Can I use cards on buses and public transport in Australia?

I was doing short trips around Perth and found the SmartRider card to be the most efficient way to pay. I couldn’t use my US Amex to buy it at the airport, so I used my backup Chase Mastercard at a machine in Perth Station. Buses and trains do not accept cash onboard, all fares are paid with SmartRider or through the app in some cases. I saw a few tourists confused at bus stops trying to pay with coins and getting turned away. Western Australia’s transport system is clean and fast, but you have to plan to get the card in advance.

I was based in Brisbane for two weeks in June and used the go card system for public transport. I got the card from a Queensland Rail ticket office and topped it up with my Germany Sparkasse Visa card. Buses and trains across the city don’t take cash at all. You either tap your go card or pay through the Translink app in some cases. I also saw signs saying contactless payments are being trialed but weren’t fully rolled out yet. If you’re a tourist, the go card is the best option for flexibility and discounted fares. Just don’t expect to hop on with cash

I was traveling through Melbourne in May and used the myki card system for trams, trains, and buses. You can’t tap international credit or debit cards directly like in Sydney - you have to buy a myki card first. I picked mine up at a 7-Eleven and loaded it with 50 AUD using my French Mastercard. Most trams in Zone 1 are free in the CBD, but for buses and outer areas, you’ll definitely need a loaded myki. No paying with cash on buses or trains. Everything is prepaid or done via myki card terminals. Plan ahead if you’re flying into Melbourne.

I was in Sydney last month and used the metro and buses every day while staying near Haymarket. The easiest way to pay was just tapping my UK Revolut Visa on the Opal reader -worked the same as a local Opal card. No need to buy a separate ticket or card unless you want to load a weekly pass. I also used Apple Pay a couple of times and it worked great on both trains and ferries. You can still use cash at convenience stores to top up Opal cards, but buses don’t accept cash fares anymore. Card or tap-to-pay is the way to go in Sydney.