In short
- Each state has its own card: Opal (NSW), myki (Victoria), go card (Queensland), MyWay+ (ACT) and metroCARD (South Australia).
- Contactless bank cards work on Opal, myki, Translink, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth services.
- Queensland charges a flat 50 cents per trip; Victorian fares are half price until 1 January 2027.
- Metro buses in Tasmania are free until 30 June 2027, and buses in Darwin and Alice Springs are currently free.
Australia has no national transport card. Every state and territory runs its own fare system, and a card from one city does not work in another. The good news: in most big cities you can now simply tap a contactless bank card. Here is an overview, with fares checked on 24 October 2026.
Opal: Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong and the Central Coast
In New South Wales you tap on and off with an Opal card or a contactless American Express, Mastercard or Visa card or device. Fares depend on distance, are 30% cheaper off-peak and stop rising once you hit the cap: for adults A$19.30 a day Monday to Thursday, A$9.65 on Fridays, weekends and public holidays, and A$50 a week. Changing between train, bus, ferry and light rail within 60 minutes gives A$2 off. Child, concession and senior fares need the matching Opal card. More in our Sydney tickets page.
myki: Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo
Victoria uses myki: a plastic card (A$6), Mobile myki on a phone, or a contactless payment card. Until 1 January 2027 fares are half price: a 2-hour fare in Melbourne zones 1+2 costs A$2.85, with a daily cap of A$5.70 on weekdays and A$4.00 at weekends. In regional cities a 2-hour fare in one zone costs A$1.50. Under-18s travel free with a Youth myki (A$5). A myki Pass for 7 days or longer needs a myki card or Mobile myki. See Melbourne tickets.
go card: Queensland
Across South East Queensland (Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast) every trip costs a flat 50 cents on trains, buses, ferries, trams and on-demand services, whether you use a go card, a contactless card or a paper ticket. The fare does not apply on Airtrain to and from Brisbane Airport. Buses in SEQ are cashless. In the regional cities, such as Cairns, Townsville and Toowoomba, urban buses also cost 50 cents and you can still pay the driver in cash.
MyWay+: Canberra
In Canberra you tap on and off buses and light rail with a MyWay+ card, the QR pass in the MyWay+ app or a contactless bank card. An adult fare costs A$3.41 at peak times and A$2.70 off-peak and includes transfers for 90 minutes. The daily cap is A$10.16 on weekdays and A$6.22 at weekends, and after 40 paid journeys in a calendar month the rest of the month is free.
metroCARD: Adelaide
Adelaide Metro buses, trains and trams take the metroCARD and Tap and Pay with Visa, Mastercard or American Express. From 1 October 2026 a regular fare costs A$4.75 at peak times and A$2.70 off-peak, valid for 2 hours. A Daytrip costs A$12.90 and a 3-Day Visitor Pass A$29.90. Buses do not sell tickets on board.
Perth
Perth’s smart card gives 10% off the standard fare, or 20% if you register it with automatic top-up. You can also tap a contactless card at the standard price. A short ride of up to 3.2 km costs A$2.40 and a fare for the whole network A$3.50, valid for 3 hours; daily travel is capped at A$7.00. On Sundays travel is free when you tag on and off with the smart card or a contactless card. See Perth tickets.
Where is public transport free?
- Tasmania: all Metro buses in Hobart, Launceston and elsewhere are free until 30 June 2027. Do not tap your Green Card.
- Northern Territory: public buses in Greater Darwin and Alice Springs are currently free for residents and visitors. The operator page does not give an end date.
- City centres: Melbourne trams inside the Free Tram Zone and Perth city-centre buses inside the free zone cost nothing.
Fares change, so every ticket page on buses.app shows the date it was last checked and links to the official source.
