"A few days later I get charged $2.50 instead of the 50c that the trip is supposed to cost." That's a Brisbane commuter on r/brisbane in late May. They'd been tapping on and off buses and trains with their phone, seeing the usual 10c check, and then finding a Translink $2.50 charge that overdrew their spending account. It had happened for several weeks in a row.
One commenter who drives for a regional Translink contractor said "this happens a lot with bank cards and tap-n-pay". Here's what that $2.50 is and how to ask for it back.
The quick answer
- $2.50 is the SEQ default fare. Translink's default fares page lists $2.50 for bus, tram, ferry and train, for adults, children, seniors and concessions alike. You get it when a trip has no matching tap on or tap off.
- Your phone and your bank card are different cards. Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay give your card a different number on each device. Tap on with one and off with the other, and Translink can't match the trip.
- A $2.50 line on your bank statement isn't always a default fare. Translink rolls a whole day's trips into one charge, so five separate 50c journeys also add up to $2.50. Check the trips before you complain.
- You can ask for an adjustment. Use the Translink Ticketing Assistant or call 13 12 30 within 120 days of the charge. It's reviewed case by case, so it isn't guaranteed.
Why a 50c trip turns into $2.50
Every Translink journey costs 50c "regardless of how far you travel on the network or how you choose to pay", according to Translink's contactless payments page . The catch is that the 50c only works if the system can see where you got on and where you got off. If it can't, you're charged the default fare instead. The one big exception is Airtrain, where the default is $25.80 for adults, seniors and concessions (child $2.50).
The usual ways a phone or card tap goes wrong:
- Mixing devices. Translink's contactless FAQ says digital wallets "create a unique digital number for each card that is different to the number associated with your physical card". So the card in your wallet, your phone and your watch are three payment methods. The contactless terms and conditions are blunt: "If you use different contactless payment methods to tap on and tap off for your trip, the ticketing system will charge you a default fare."
- A tap that didn't go through. On the new validators, a good tap shows a large white tick with green lights and one beep. A declined tap shows a large white cross with red lights and a double beep, according to Translink's how to use contactless payments page . In the r/brisbane thread, one commenter watched someone tap, hear a beep and get off without realising it had failed (a double beep means declined).
- Card clash. Translink warns that a phone with a card stored in the case "could lead to a declined tap or incorrect fare calculation".
Switching devices mid-journey costs you too
The 50c covers a whole journey, including up to three transfers with no more than 60 minutes between tapping off one service and tapping on the next (Translink's terms). But only if you use the same payment method throughout.
Switch from your phone to your card at the interchange and the terms say the system will "record these as individual trips and you will be charged separate fares": two 50c fares instead of one.
What it costs over a week
Here's a worked example using the published fares. Say you commute five days a week, one trip each way, tapping on with your phone and off with the physical card.
- Done right: 10 trips at 50c = $5.00 a week.
- Mismatched every time: if each trip is charged one $2.50 default fare, that's $25.00 a week, or $20 more than you should pay.
It can be worse: when equipment fails, Translink's terms say "each unmatched tap in your journey may be charged a default fare".
How to check a Translink $2.50 charge
Your bank statement won't tell you. Translink's contactless FAQ says fares are "rolled up into one transaction and charged to your bank at the end of each day", showing as 'Translink Ticketing'. Translink's support page adds that if you use a Mastercard you'll see a 10c authorisation on your first trip each day, and a Visa shows $0. That hold isn't charged.
So first, open the trips:
- Go to the Translink Ticketing Assistant . You'll need the number, expiry date and CVV of your physical card, even if you tap with your phone. Your wallet app only shows the last four digits.
- It shows up to 20 trips at a time, starting with the past 14 days. Search a date range for anything older.
- Look for trips with a missing tap on or tap off, or a fare of $2.50. If you forgot to tap, the incomplete trip takes six hours to appear.
- If the day's trips were all complete and 50c, the $2.50 on your statement is just five fares added together. Nothing to claim.
How to request a fare adjustment
If a trip is wrong, request a fare adjustment in the Ticketing Assistant, or call 13 12 30. Translink's contactless payment support page says you'll need the bank card details, the date, time and destination of your trip, and your contact details.
What to write: where you got on and off, roughly when, and what went wrong. For example: "Tapped on at Roma Street with my phone around 5:10 pm and got off at Toowong. The reader showed a red cross when I tapped off and the bus had already pulled away."
What happens next, according to Translink's contactless FAQ:
- You get a case reference number.
- If Translink finds you were charged the wrong fare, the refund goes back to the card you travelled with. Translink aims to process requests within 10 business days.
- You can check progress with 'Follow up on an existing fare adjustment'. The trip will still show the original fare even after it's refunded.
Catches: per Translink's terms, an adjustment on a paid trip won't be processed while your account is in debt, Translink can limit how many adjustments you request, and for a broken reader they ask you to call 13 12 30 to verify the fault.
How to stop it happening
- Pick one device and use it for every tap, including transfers. If you tapped on with your watch, tap off with your watch.
- Take the card out of the phone case before you tap, so the validator only sees one card.
- Wait for the green tick and single beep. No tick, tap again before you get off. On tap off the screen also shows the fare, so check it says 50c.
- Changed your mind? Tap the same card or device at the same station between 10 seconds and 20 minutes after your first tap, and the tap is cancelled with no charge.
- Keep your phone or watch charged. The contactless terms put that on you.
Using a go card? Check your history in one go
Default fares on a go card show up in your go card trip history too. If you travel on a go card, download your history using our guide to getting your go card, Opal or myki history , then drop the file into FareClaim . It lists every trip and flags the ones with no matched tap off.
A flag means a trip worth checking, not money Translink owes you. You decide which ones to raise with Translink.
FareClaim is free and run by volunteers. The file is checked in your browser and never uploaded, there are no ads and no cut, and we're not affiliated with Translink. It reads go card, Opal and myki card exports. Contactless bank cards aren't supported yet, so phone and card tappers should use the Ticketing Assistant steps above.
Check your go card history free on FareClaim
Related guides
- Go card refund: which Translink form you actually need (if you travel on a go card)
- Why your 50-cent public transport trip might be costing you more
- Opal card clash: why mixing your phone, watch and card costs you (the Sydney version of the same problem)
- Opal default fare: how much you pay when a tap goes wrong
FAQ
Why did Translink charge me $2.50 instead of 50c?
$2.50 is the default fare on SEQ buses, trains, trams and ferries. You're charged it when a trip has no matching tap on or tap off, including when you tap on and off with different cards or devices. A $2.50 bank charge can also just be five 50c trips combined into one daily payment.
Is Apple Pay the same as my physical card on Translink?
No. Translink treats your phone, watch and plastic card as separate payment methods, so tap on and off with the same one.
How long do I have to dispute a Translink default fare?
Translink says you can request a fare adjustment within 120 days of the date you were charged, through the Ticketing Assistant (contactless) or online for a go card, or by calling 13 12 30.
What is the 10c Translink charge on my bank statement?
A temporary authorisation on your first trip of the day (10c for Mastercard, $0 for Visa). Translink says it isn't charged.
Sources: Translink, [Default fares](https://translink.com.au/tickets-and-fares/fares-and-zones/fixed-fare), [Contactless payments](https://translink.com.au/tickets-and-fares/contactless-payments), [Contactless payments FAQs](https://translink.com.au/tickets-and-fares/contactless-payments/faqs), [How to use contactless payments](https://translink.com.au/tickets-and-fares/contactless-payments/how-to-use-contactless-payments), [Contactless payment support](https://translink.com.au/tickets-and-fares/contactless-payments/contactless-payment-support), [Contactless payments terms and conditions](https://translink.com.au/tickets-and-fares/contactless-payments/terms-and-conditions) and [50 cent fares](https://translink.com.au/tickets-and-fares/50-cent-fares), all checked 19 October 2026. Commuter report: [r/brisbane, "Tapping phone on bus/train"](https://www.reddit.com/r/brisbane/comments/1ts6f83/) (May 2026).