or Google Pay) is a different payment method from the physical card it is linked to, because the wallet creates a different number. Tap on and off with the same one to get the correct fare and any frequent traveller discount, and to receive refunds.
- Fares are added together and charged to your bank once at the end of each day. If you pass your card provider’s daily limit you might see more than one charge.
- You may see a $0 or 10 cent pending charge after tapping. Translink says it is a temporary authorisation hold, which disappears within a few days or once your final fares are processed.
- Prepaid cards, travel cards and gift cards issued as contactless Visa or Mastercard are included, according to Translink.
If you think a bank card was charged wrongly, Translink says you can ask for an adjustment or refund through its Ticketing Assistant or by calling 13 12 30.
How do transfers work?
Translink’s transfer rules for go card, contactless card or smart device are:
| Rule | Limit |
|---|---|
| Time to make each transfer | Within 1 hour |
| Transfers per journey | Up to 3 |
| Total journey length | Shorter than 6 hours |
| Start of the final trip | Within 3.5 hours of first tapping on |
Tap on and tap off for every trip, with the same card or device. Translink suggests taking a physical card out of your wallet to avoid card clash. Paper tickets follow different rules: unlimited transfers within 2 hours (3.5 hours when travelling more than 4 zones in South East Queensland), the final trip must start before the printed expiry time, and you cannot return to where you started on the same ticket.
What if I forget to tap on or off?
Translink says it may charge a default fare if you do not tap on at the start or tap off at the end of a trip. Its contactless page answers a question about a $2.50 fee by saying it can be a default fare. If you think you were charged a default fare by mistake, you can ask for a fare adjustment through the Ticketing Assistant or by calling 13 12 30 within 120 days of the charge.
Who travels free and who pays 50 cents?
Children aged 5 to 14, school students, tertiary students, seniors, pensioners, veterans, job seekers and asylum seekers each pay 50 cents per journey, according to Translink’s concessions page. Free travel, if you carry proof of your entitlement and show it to a driver or Authorised Person when asked, goes to:
- Children aged 4 and under
- TPI/EDA Veteran Travel card holders
- Vision Impairment Travel Pass holders
- Translink Access Pass and go access holders
- Travel Trainer card holders
- One companion or carer travelling with a Companion Card holder who has a valid ticket
Where do I buy and top up a go card?
Translink’s buy-and-refund page lists selected go card retailers, online orders (call 13 12 30 for enquiries), calls to 13 12 30, fare machines at G:link and selected busway stations, and Queensland Rail ticket offices during opening hours. You can top up online, at a retailer or by phone. Registering the card lets you set up auto top-up, see your balance and travel history, and protect the balance if the card is lost or stolen.
Refunds: a go card balance can be refunded into an Australian bank account by completing a form and posting it, which Translink says can take up to 28 days. Cash refunds at selected retailers are available if the balance is less than $50 (plus the card deposit), the last top-up was in cash at a retailer, and the card has not expired in the last 255 days. Paper tickets are non-refundable.
Translink says it will never send penalty notices or fines by text message, and it warns that texts claiming to be from Translink and demanding payment for a recent trip are a phishing attack. Report them to Scamwatch.
Is there a visitor card?
go explore is for visitors, but only on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. It costs $1.50 per day for unlimited travel on Gold Coast buses and trams and Sunshine Coast buses. You can load up to eight day passes on one card and use them on days that do not follow each other. Children aged 4 and under travel free. Translink says you can buy it at selected retailers on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, and at Gold Coast Airport. Translink lists it for Gold Coast buses and trams and Sunshine Coast buses only.
Can a group use one ticket?
Translink sells a single group ticket for up to 32 adults, children and concession holders travelling together. It is bought at fare machines on selected busway, train and tram stations, and the fares and conditions match normal paper tickets. Group travel depends on the space available on the service, and groups of more than 32 need more tickets.
For help with fares, tickets or a go card, Translink’s contact centre is on 13 12 30, 24 hours a day, according to its fares page.
Sources
- Translink — South East Queensland fares and tickets (checked 18 October 2026)
- Translink — Ticketing by region
- Translink — Contactless payments
- Translink — go card
- Translink — Transferring between services
- Translink — Concessions
- Translink — Buy and refund tickets
- Translink — go explore
- Translink — Group travel
Featured image: A Brisbane River ferry at the North Quay ferry terminal (photo: John Robert McPherson / CC BY-SA 4.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Translink. Fares and conditions can change; check the official pages above before you travel.