Passengers to test contactless payments on Perth's public transport network

Eligible passengers are invited to take part in a trial to test contactless payment technology on Perth's public transport network before it is rolled out to the wider community by the end of the year.

The Public Transport Authority has launched a two-week recruitment process to find 50 suitable passengers to trial credit card and debit card payments on new card readers on its ferries.

Contactless payment options will also include credit and debit cards in smart phone digital wallets, smart watches and other wearable devices.

To be considered for the ferry trial, passengers will need to be a regular ferry user, at least 18 years old and hold a valid Mastercard or Visa card in their name.

The ferry trial will start later this month before it is expanded to include buses and trains, with an additional 150 participants to be recruited for this phase.

Trial participants will be required to register their debit or credit card and use that to tag on and off their public transport journeys.

They will be charged the standard cash ticket fare for each journey they complete. 

As an incentive for taking part in the trial, participants will receive e-gift cards for each survey they complete and free parking at all train station car parks during the duration of the trial.

The trials mark a key milestone in the SmartRider Upgrade Project, which will make contactless payments available across the wider public transport network by the end of the year.

The new contactless payment options will complement Transperth's SmartRider system, introduced more than 18 years ago.

The SmartRider Upgrade Project is the biggest upgrade to the system since its introduction in 2007, and includes:

• the replacement of more than 4,000 SmartRider validators across the bus, train and ferry network;
• the replacement of all Add Value Machines with new 'SmartRider Hubs'; and
• Pay-By-Plate parking machines upgraded to accept debit and credit cards.