Tap and Pay
Adelaide Metro Tap and Pay is an easy way to pay with your Visa or Mastercard (credit/debit card or an enabled smart phone or device) using our new smart validators.
Using Adelaide Metro Tap and Pay is:
- an easy option for people who don’t have a metroCARD or Seniors Card,
- great for people who don't use public transport often,
- convenient for those who use a smart device to pay for things,
- charged as a regular fares, but can cost more than a concession or student fare,
- valid for 2 hours from the time you first tap.
Adelaide Metro tap and pay is currently available on all buses and trams, and for transfers to trains departing from the Adelaide Railway Station. Tap and Pay will become available on all trains by late-2025.
If you are travelling on a train or are entitled to a concession fare, Adelaide Metro Tap and Pay may not be your best option.
Use our fare finder to learn more about Adelaide Metro fares or call the Adelaide Metro InfoLine on 1300 311 108 (open 7:00 am to 8:00 pm daily) for more information.
Common questions
To tap and pay, tap or hold your credit/debit card, smart phone or smart device on the lower part of a smart validator. Once you hear a ‘beep’ noise and see a confirmation message on the screen, your Tap and Pay ticket has been validated.
You will find smart validators:
- on trams,
- on all buses
- at the Adelaide Railway Station (Special Access Gate 1) for transfers to outbound trains only (you cannot Tap and Pay yet on trains).
It is very unlikely that your credit card will be accidentally charged for a fare if you are simply standing near, or walking past, a smart validator.
However, to avoid an accidental charge:
- Don’t lean against a smart validator if you have your credit/debit card or phone in your pocket or you’re wearing a smart watch.
- Avoid ‘card clash’ by separating your cards and devices when you tap the smart validator. For example, remove your metroCARD or Seniors Card from your wallet, rather than tapping your whole wallet on the smart validator. If you present more than one card or smart device at the validator, it will only validate one and could be the card/device you didn’t want to use.
Remember to use the same card or smart device again if you transfer to another vehicle or as you are passing through a gate at the Adelaide Railway Station.
If you think you have been accidentally charged, please contact us for help.
Yes, you can transfer with your Adelaide Metro Tap and Pay ticket to:
- all trams
- all buses
- and trains leaving the Adelaide Railway Station, using the smart validator at Special Access Gate 1. Please note:
- you will not need to validate again when you board your train
- you will not be able to access other facilities that require a metroCARD (eg, Park-n-Ride parking, bike cages etc).
- You will not be able to transfer to trains heading into the city (this is currently not available).
When you transfer, you must use the same credit/debit card or smart device you first used to Tap and Pay, within the two hours that your ticket is valid. If you use a different card or device (even if they are linked to the same bank account), you may be charged for a new Tap and Pay ticket. This is because each card and device has a different number and new numbers are recognised as new Tap and Pay tickets.
No, you will not be able to access discounted Park ‘n’ Ride parking with a Tap and Pay ticket. If you catch the O-Bahn and use the Park ‘n’ Ride facilities at Tea Tree Plaza, you should keep using your metroCARD to get discounted parking.
You can only buy one Adelaide Metro Tap and Pay ticket at a time per credit/debit card or smart device. This is because your Tap and Pay ticket is valid for two hours from the first time you first tap. This enables you to tap again at no further cost to transfer to other services.
If you wish to buy more than one Adelaide Metro Tap and Pay ticket, you will need a different debit/credit card or smart device for each ticket.
Inspectors carry a secure reader device that can read your card, phone or smart device to check that you have a valid Adelaide Metro Tap and Pay ticket. Your privacy is protected, as the reader cannot access your account or personal details and cannot take payments/make charges.
Your bank account will be charged one total amount per day for each day's Tap and Pay fare – instead of several smaller amounts per trip. The charge will be listed in your bank statement as ‘Adelaide Metro Tap’.
Please note:
- The date the charge appears on your statement is the date the bank processes the transaction. This may be different to the date you actually travelled.
- You will not be charged for transfers within the two hours that your Adelaide Metro Tap and Pay ticket is valid, if you use the same card, smart phone or device when you first tapped to buy your ticket.
Occasionally you may see a charge entitled ‘Adelaide Metro Pay’. This happens when a previous trip’s Tap and Pay payment was unsuccessful, and the system successfully tried again later to recover the funds).
If you are confused or concerned about your Adelaide Metro Tap and Pay charges, it is best to speak with your bank. With your permission, your bank can legally access your account, see all your transaction details and discuss them with you.
As a vendor, we do not have access to your personal banking details. However, if you think you were incorrectly charged, please contact us for help.
Adelaide Metro Tap and Pay let’s you travel first, then takes your payment later. If your payment has failed, you owe a debt for a previous trip taken. The system will try to clear the debt for up to 7 days, but while you still owe money, the next tap will show a ‘DENY’ message.
Your tap will also prompt the system to try again to clear the debt and:
- if the debt is successfully cleared, you will be able to Tap and Pay in approximately an hour
OR - if it has not cleared, please contact us for help.
Alternative payment options are:
- a different credit/debit card or smart device,
- a metroCARD,
- the Adelaide Metro Buy and Go app.
When using Tap and Pay you may notice that there is a $1 charge in your account. Some credit card issuers will load a $1 pending transaction to your card to ensure you have money in your account and that it is valid.
This is a pending transaction, meaning it is deducted from your available funds, but the amount will not leave your account. Once your Tap and Pay payment is cleared, the $1 will return to your available balance.
