MetroCARD
metroCARD is a contactless smartcard ticketing system for public transport services in the city of Adelaide, South Australia. The system is managed by Adelaide Metro and is usable on their bus, train and tram services.
The contract for the system was tendered out, and in 2010 was awarded to Affiliated Computer Services using technology used in – among others – Montreal, Canada; Houston, Texas; and Toulouse, France. It was originally scheduled to become fully operative in early 2013. Due to overwhelmingly positive response from trial users, it was launched in November 2012.
History
The original ticketing system was based on the Crouzet system and was provided by Affiliated Computer Services. It was introduced in 1987 and was intended to be used for only a few years before being replaced. Replacement plans soon fell through and the original equipment remained in use until 2012. In 2010, it was announced that Affiliated Computer Services had been awarded the contract to replace the aging Crouzet system with a new contactless smartcard system, which would allow the Edmondson-sized magnetic stripe tickets to remain in use.As a result of the new system, multi-trip tickets were no longer sold as Crouzet tickets. metroCARDs replaced them, and Seniors tickets were replaced by the Seniors Card. Single and day-trip tickets continued to be sold as Edmondson-sized magnetic stripe tickets until their complete withdrawal in 2025. Passengers could trade in their existing Multitrip tickets for metroCARD trips. From December 2014, validators no longer accepted Multitrip tickets, however users could continue to convert them to metroCARD trips until 28 February 2015.
In 2013, it was announced that metroCARDs would be able to be used to access secure bike cages at railway stations fitted with the necessary equipment. In the same year it was also announced that, as part of the Tea Tree Plaza Interchange park & ride upgrade, metroCARD users would be able to use their metroCARD to pay for parking.
In 2019, it was announced by the Marshall government that the ability to pay for a cheaper "two-section fare" for shorter trips would be removed in an effort to reduce fare evasion and simplify the fare structure to a single flat fare, regardless of distance travelled. The opposition claimed that there was no evidence that two-section fares were to blame for fare evasion.
Payment types
metroCARD
There are four main types of metroCARD:- Regular metroCARD - for all passengers. These cards are blue and say 'Regular'.
- Concession metroCARDs - for tertiary students and other government issued concession card holders These cards are green and say 'Concession'.
- Student metroCARDs - for primary and secondary school students. These cards are orange and say 'Student'.
- Seniors Card - South Australian issued Seniors cards are pre-programmed for use as metroCARDs. Travel is free for Seniors card holders, but the card must still be validated for travel. Seniors cards feature the metroCARD logo.
metroCARDs are rechargeable, and passengers can add value at any time online, or by using a ticket machine at select bus stations or on board trains and trams. Regular commuters are encouraged to set up auto-recharge, whereby a direct-debit payment of a set amount is taken each time the metroCARD value falls below the value of a peak fare. Additionally, metroCARDs can be loaded with Singletrips, Daytrips, 3-Day Visitor Passes, 14-day passes and 28-day passes. These allow for unlimited travel on the Adelaide Metro network until expiry.
Contactless payments
In early 2020, Adelaide Metro began trials of contactless payments on trams. The rollout involved the installation of new Conduent contactless validators which accept physical bank cards, digital bank cards, and QR codes. The new payment method allows commuters to use a Mastercard, Visa, or Adelaide Metro's Buy & Go app to pay for travel. Payments using the new contactless validators are processed by Commonwealth Bank.In mid 2022, the rollout was extended to O-Bahn buses. In mid 2023, the rollout was extended to all buses.
In mid 2023, the state government announced $7 million in funding for the rollout of contactless payments on the Adelaide Metro rail network. The rollout would allow commuters to transfer between all public transport modes using contactless payments. The rollout was completed in early 2026, after which paper tickets were no longer accepted on any Adelaide Metro service.
Fares
The Adelaide Metro network operates on a flat fare system. A Singletrip lasts 2 hours, and passengers can transfer between trains, trams and buses at any time during this period without incurring any additional fees. Eligible concession holders and students are charged discounted fares, and are required to have valid proof of their concession or student ID.Since 1 July 2025, the following fares apply to all Adelaide Metro bus, train and tram services:
| Fare Type | Ticket Type | Regular Fare | Concession Fare | Student Fare |
| Singletrip Peak | metroCARD, Buy & Go app | $4.55 | $2.25 | $1.60 |
| Singletrip Off-Peak | metroCARD, Buy & Go app | $2.60 | $1.30 | $1.30 |
| Singletrip Peak | Mastercard, Visa | $4.55 | Not Available | Not Available |
| Singletrip Off-Peak | Mastercard, Visa | $2.60 | Not Available | Not Available |
| Daytrip | metroCARD, Buy & Go app | $12.50 | $6.30 | $6.30 |
| 3-Day Visitor Pass | metroCARD, Buy & Go app | $28.90 | Not Available | Not Available |
| 14-day pass | metroCARD, Buy & Go app | $71.80 | $35.80 | Not Available |
| 28-day pass | metroCARD, Buy & Go app | $119.10 | $59.60 | $10.00 |