Tag 'n Ride!

with a Contactless bank card

We are pleased to advise that as of 31 October 2019, you may use your Contactless bank card to tag in and out at stations (bus and parking included).



Important note: Whether you choose to use a Contactless bank card or not, please take care to avoid card clash as of 31 October 2019 by tagging in and out with the card that you choose to travel with (either your Gautrain card or your Contactless bank card) and not with your wallet or purse. Tagging in by touching your wallet or purse to a fare gate may result in card clash as the fare gate reader is unable to determine which card you intend to travel with. As a result, your fare may be charged to the card you did not intend to travel with, or, more than one of the cards contained in your wallet or purse may be charged. To avoid card clash, remove the card you intend to pay with from your wallet or purse and tag in and out with that same card.

Tagging in and out with two different Contactless bank cards will result in a penalty fee of R250 being charged to each Contactless bank card.

To ensure the security and privacy of your bank card, Gautrain does not store bank card numbers. Instead, bank card numbers are converted to a token which we then save.

Click here to generate a Card Token.



About Contactless bank cards

What is a Contactless bank card:

Increasingly banks are issuing bank cards that may be used to make transactions at various retailers without the need to enter a Personal Identification Number (PIN). If your bank card has this symbol, then you have a Contactless bank card.

Gautrain is pleased to advise that you may use your Contactless bank card to travel on Gautrain, train, buses and parking included.

Contactless bank cards that are accepted include:

  • Debit cards
  • Credit cards
  • Cheque cards
  • National Department of Transport (NDoT cards), including: Areyeng Card, Rea Vaya and My CiTi PayPasses

Note: When using a NDoT card at Gautrain, please make sure that you have sufficient value on the card to pay for your ‘complete trip’ as you will not be able to load value on NDoT cards at a Gautrain station. Part-payments are not accepted at Gautrain. As such, you cannot use a NDoT card together with your Contactless bank card, cash or a Gautrain card to pay for your travel. Please ensure that you tag in and out using the same card. Penalty fees will otherwise apply to each Contactless bank card.



Benefits of paying with a Contactless bank card

Tag 'n Ride!

with a Contactless bank card

To speed up your travel at Gautrain, simply use your Contactless bank card.

You may:

  • Avoid queues and save time
  • Have an alternate payment option
  • Enjoy cashless travel
  • Foreign cards are accepted making it easy for tourists to access the system

Note: Rail-user discounts and other special offers will still apply when travelling with your Contactless bank card, as long as you use the same Contactless bank card for your entire journey, including train, bus and parking. However, Train Products (Monthly, Weekly, Return and Single Train Products) can only be loaded onto a Gautrain card.


What is card clash?



In addition to your Gautrain card, you may have one or more Contactless bank cards in your wallet or purse. If you tag in by touching your wallet or purse to a fare gate, you may experience card clash as the fare gate reader will not know which card you intend to make payment with. This may result in charges on more than one card. This is referred to as card clash. To avoid card clash, remove the card that you intend to pay with from your wallet or purse and tag with the card itself.

Do not use your wallet or purse to tag in or out at the fare gates as the card reader may not identify the card you intend to pay with. In addition, more than one card may be charged and penalties may be applied.




Remember to tag in and out using the same Contactless bank card or the same Gautrain card.


One card, One trip, One person



Failing to tag in and out with the same Contactless bank card will result in you being charged a penalty fare of R250 on each of your Contactless bank cards.

Each Gautrain passenger is required to possess their own Contactless bank card or Gautrain card. More than one passenger may not travel using a single card, even if there is sufficient value on the card.

How to use your Contactless bank card at Gautrain

How to use the parking facility:


Hold your Contactless bank card to the ticket reader on the fare gate at the parking entry point.



Wait for the boom to open. Drive in (similar to the illustration). Note: Rail-user discount will not be applied when receiving a paper ticket on parking entry. Please be sure to tag in and out of the parking using your Contactless bank card.



Tap your Contactless bank card to the ticket reader.


Wait for the boom to open. Drive out. Note: If you park for more than five days you will need to settle the payment at the Ticket Office before tagging out at the parking fare gate.



Tap your Contactless bank card to the ticket reader at the fare gate.



A green light and a beep sound will indicate validation and the glass barrier will open.



Enjoy your ride!



Tap the same Contactless bank card that you tagged in with to the ticket reader.



A green light and a beep sound will indicate validation and the glass barrier will open. Proceed swiftly. Note: Make sure you tag in and out with the same Contactless bank card.


How to use the bus service:


Tap your Contactless bank card to the ticket reader on the bus. A green light and beep sound will indicate validation.



Relax. Enjoy your bus ride.



Every second Gautrian bus is equipped with wheelchair ramps and bays. Please ask your driver for assistance if need be.



Press the buzzer to indicate to the driver your intention to disembark at the next stop.



No tag out is required when leaving the bus. Note: If you tag out using your Contactless bank card, you will be charged for two bus trips instead of one. To enjoy rail-user discounts when using the train, parking facility and bus, remember to use the same Contactless bank card for your entire journey.


Refund Request and Debt Settlement

Submit an online refund request


Refund requests are made easy on the Gautrain website. To submit an online refund request simply link your Contactless bank card as a transit card.




Debt Settlement


If your bank rejects a transaction, your Contactless bank card will be blocked prohibiting any further transactions from being made at Gautrain. To continue using your Contactless bank card on the Gautrain system, settle your debt at a Gautrain Ticket Office or online at www.gautrain.co.za (no admin fee will apply).


NOTE: Debt may be settled either at the Ticket Office or on the Gautrain website/app. Debt may be settled using a Contactless bank card that has been blocked.


NOTE: If your Contactless bank card is lost or stolen, please contact your bank to have the card blocked.(no admin fee will apply).