LAST UPDATE: 17 November 2024
This article is based on the details contained in the contract with NEC as well as information from Transport Canberra and other publicly-available sources.
⚠️ ACT Bus has made every effort to provide accurate and up-to-date information, however we recommend referring to the Transport Canberra website for official guidance on how to use MyWay+. All details or advice issued by Transport Canberra at any time must be regarded as accurate, even if it contradicts information in this article.
This article will continue to be revised as additional details about MyWay+ become known.
In May 2023, the ACT Government entered into a contract with NEC Australia to implement and maintain a new Public Transport ticketing and real time passenger system.
What is being changed?
The ‘MyWay’ fare payment system (from Flowbird – formerly Parkeon/Downer EDI) and the ‘NXTBUS’ real time passenger information system (from Trapeze) are being replaced with an account-based ticketing and integrated real-time passenger information system, which will be known as ‘MyWay+‘.
How will I be able to pay for my Transport Fare?
Every bus and tram platform will be equipped with new card and ticket validators. Passengers will verify their fare by:
- allowing one of the following cards to be read (or “tapped-on”) by the card reader on the front of the validator –
- a Transit Smartcard (“MyWay+ card”)
- a physical credit/debit card which allows for contactless payments (i.e. Visa payWave or Mastercard Contactless cards)
- a virtual payment card on either a mobile phone (e.g. Apple Pay or Google Wallet) or smartwatch
- scanning a QR code (using scanner located on the base of the ticket validator) –
- displayed on the MyWay+ mobile phone app
- printed on a paper ticket issued by a Ticket Vending Machine (TVM)
printed on a pre-purchased ticket issued over the internet (known as a “print-at-home” ticket) – ticket can be scanned from a mobile phone screen[this option may not initially be available – see below for more details]
Can I just show my ticket or concession card to the driver?
MyWay+ is designed to minimise driver interaction. With only a few exceptions, tickets must be tapped-on or scanned by the ticket validators fitted to buses or on the tram platforms. This includes paper tickets purchased from a Ticket Vending Machine – even when travelling on the tram.
Until June 2025, Seniors Card holders (including Interstate Seniors) will be permitted to show their card to the driver (or tram customer service officer) when eligible for free travel; but if travelling during peak times when a fare applies, Seniors Card holders must pay their fare in the usual manner. After this date, all Seniors Card holders will be required to tap on with a MyWay+ card, MyWay+ app or using a credit/debit card linked to a MyWay+ account.
The other exceptions to using a MyWay+ card or account are children aged under 5 (but not attending school), and the companions or carers of a concession card holder which allow free travel for an attendant. Refer to Transport Canberra website for full details of available concessions.
What is an account-based ticket system and how does it differ from MyWay?
MyWay+ is an account-based ticketing system. Similar to a bank account or pre-paid mobile phone, the balance and transactions are centrally stored and accessed every time you tap on and tap off. This type of system requires every bus and tram platform to have an active data connection to enable access to the accounts.
If using a MyWay+ card or the MyWay+ app, you will be required to have sufficient funds in your MyWay+ account and the fare will be deducted from that account.
However, if you tap on with a credit/debit card, the fare payment will be charged directly to the card account provided there is available credit. After your initial tap-on for the day, the system will store all your travel details and charge a single transaction to your account at the end of the day.
The MyWay system operated as a “stored value smartcard” in which the available balance and card concession type were stored on a microchip in the card. This allowed the system to calculate and deduct fares on the spot without the need for a data connection. The disadvantage of this type of system is that account top-ups and other adjustments had to be written on to the card after they are processed – if the top-up was performed by a TVM or an agent, the card was updated straight away; but when top-ups were performed over the internet, the transaction had to go through several steps (which take several days) before it was applied to a MyWay card.
Can I keep using my old MyWay card?
No – MyWay cards will not be accepted by the new system. A new MyWay+ card will be available, but you will also have the ability to use a credit/debit card (and virtual cards on mobile phones and smartwatches), or the MyWay+ app to tap on to buses and trams.
Can I save a MyWay+ card as a Transit Pass in Google Wallet or Apple Pay?
No, but you will be able to tap on and off using Google Wallet or Apple Pay to access a credit or debit card saved to your phone.
Will MyWay+ support express mode for Apple Pay?
Initially, no. However Transport Canberra are planning on making it available in the future.
How do I top-up my MyWay+ card account?
- through retailers connected to the ePay network (which includes Coles, Woolworths, Australia Post, BP, 7-Eleven, EG, Ampol and many other retailers such as newsagents, convenience stores and some IGA supermarkets) – extent of retailers to be confirmed
- by using an Ticket Vending Machine at tram platforms and selected bus stations
- online through the MyWay+ website or app (including unregistered cards)
- by setting up an auto top up from a nominated credit/debit card using the MyWay+ website or app – this option will not be available for unregistered cards. Autoload will only be available for Mastercard or Visa cards; bank account direct debits will no longer be available.
MyWay+ retailers are currently BP outlets and selected newsagents and convenience stores. Additional retailers will be added at a later date and are expected to include Woolworths and Coles Supermarkets and Australia Post agencies.
The current list of agencies can be found on the Transport Canberra website.
Will the new MyWay+ cards expire?
MyWay cards expired after 2 years without use
There is no information on whether the new cards will expire or what will occur with inactive accounts.
Do I need to register an account to in order to use MyWay+ ?
You will be able to use a MyWay+ card without having to register it. However unregistered cards cannot be blocked in the event of loss. Cards without a registered MyWay+ account will also not be able to transfer any card balances from an old MyWay card.
Unregistered (or “anonymous”) MyWay+ cards can be obtained for all concession types, however proof of concession is required when purchasing the card and the card will revert to an adult fare type when the default concession period expires. There is no information available about how to extend a concession period if the card remains unregistered.
Unregistered cards cannot set up an auto top-up authority, or be used with a Park & Ride permit.
You will also be able to pay using a credit/debit card without a MyWay+ account, but adult fares will be charged.
How will account registration be managed?
The MyWay+ account will be incorporated into the existing ACT Digital Account infrastructure, which is used by Access Canberra, Domestic Animal Services and ACT Housing.
Alternatively, a MyWay+ account can be created without an ACT Digital Account, but an email address must be provided: this email address cannot be used for another MyWay+ account registration.
Can I register a single account for all members of my family?
Yes – you will be able to create a master account which can be accessed by multiple MyWay+ cards. This will allow school children (for instance) to travel while accessing a single family account.
The ability to link multiple accounts into a master account will not be available until early 2025.
If I am entitled to a concession fare, can I use my credit/debit card?
Concession fares are available with credit/debit card only if a MyWay+ account has been registered. Details of your concession (e.g. Seniors Card) must be set up in the account as well as the credit/debit card(s) which will be used. Passengers are required to carry their proof of concession when travelling on a concession fare.
Once a MyWay+ account is registered for a concession holder, the expiry date of the concession can be updated using the MyWay+ account portal. If a concession expires, the account will revert to adult fare.
If I use my credit card, will the card details be safe?
The contract requires that MyWay+ complies with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard and that all data is encrypted with ASD-approved cryptographic protocols.
Will there be any additional fees for paying by credit card?
As is currently the case with tickets purchased through a Ticket Vending Machine, tapping on with a credit card will not attract any additional processing fee. Nor will any fees apply to account top-ups performed online or through a ticket vending machine.
Can I pay by cash?
The new system is designed to be cashless. You will not be able to purchase any tickets from bus drivers, nor will you be able to purchase tickets from a Ticket Vending Machine with cash (to be confirmed). Cash top ups to a MyWay+ account can still be made at retailers and agents.
If I am visiting Canberra, how do I pay for a bus fare without a MyWay+ card?
Without a MyWay+ card, the easiest way to pay is to tap on with your contactless credit or debit card. Or you can create a MyWay+ account which will allow you to tap on by scanning a QR code generated by the MyWay+ app.
A single-use “print-at-home” ticket was meant to be available through the MyWay+ website (as mentioned in the NEC contract and by Minister Steel on Facebook), however as at November 2024 there has been no information published suggesting that this functionality will be available when the system commences.
How can I purchase paper tickets?
Paper tickets will be able to be purchased from Ticket Vending Machines at tram stops, the Airport and most bus stations. This includes the option to purchase a “group travel” ticket where a single ticket can be issued for multiple passengers travelling together,
Will the system be compatible with Queanbeyan buses, Opal or Myki?
At this stage, the MyWay+ fare system is for Transport Canberra services only. The system could be later added to the Queanbeyan and Yass bus services (CDC Canberra), but this will require the hardware to be installed on their buses. There are no known plans for this to occur.
While MyWay+ cards cannot be used interstate, credit/debit card payment systems are already available on transport services in many regions – including CDC buses in Queanbeyan and across the Opal network in NSW. And for those services which don’t currently accept credit/debit cards (such as PTV/Myki in Melbourne), they are expected in implement such systems in the future.
Will I still need to tap off?
Yes. ACT Transport Minister Chris Steel has referred to “tapping off” in Media Releases and elsewhere when discussing the new system. Tapping off will enable the system to monitor passenger levels on board buses – and it will also provide data to Transport Canberra about passenger journeys.
Passengers will be required to tap off in the same manner as tapping on – including when tapping on with a credit/debit card. If a credit/debit card is tapped on using a virtual card (e.g. on a smartwatch), the same device must also perform the tap-off – a physical card is regarded as being a different card and will not be treated as a valid tap-off if used when the tap-on was performed using the virtual card (and vice-versa).
Journeys that used a paper ticket with a printed QR code will also need to be scanned off when exiting a bus or tram platform.
A default fare for failing to tap off will still apply.
Will the fares be the same?
MyWay+ will use the same fare structure as MyWay when implemented. This includes the monthly trip cap, default fares for failure to tag off, and the 5% auto top-up discount.
The auto top-up discount will only apply for fares paid using the MyWay+ account where an auto top-up is active. If an account is topped up manually using a retailer or TVM, the auto top-up discount will not apply. Similarly, fares paid by directly tapping on with a credit/debit card will not attract an auto top-up discount even if an authority was previously active for the account.
While the fare structure will remain the same for now, in theory, an account-based ticketing system allows more fare options than those possible with a stored-value smartcard. For example, a “fare cap” based on the value of the fares could be used rather than the number of journeys; it would also be possible to apply time-based fare caps such as the “off peak daily” fare which existed prior to MyWay as well as “weekly”, “school term” and “yearly” caps.
The 2024/25 ACT Budget announced fares will increase from January 2025. However, there is no information to suggest that the fare structure will be altered from this date.
Will there be any additional Ticket Vending Machines?
At this stage, no. The existing 26 Ticket Vending Machines will be modified to support the new system but no additional machines are included in the contract.
How will tickets be checked?
Ticket Inspectors and Transport Officers will be issued with hand-held devices which can scan MyWay+ cards, credit/debit cards, paper tickets and QR codes from the MyWay+ app. The device will display whether the inspected card, ticket or app QR code has been correctly validated and also show the concession status and account balance (where applicable).
What will the new MyWay+ app do?
There will be a MyWay+ app for Android and iPhones. This app will provide journey planning and real time tracking of buses and trams (replacing the NXTBUS website).
It will also offer account and card management functions including: account top-ups, transaction history and a function for tapping on and off using a QR code.
Will the SMS bus tracking be available in MyWay+?
No. MyWay+ will incorporate real-time bus tracking in the new MyWay+ app and journey planner, but the SMS service will be discontinued. Real-time information will continue to be available to third party apps and is also expected to be available in Google Transit once MyWay+ commences.
How will the transition to MyWay+ be managed?
Unlike the roll-out of MyWay in 2011, there won’t be a dual ticketing system during the implementation of the new system. Instead, the existing MyWay ticket system was deactivated on 20 September 2024 and public transport became fare-free from that date while MyWay+ is installed. The new system is scheduled to commence on 27 November 2024.
The NXTBUS real-time bus tracking was also decommissioned on 20 September.
In the lead-up to the new system, four MyWay+ demonstration buses commenced service in May 2024 to raise awareness of the new system. These buses were equipped only with the MyWay+ system and operated on regular route services fare-free (since they could not accept old MyWay cards).
What will happen to the balance on my MyWay card?
For MyWay cards which were registered prior to 20 September 2024 – the remaining balance can either be transferred to a new MyWay+ account (using the MyWay+ account portal) or be refunded. No transaction fees will apply for either request.
MyWay cards not registered by 20 September can still have their balance transferred to MyWay+ once the new system is operational. The method to request this is not yet known.
How will Seniors Cards be changed to the new system?
The current combined Seniors Card/MyWay cards will not be re-issued or replaced. The Seniors Card aspect will remain active, but the MyWay smartcard will no longer be functional.
Seniors Card holders will be able to access the system using the same options as other passengers. New MyWay+ cards will be able to be linked to a Seniors Card entitlement (including free travel for ACT residents over 70 years); a credit/debit card or the MyWay+ app can also be used to access a Seniors Card fare.
Seniors Card holders will be able to obtain a new MyWay+ travel card free of charge from MyWay+ retailers. There will be the option to obtain an anonymous Seniors MyWay+ card which will not require an account to be set up.
Cards are available from MyWay+ retailers or can be ordered using the MyWay+ app (after 14 November 2024).
However, Seniors Card holders (including Interstate Seniors) will be permitted to show their card to the driver (or tram customer service officer) instead of tapping-on when eligible for free travel; but if travelling during peak times when a fare applies, Seniors Card holders must pay their fare in the usual manner. This will apply until June 2025. After this date, all Seniors Card holders will be required to tap on with a MyWay+ card, MyWay+ app or using a credit/debit card linked to a MyWay+ account.
Will Seniors need to re-apply for Opal concession cards?
No – the ACT Seniors Card will remain active so any concessions linked to it will remain unaffected. It is only the MyWay smartcard which will no longer be able to be used.
Did the 3G network shutdown influence the change-over to a new system?
Despite reports to the contrary, the MyWay ticketing system was able to collect fares without a 3G mobile network. However, some aspects of the system (such as ticket agents) may have been utilising the 3G network to process top-ups and card updates. Ticket vending machines at tram stops and bus stations are believed to have been using either 4G mobile or fixed line data networks.
On the other hand, the NXTBUS real-time location system did rely on the Optus 3G network to send bus location data.
A new ticketing and real-time system has been under consideration since July 2016 and the date of the shutdown of the Optus 3G network (originally intended to be in September 2024) was factored in to the planning for the new system.
When will the new system be implemented?
MyWay and NXTBUS were switched off from 20 September 2024. Installation of new equipment onto buses, interchanges and light rail stops commenced on 23 September. User testing of the new system, including the MyWay+ account portal, commenced in October 2024.
MyWay+ is scheduled to commence on 27 November 2024.
The MyWay+ app and account portal was activated on 14 November 2024 – this has enabled MyWay+ accounts to be set up and cards ordered online. Real-time tracking of buses through the MyWay+ was not activated, but tram journeys can be tracked in the app.
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Further reading:
This page was last updated on 17 November 2024
