Planning to ride the bus or light rail in Canberra? Whether you’ve got your MyWay card ready to go or plan to purchase a pre-paid ticket, the fare you pay will differ depending on a few factors.
MyWay calculates the cheapest possible fare per passenger, based on any eligible concession and daily or monthly fare caps, with concession eligibility enabling reduced cost or even in some circumstances free travel.
All MyWay fares and single trip pre-paid tickets include a free 90-minute transfer period so you can connect to a different bus or light rail service or commence your return journey using the same ticket within 90 minutes of starting.
MyWay pricing
For an adult using their MyWay card, peak travel costs $3.22 a ride and off peak $2.55, with a weekday cap of $9.60 and weekend/public holiday cap of $5.87.
For a MyWay concession holder, peak travel costs $1.61 and off peak is free when users tap on and off correctly; a default fare ($0.89 for concession/students) will be charged if users don’t tap off.
Concession holders travel with a weekday cap of $4.80 and a weekend/public holiday cap of $2.17, which is not applicable during the free off-peak travel trial.
For MyWay students, tertiary students pay $1.61 a ride, school students pay $1.21 a trip on school days and $1.61 on non-school days, with a weekday cap of $4.80 and a weekend/public holiday cap of $2.17.
All fares are GST inclusive.
With an ACT Seniors MyWay card, concession fares apply at all times. Off-peak fares between the hours of 9am and 4.30pm, weekend and public holidays are free.
Canberrans aged 60 and over, who meet eligibility requirements, will be entitled to an ACT Senior’s MyWay card; apply for one here.
Off-peak discounts apply between 9am and 4.30pm, and after 6pm on weekdays, and all day on weekends and public holidays. All other periods are peak fares.
Children five and under not attending school and ACT seniors over 70 travel free.
Free travel across Transport Canberra’s bus and light rail services is also extended to Vision Impaired Travel Pass holders, Companion Card holders as issued by the Community Services Directorate, and Department of Veterans Affairs TPI Gold Card holders.
A cap of 40 paid trips (30 paid trips for school students – excluding tertiary students) applies for the calendar month, with all subsequent travel that month free if you tap on and off.
Cash fares are currently not accepted. Daily tickets are valid until midnight on the day of purchase.
Purchasing a MyWay card
Purchasing a MyWay card can be done from one of 40 recharge agents, online, or by phoning 13 17 10. It costs adults $5, concession holders and students $2.50, and is free for MyWay seniors.
If you don’t have a MyWay card, you can purchase a single or daily adult or concession ticket via the Transport Canberra ticket vending machines located at the Gungahlin Place Bus Station; City Bus Station; Woden Bus Station; Tuggeranong Bus Station; all Light Rail platforms; Canberra Airport, adjacent to the Visit Canberra booth; and the Westfield Belconnen Bus Station.
The vending machines also allow passengers to top up their MyWay card instantly for bus and light rail.
MyWay cards can also be topped up at any of the locations listed above, or via Transport Canberra’s Autoload program (direct debit) or via a recharge agent.
MyWay users who register their card and recharge through autoload (direct debit) or BPAY are eligible for a 5% discount on their individual trip fares.
For BPAY, the Biller Code and your Customer Reference Number are located on the front of your MyWay card in the bottom-right corner. Funds will apply to your MyWay card five days from the time of payment.
Transport Canberra patrons can check their MyWay balance three ways: at a vending machine; online if your MyWay card has been registered; and when tapping off a bus or a ticket validator at a Light Rail platform.
