Can I use my card to pay my child's fare?

TransLink cards are for individual use. Each rider 5 years of age or older must have his/her own card.

Why can't I tag the card for my fare, then again for someone traveling with me?

The TransLink card has a feature that stops you from tagging more than once on the same bus within a 10-minute time frame. This feature was built in to protect you from accidentally tagging twice, but it also prevents the card from being used by more than one person on the same bus. Thus, you cannot pay for two fares at one time, nor can you use the TransLink card to pay your fare, and then hand it to someone else to use on the same bus.

Where is the TransLink card reader?

There is one TransLink card reader on each AC Transit bus. It is located in the front, either attached to the pole on the left as you board, or near the farebox.

How do I actually use the TransLink card?

Simply touch ("tag") your TransLink card to the TransLink logo on the card reader at the front of the bus.

How do I know that the card worked?

When your fare is accepted, the card reader will emit one beep and flash a green light. One beep and a yellow light means that your fare was accepted, but that your card balance is getting low. Three beeps and a red light means your fare is invalid, and the reason will be displayed on the card reader screen. In this event, you will need to pay cash for your fare.

What if the TransLink system goes down or if it charges me the wrong fare?

Your bus driver does not have access to the TransLink server and cannot resolve fare questions. If you feel that TransLink charged you incorrectly, phone the TransLink Customer Service Center (toll-free) at 877-878-8883. TransLink Customer Service Center staff can verify your usage history, determine if you are due a refund, and answer any other questions you might have about the system.

What happens if the TransLink card reader says I don't have enough money on my card for my ride?

If your fare exceeds your available e-cash balance, you can complete your trip, as long as you have at least $0.01 on your card. You will need to add value before you can use your card again. Your new card balance will automatically be reduced by the amount you owe.

If your card has no e-cash on it whatsoever, or if your 31-day pass has expired, your TransLink card will reject and you'll have to pay your fare in cash. Establishing Autoload will assure that you don't ever run short on fares!

I ride a transbay bus locally, and pay the local fare. How does TransLink know only to charge the local fare?

You need to tell the driver you are a local rider before tagging your card! The driver will switch the Translink card reader to "local" to deduct the proper fare.

What do I do if I want to transfer from an AC Transit bus to a transit agency that's not on TransLink yet, such as VTA?

If the other transit operator is not yet using TransLink, we recommend that you continue paying your fare with a paper pass or cash, not a TransLink card. However, once the other transit agency joins the TransLink network, any appropriate discounted fares will automatically be deducted when you tag your TransLink card.

Is AC Transit doing away with paper tickets and passes?

Magnetic stripe tickets may go away at some point in the future, however this will depend on the acceptance of the TransLink program, and our ability to provide convenient access to fare media to all customers. Regardless, AC Transit will always accept payment in cash from its passengers.

Everyone in my household has a TransLink card, and they all look alike. How can we tell them apart?

If you have multiple TransLink cards in your household, we suggest you use the signature panel on the back of the card to identify the owner (and to claim the card if it is ever turned in to Lost and Found).

I’m in a wheelchair and board at the back of the bus. When the TransLink card for persons with disabilities becomes available, how will I pay with it?

If you are in a wheelchair and need to board through a rear door, hand your TransLink card to the bus operator. S/he will take your TransLink card to the card reader at the front of the bus for you, then return it to you.

The TransLink card reader won't read my card. What's going on?

Be sure you hold your TransLink card firmly against the TransLink “T” logo, which is located on the lower half of the card reader unit, and not against the display screen located on the upper half of the card reader unit. Common mistakes are not holding the card to the reader long enough for it to register (beep), or tagging the display screen instead of the TransLink “T”. Once you practice this a few times, “tagging on” will become routine.

I only have a local 31-day pass on my card, but I'm going to San Francisco today. How do I upgrade?

In order to use your local 31-day pass for transbay service, you need to have e-cash on your card as a supplement for the higher fare. When you have e-cash on your TransLink card in addition to a local 31-day pass, the difference between a local and transbay fare will be taken out of your e-cash balance. This is one example of why having a combination of e-cash and a pass on your TransLink card is useful. If you only have a local 31-day pass on your card and no e-cash, you cannot use your TransLink card on a transbay bus. And you cannot use that local pass on your TransLink card to pay for just the local fare, then pay cash for the balance due. Without e-cash on your card, you will have to pay the full transbay fare in cash.

Does the BART-to-Bus transfer work with TransLink?

The BART-to-Bus transfer will not work with a TransLink card until BART is rolled out on TransLink. If you'd like the BART-to-Bus discount, you should pay your fare with cash or a pass, not with a TransLink card.

However, once BART joins the TransLink network (scheduled to occur in 2008), the appropriate discounted fare will automatically be deducted when you tag the card.

What should I do if the TransLink equipment on the bus is not working?

If the TransLink equipment onboard the bus is not operational or has not yet been installed, please present your valid TransLink card to the bus operator and you will be allowed to board the bus free for that trip.

If I add a new 31-day transbay pass on my Translink card before my current transbay 31-day pass expires, when does the new 31-day pass become active?

If you're not signed up for autoload and add a new 31-day pass while the previous one is still live on your TransLink card, the system will simply extend the expiration date of the current pass by 31 days. There will be no gap in between the dates of the existing and new pass. If you prefer there to be a gap in between the dates of your old pass expiring and the new one becoming active, make sure you purchase your new pass only after the old one expires. Then, the new pass will be activated when first used, just like today.

***The 31 day pass works this way if you load the value in person, on the web or by phone.***

If you are signed up for autoload, TransLink will automatically load the new pass to your Translink card the next time you board after the original pass is completely depleted. So if you were out of town when your old pass expired, a new pass would not be added until you needed it (your next boarding). For example, if you have an AC Transit 31 day pass that expires on May 12th and are signed up for autoload, the new pass will not become active until the first time the card is tagged AFTER May 12th. So if you do not tag your card again until May 21st, the new pass will be activated with a start date of May 21st and an expiration date 31 days out from the start date. This happens automatically, with no disruption in your ability to use Translink. Best of all, it is only after you start using the new pass that you are actually charged for it.

This information is true for 31-day local passes as well.

Why can't I get a youth TransLink card for AC Transit?

AC Transit has decided to focus this initial launch on adult riders. The goal is to make sure that the system is working before adding the next level of complexity. Because every youth card will need to be individually registered, we need to carefully plan how cards will get registered so that it will be convenient for our customers.