Contactless Payment
CONDITIONS OF USE
1. Introduction
1.1. By using a contactless payment card or contactless payment device to travel on Translink’s Metro bus services or Ulsterbus Services, you agree to these Conditions of Use. These Conditions of Use set out your rights and obligations when using a contactless payment card or contactless payment device and apply in addition to our Conditions of Carriage
1.2. For the purposes of these Conditions, a contactless payment card is a Visa, Mastercard or Maestro debit or credit card (with a contactless symbol only) or a prepaid card (each, a contactless payment card) and a contactless payment device is a mobile phone or other device such as a smartwatch which can be used to make contactless payments via Apple Pay or Google Pay (each, a contactless payment device) and which can be used to pay for your travel on Translink’s Metro bus services and participating Ulsterbus Services. Please note that Translink can only accept contactless payment from either a contactless payment card which is a Visa, Mastercard or Maestro debit or credit card, or a contactless payment device which is linked to a Visa, Mastercard or Maestro debit or credit card.
1.3. We will endeavour to ensure that contactless payment is available on Translink’s Metro bus services and participating Ulsterbus Services but will not be liable for any failure to provide these services, in part or in full. This includes any suspension of contactless payment because of maintenance or upgrades to our or any third-party systems.
1.4. Translink may change these terms from time to time and reserves the right to amend these Conditions of Use at any time without prior notification. The most recent version is available on our website.
2. Using Contactless Payment
2.1. ‘Tap On Only’ refers to the pay as you go use of a contactless payment card or contactless payment device to pay for individual adult fare travel. You can use your contactless payment card or contactless payment device to pay as you go on Translink’s Metro bus services and participating Ulsterbus Citystopper Services.
2.2. You cannot use your contactless payment card or contactless payment device to pay for another passenger to travel at the same time as you when using ‘Tap on Only’ travel.
2.3. It is your responsibility to check the fare for your journey. A ‘Tap On Only’ fare will be charged each time you travel using your contactless payment card or contactless payment device at the rate of the standard Adult single fare for the relevant route on which you are travelling. Fares for subsequent journeys may be capped (see 3.1 of these Conditions). Further ‘Tap On Only’ fare information is available online at Translink Tickets. Information is also available at Translink stations.
2.4. You must tap your contactless payment card or contactless payment device on the card reader on the driver’s ticket machine (card reader) once only at the start of each journey. If using a contactless payment card, please remove your contactless payment card from your wallet or purse to avoid a ‘card clash’ with any of your other contactless payment cards.
2.5. If you are using a contactless payment device, you will need to ensure that there is sufficient battery (charge) in the contactless payment device at the time of tapping it on the card reader.
2.6. When you tap your contactless payment card or contactless payment device on the card reader you are giving authorisation for the cost of your journey, including any unpaid fares, to be charged by Translink to the account linked to the contactless payment card or contactless payment device. Please note that a pre-authorisation charge may be charged to your contactless payment card or contactless payment device for the first fare of each day. The pre-authorisation charges are set out at the ‘Charges for Contactless Payment’ section below.
2.7. You must tap your contactless payment card or contactless payment device on the card reader. One audible beep along with green light and “Success” message on the card reader means that payment by the presented contactless payment card or contactless payment device has been accepted for travel. A red light, accompanied by two audible negative beeps and “See Driver” message on the card reader, means that payment by your contactless payment card or contactless payment device has not been accepted for travel. Where contactless payment has not been accepted, you cannot travel until either your contactless payment card or contactless payment device has been accepted for travel or you have paid for your journey by a different means such as cash. If you do not tap the card reader correctly, you will need to find an alternative method of payment.
2.8. Damaged contactless payment cards or contactless payment devices may not be accepted.
2.9. When you tap your contactless payment card or contactless payment device on the card reader for ‘Tap On Only' contactless travel, you will not receive a paper ticket or receipt for your journey.
2.10. ‘Retail Mode’ refers to the use of a contactless payment card or contactless payment device to purchase one or more paper tickets on Ulsterbus and Metro Services.
2.11. You must request the ticket(s) from the driver prior to tapping your contactless payment card or contactless payment device. Tickets purchased using ‘Retail Mode’ are not subject to capping. It is your responsibility to purchase the correct tickets for your journey.
2.12. You may purchase tickets up to the value of £45.00 in any single transaction using ‘Retail Mode’.
3. Charges For Contactless Payment
3.1. If you are using ‘Tap on Only’, you will be charged a standard adult single fare for the first journey on that day. If you travel for a second time using ‘Tap on Only’ on the same day, the charge for your second journey will be capped and the total charge for your travel on that day will be at the cost of a standard adult day ticket. If you make subsequent ‘Tap on Only’ journeys on that same day, you will not be charged for these journeys as your daily travel is aggregated and capped.
3.2. If you have more than one contactless payment card and you wish to avail of the daily aggregation and capping when using ‘Tap on Only’, you must use the same contactless payment card for each journey on that day. If you are using a contactless payment device which is linked to more than one card, you must ensure that you select the same card to pay for each journey on that day.
3.3. When using ‘Retail Mode’, you will be charged for the fare(s) which you requested from the driver when purchasing your ticket(s).
3.4. Your contactless payment card or contactless payment device will normally be charged within 24 hours of your relevant travel. The amount charged will reflect the fare(s) applicable to your journey(s) and any unpaid fares which are owed by you.
3.5. When using ‘Tap on Only’ your contactless payment card or contactless payment device may be charged with a pre-authorisation charge on your first use of the contactless payment card or contactless payment device each day. This charge will be reversed when the related daily travel charge is applied. The pre-authorisation charges are currently charged at a) of £0.10 for a UK issued Mastercard b) £1 for an international issued Mastercard; and c) £20 for a Maestro card.
4. Declined Transactions
4.1 Our bus drivers do not have access to the reason(s) why your contactless payment card or contactless payment device has not been accepted. However, if your payment by contactless payment card or contactless payment device is declined, you can access the Translink Customer Portal for more information. Further guidance on the use of the Customer Portal is available in our Contactless Payments Frequently Asked Questions.
4.2 If your contactless payment card or contactless payment device is declined when we submit it for payment, we may seek to take payment again on a number of additional occasions until we receive the full payment. The next time you attempt to use your contactless payment card or contactless payment device for a ‘Tap On Only’ or ‘Retail Mode’ journey, we will seek to collect any unpaid fares.
4.3 We will not seek payment for longer than 30 days after your payment has been declined. If this happens, this means that you have made a journey that you have not paid for and you will not be able to use the same contactless payment card again to travel until the unpaid fare has been paid.
4.4 If your contactless payment card or contactless payment device is not accepted or you have unpaid fares, you will not be permitted to travel on Translink’s Metro bus services or Ulsterbus Services using the same contactless payment card or contactless payment device until any unpaid fares have been paid in full.
5. Refunds
5.1. If you have used your contactless payment card or contactless payment device in error or have paid more than the required fare, we may refund the amount paid subject to you having tapped the card reader as required.
5.2. If any refund has not been applied automatically, you will have to contact Customer Services to apply for a refund.
5.3. Refunds are at the sole discretion of Translink. For full terms and conditions of refunds refer to our Ticket and Pass Refund Policy.
6. Penalty Fares
6.1. If you are found to be travelling without having paid the correct fare may be issued with a penalty fare (including where you are found not to have tapped the card reader at the start of your journey or if your contactless payment device has run out of charge and/or cannot be read).
6.2. You must be prepared to show your contactless payment card or contactless payment device during the course of any journey that has been paid for by that means. You must let an authorised member of our staff inspect your contactless payment card or contactless payment device at any time during your journey, if asked to do so.
6.3. Further information on penalty fares can be found in our Conditions of Carriage.
7. Privacy
7.1. We respect your privacy and handle all personal data in accordance with privacy and data protection legislation and our own information governance policies. Our Group Privacy Notice is available and Cookie Policy are available on our website. These policies provide information about the ways we may collect and use your personal information.
7.2. All contactless payment card data is secured at the point of entry using the latest encryption technologies in accordance with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCIDSS). We do not store any personal data against contactless payment card use. Journeys and payments associated with a contactless payment card can be viewed in the portal for seven days only.
8. Get in Touch
Get in Touch Contact Us