Can I use contactless or card to pay for public transport in Fiji?

I landed in Nadi and immediately bought an eTransport card at the Vodafone shop inside the airport. Loaded it with 20 FJD using my Visa. When I took the Sunbeam bus to Suva, the driver insisted on the card only - no cash accepted. Later, in the Yasawas, I used ferries that were strictly cash-based, paying at the South Sea Cruises desk. ATMs from BSP in Lautoka gave me FJD easily. Honestly, it was convenient once I figured it out, but you need both cash and card for different situations.

I think Fiji’s system is smart. The eTransport card makes buses around Suva and Nadi hassle-free, no need to fumble with coins. I topped up at a Vodafone store with my Mastercard, then just tapped on the bus to Pacific Harbour. For ferries and smaller vans, cash in FJD was enough. ANZ ATMs in Suva worked with my foreign debit card. Overall, a good mix: modern for city buses, traditional for island travel.

The bus system confused me at first. I got on a local bus in Nadi with cash and the driver flatly refused it, pointing at the card machine. I had to go back to a Vodafone shop to buy an eTransport card before catching the next bus. Then later, on ferries to Taveuni, they wouldn’t take the eTransport card, only FJD cash. It felt inconsistent - tourists should expect to juggle both.

Fiji has a smart card system called eTransport for buses, which replaced cash fares. You buy the card at Vodafone outlets, pay with FJD cash or card to load it, then tap it on the bus reader. Drivers don’t take cash at all. Ferries and taxis, however, are usually cash-only in Fijian dollars. ANZ and BSP ATMs are common in Nadi and Suva for withdrawing FJD. Definitely carry cash for boats and rural minibuses, but use eTransport cards for buses.