Public transport options vary from city to city and from state to state.
Brisbane
Go cards
go card is TransLink’s electronic ticket to fast, easy and convenient travel.
Use go card on all TransLink bus, train (including Airtrain), ferry and tram services in greater Brisbane, Ipswich, Sunshine Coast, and Gold Coast regions.
The best part about go card is it’s:
- cheaper than the cost of a paper ticket
- convenient to manage
- easy to top-up and use
- available for adults, children, concessions, seniors.
Where to get a go card
You can buy a go card at these places:
- 7-Eleven stores and selected retailers where you see the ‘buy’ symbol
- Queensland Rail Station ticket offices
- fare machines at busway stations
- on board Brisbane City Council CityCat and Ferries.
- Online
- Over the phone. Ph 13 12 30 (24 hour service)
How to use a go card
Using your go card is easy. All you need to remember is TOUCH ON …. TOUCH OFF.
Always remember to touch your go card flat onto the card reader at the beginning and end of your journey. Your go card will automatically calculate the correct fare.
The go card reader will display a green light with one beep for an adult card or an orange light with two beeps for a concession card.
When you touch on: the card reader will show the balance of travel credit stored on your go card.
When you touch off: the card reader will show the fare deducted and your remaining travel balance.
When touching on or off, there is no need to wait for the card reader balance display to clear from the previous passenger.
Buses
Card readers are located at the front and rear doors on buses.
- Touch on at the front of the bus.
- Touch off at either the front or rear door of the bus.
Trains
Card readers are located on station platforms and major stations have card readers attached to fare gates.
- At fare gates, touch on as you enter the station or platform to begin your journey and touch off as you exit the station or platform at the end of your journey, even when the gates are open.
- At card readers, touch on as you enter the station or platform to begin your journey and touch off as you exit the station or platform at the end of your journey.
Ferries
- On the ferry you can touch on and touch off at any of the card readers located onboard – near the ticket seller and where you embark or disembark.
- Card readers are activated at designated ferry stops only – you cannot touch on or touch off at a card reader while the ferry is in motion or between stops.
There is more information at the Translink website.
Concession fares
Most SIA students are eligible for a student discount on the public transport system.
In order to receive concession bus and train fares, you must:
- Reside in Queensland
- Be enrolled in and attending an AQF course at Skills Institute Australia that is at least 12 weeks duration
- Be studying full-time on a face-to-face basis
- Carry your SIA student ID card
You are not eligible for concession if:
- You don’t live in Queensland
- You’re not enrolled at SIA
- You don’t have your SIA student ID card with you
- You’re studying a non-AQF course
What are the AQF courses?
Most courses offered by SIA are AQF courses.
These are some of the exceptions – if you are enrolled in one of these courses, you are not eligible for concession:
- Comprehensive English ENG0317
- Short courses in massage, automotive, cookery or business skills. These short courses are generally only one or two days in duration, or are held one day per week over a period of time.
How to apply for concession
- Enrol into an eligible course at SIA
- Provide your local address to SIA
- Obtain your SIA student ID card
- Purchase an Adult go card. When you purchase your go card you’ll pay a refundable deposit of $10 (adult) or $5 (child, concession, senior). If you no longer need your go card, you can request a refund of the deposit plus any travel balance on your go card (less any outstanding fares, fees and charges).
- If you already have a go card, make sure it has not expired. To check your expiry date you can log into your go card account online, visit a selected go card retailer or train station ticket office, or call TransLink 13 12 30
- Apply for a concession online
- Click here to go to the Translink application page.
- Complete all the required details
- For Organisation, enter ‘Skills Institute Australia’
- For ID No., enter your student number. You can find this on your student ID card
- review and submit your application
- Translink will inform you via SMS or email whether you are eligible. If you get a message from Translink saying you are not eligible, please inform SIA reception. If you are eligible, the concession fares will be applied automatically.
Remember, always carry your student ID card with you. You can be fined if you do not have it with you while travelling on public transport.
Toowoomba
Go cards are currently not used in Toowoomba.
More information:
Perth
Concessions are not available for SIA students in Perth at the present time.
How to use your SmartRider card
Tagging on and off
This is simply placing your SmartRider on a card reader at the start and end of your journey.
Though tagging on and off is simple it’s the most important part of using your SmartRider. If you don’t tag on you haven’t purchased a valid ticket to ride on our services and if you don’t tag off we can’t figure out the correct amount your journey costs.
| What you do | At the start and end of each journey, place your SmartRider card over the picture of the card on a card reader on the bus, on the ferry or at the train station. |
| What happens | A beep and green light confirms a successful tag on or tag off. When you tag on, the card reader will display your remaining balance. When you tag off, the card reader will display the amount of the fare deducted and your remaining balance. |
More information:
- Using SmartRider cards
- Student concession eligibility in Perth
- Types of SmartRider cards
- Journey planner