Queensland rolls out open loop contactless ticketing to three additional rail lines

SMART TICKETING: The system has been upgraded to accept open loop payments at three more stations

Passengers travelling on the Caboolture, Redcliffe Peninsula and Gold Coast railway lines in south east Queensland can now make contactless fare payments with their credit or debit card, mobile phone or smartwatch using the Australian state’s open loop ticketing system.

Transit authority Translink has extended its Smart Ticketing system to the three lines as part of an ongoing AUS$371m (US$232m) project to implement open loop contactless fare payments on trains, buses, trams and ferries across the state.

“The introduction of Smart Ticketing on these three lines continues the rollout of a ticketing system that will put Queensland on [a] par with major world cities such as London, Singapore and New York,” the state’s deputy premier Steven Miles says.

“We’ve now rolled out Smart Ticketing on half of the South East Queensland train lines, including the Ferny Grove, Ipswich and Springfield lines.

“So far, the feedback from customers who have tried it out has been extremely positive and we’re excited to now offer this to the many communities who use our northern train lines.”

Translink launched an initial trial of the system on the G:Link light rail network on Queensland’s Gold Coast in December 2020 and a second pilot on the Ferny Grove suburban rail line in Brisbane in June this year.

Queensland rolls out open loop contactless ticketing to three additional rail lines was written by Tom Phillips and published by NFCW.