- New payment options enabled on public transport from Monday, 8 December
- Changes will allow payment by bank cards, phones and smartwatches
- Cook Government delivering improved infrastructure and services across the State with new payment options unlocking more choice and convenience for passengers
- SmartRiders will continue to play a key role in our public transport system - including to access concession fares
- Getting around will be even cheaper from 1 January 2026 with the introduction of the one-zone fare cap
- The rollout will be extended to regional passengers before the end of the year
New payment options for public transport will roll out in Perth from Monday, 8 December, in a major milestone for the SmartRider Upgrade Project.
Passengers will be able to tag on and off public transport using physical debit or credit cards, as well as cards on phones, smart watches and other wearable devices.
The launch of new payment options represents one of the biggest changes to public transport in Western Australia since the introduction of the SmartRider 18 years ago.
Passengers in Bunbury, Busselton, Kalgoorlie, Esperance and Albany will also be able to use contactless payments from 8 December, before the roll out is extended to passengers in Geraldton, Karratha and Port Hedland before the end of the year.
SmartRider will continue to play a key role in our system,providing access to SmartRider discounts, concession fares, SmartParker, and bike shelters.
SmartRiders will still be required to access concession fares, consistent with jurisdictions like New South Wales, where eligible passengers are required to use an Opal card.
Passengers using these new payment options will be charged at the current Transperth cash rate - paying no more than $5.20 for a single journey anywhere on the network.
This becomes even more affordable from 1 January 2026, with a maximum $3.50 cash rate applied to contactless payments for a single journey. Those using the new payment options will still be able to receive free travel on Sundays by tagging on and off.
The State Government also confirmed there would be no additional surcharge for passengers using new payment options, with the Government to absorb the cost of surcharges levied for this technology.
There will be some minor differences when using contactless payments, including:
- Pay-By-Plate machines must be used for parking at stations (contactless payments cannot be used on SmartParker machines);
- Concession rates will not be available for contactless payments;
- The same card or device must be used to tag on and offeach journey. Not doing so could result in a default fare being charged, or the devices not being properly detected; and
- Fares will not be displayed on a validator or calculated throughout the day - instead a final calculation will be completed at the end of the day and a single amount charged.
More information will be available on the Transperth website.
The major milestone follows successful trials with selected participants using contactless payments across the last two months to ensure readiness of the wider rollout by the end of the year.
The SmartRider Upgrade Project has also involved a wide range of changes and upgrades across the network including:
- More than 4,000 SmartRider validators across the bus, train and ferry network replaced;
- All Add Value Machines replaced with new 'SmartRider Hubs'; and
- Pay-By-Plate parking machines progressively being upgraded to accept debit and credit cards.
As stated by Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:
"The start of new payment options represents one of the biggest and most important changes we've ever delivered on public transport in Western Australia.
"From 8 December, people will have significantly more choice and flexibility in how they choose to pay for public transport, which will support more usage across our suburbs and regions.
"This will give people another option, as most people will have their card or phone at their fingertips, making it so much easier to jump on a bus, train or ferry when you need to.
"We will continue to reform the payment options available on our system, including looking at the phasing out of cash.
"With the introduction of our flat fare from 1 January, it's never been more affordable and easier to jump on public transport, and I expect these measures will see a significant surge in the number of people choosing to use buses, trains and ferries."
