Tickets in Australia: Opal, myki, go card, MyWay+ and other smart cards

There is no national public transport ticket in Australia. Buses, trains, trams and ferries are organised by the state and territory governments, and a card bought in one state does not work in another. The main cards are Opal in New South Wales (Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong and the Central Coast), MyWay+ in Canberra, the go card in South East Queensland (Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast), myki in Victoria (Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo), metroCARD in Adelaide, SmartRider in Perth, the Green Card on Metro Tasmania buses in Hobart and Launceston, and the Tap and Ride card on the buses of Darwin and Alice Springs.

Within one network, a single fare usually covers changes between bus, train, tram and ferry for a set period, so you do not pay again when you transfer.

Smart cards are read by touching them on a reader. With Opal in New South Wales, in South East Queensland and on Melbourne trains and buses you tap on when you board and tap off when you get off, because the fare depends on where you travel; if you forget to tap off, you can be charged a higher default fare. In Adelaide and on most regional buses you only need to validate when you board. Inspectors check tickets, and travelling without a valid ticket or an unvalidated card leads to a fine.

In several networks you can also pay with a contactless bank card or phone instead of a smart card. Where this is available, the readers say so; it is the easiest option for short visits, because you do not need to buy or top up a card.

In New South Wales, Opal covers Sydney Trains, Sydney Metro, buses, ferries and light rail, as well as the intercity trains to the Central Coast, Newcastle, the Blue Mountains, Wollongong and the South Coast, and the buses in Newcastle, Wollongong and on the Central Coast. Instead of an Opal card you can tap on and off with a contactless credit or debit card or a phone on all of these services, which is the simplest option for visitors. Opal cards are sold at many newsagents and convenience stores.

In Canberra, MyWay+ is the ticketing system for Transport Canberra buses and the light rail between the City and Gungahlin. You can tap on and off with a contactless bank card or phone, or use a MyWay+ card registered to an account; on a short visit, a contactless card is the easiest way to travel.

In South East Queensland the go card is valid on buses, trains, ferries including the CityCat in Brisbane, and the G:link light rail on the Gold Coast. In the regional cities of Queensland, such as Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Hervey Bay and Toowoomba, the buses also run under the Translink name, but the ways of paying differ from town to town, so check the Translink website for the city you are visiting.

In Victoria, myki is used on Melbourne trains, trams and buses, on V/Line regional trains and on the town buses of Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo. The card is sold at stations, at many shops including 7-Eleven, and can also be used as a mobile myki on Android phones. Trips that stay entirely within the Free Tram Zone in central Melbourne need no ticket.

In Adelaide, metroCARD covers buses, trams and trains; single-trip tickets are also sold, and the tram runs free within the city centre. In Perth, SmartRider covers buses, trains and ferries, and travel within the Free Transit Zone in the city centre, including the free CAT buses, costs nothing.

In Hobart and Launceston you can use the Green Card or buy a ticket from the driver. In Darwin and Alice Springs you can use the Tap and Ride card or buy a paper ticket on the bus, which is valid for transfers for a limited time. Fares change regularly, so this guide gives no prices; current fares are shown on each city page.