From today MyWay+ will be in use on Canberra's buses and light rail. Here's what's changing

From today Canberra's bus and light rail services will begin charging fares again as they introduce a new ticketing system.

Public transport in the national capital was fare-free for over two months as Transport Canberra transitioned to the MyWay+ system.

The new system allows users to tap on and off at a validator with a new MyWay+ transport card or certain contactless bank cards.

It also allows users to pay using their digital wallet or through a new app, but there is some set up involved in those payment methods.

The system includes a real-time journey planner through the Transport Canberra website and the MyWay+ app, which is available for both Apple and Android.

Here's some of the important things to know about the transition to MyWay+.

How to get a MyWay+ card

Much like buying an old MyWay card, a MyWay+ travel card can be purchased at certain stores and service stations around Canberra.

This includes concession travel cards, but a concession card must be presented at the time of purchase.

MyWay+ cards can also be ordered online through a MyWay+ account, including concession travel cards.

A new adult MyWay+ card costs $5. 

A concession, student, or tertiary MyWay+ card costs $2.50.

And travel cards are free for seniors, those with a Department of Veterans Affairs Gold card, or a Person with Permanent Impairment card.

In order to pay the lowest fare, travellers must tap off with their card.

It's time to ditch the old card, but transfer funds first

Old MyWay cards will not work on the MyWay+ system.

All funds on an old card can be transferred to the new card without any cost, but it will require a MyWay+ account.

To do this, card holders must enter their old card's nine-digit number and all funds will be transferred.

There is no deadline for moving funds across from old cards.

Balances can be transferred from up to five MyWay cards into one MyWay+ account, but when transferring from more than one, all cards must kept for three months for fraud prevention measures.

You can tap on with your Mastercard or Visa card

You can get on any Transport Canberra service without the app or an account by tapping on with a contactless Mastercard or Visa card – but you still must tap off with the same card to avoid a larger fare.

For those travellers who are still keen to avoid technology - it is possible to use a paper ticket by buying it at a light rail stop, or online or at a Transport Canberra service.

Ticket vending machines are also located at the Canberra Airport, and the Gungahlin, Belconnen, City, Tuggeranong, and Woden bus interchanges.

What do I do if I have a smartphone or watch wallet?

In order to claim a concession fare when paying with a digital Mastercard or Visa card you have stored on a smartphone or smart watch wallet, you'll need a MyWay+ account that's linked to your bank account.

There is also an in-app ticket, called MyWay+ pass, which displays a dynamic QR code that can be scanned by the validator. 

Because the QR code is constantly changing, a screenshot will not work, only a live QR code within the app will scan.

To pay the smallest fare on both digital card payments and MyWay+ pass payments, you must tap off in the same way as tapping on.

Contactless American Express cards will not be accepted.

Group travel passes can be bought at ticket machines

Users cannot use a single MyWay+ travel card or contactless Mastercard or Visa card – digital or physical – to tap on for more than one person in a trip.

To use one payment method to pay for multiple people's fares, a group travel pass can be purchased from ticket vending machines at all light rail stops and major bus interchanges.

The ticket will have a QR code which can be scanned by validators.

All passengers using a group travel ticket must travel together.

You can now get real-time journey planning

Within the MyWay+ app users can top up their travel card, receive notifications when their account is low on funds, and check if a bus has a bike rack.

The app also has personalised real time journey planning and real time service updates, and can manage in-app tickets and contactless payment options on travel cards.

Transport Canberra's Judith Sturman told ABC Radio Canberra the new app also offered features like being able to select a "favourite journey".

"So whether it's from home to work, you can select what your preference is, whether you want to have a bit of walking in that journey," she said.

"You can also be alerted to when you need to leave the house, if you want to have a 10 minute alert before you need to get ready to leave, then you can put that in."

Fare-free Fridays won't start this week 

Although the ACT government had previously promised to introduce fare-free Fridays on public transport, that will not begin this week.

Transport Canberra and City Services Deputy-Director General Ben McHugh today was unable to say when public transport would become free on Fridays.

"The government is absolutely committed to fare-free Friday, and a date of commencement I expect to be announced very soon,'' he said.

Some retail outlets have sold out of MyWay+ cards but Mr McHugh said additional cards were being delivered.

"We were surprised by the popularity of the cards at some of the retail outlets," he said.

Mr McHugh also said that if passengers had yet to receive their MyWay+ cards in the mail, they could show evidence that it had been ordered and they would still be able to travel.