go card goes live on Airtrain from June 1

The go card system will expand on Sunday to allow air travellers to use their go card to travel to and from Brisbane airport on the privately owned Airtrain.

Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said the addition of Airtrain to the go card network was a positive step to improve access to the busy Brisbane Airport.

"This is all about choice,” Mr Mickel said. “For airport users who prefer to use the train the extension of the go card system to Airtrain will mean they can travel across both public and private rail networks with a minimum of fuss.

"Airtrain decides on the cost of the fare and penalties for not touching on and off.

“Our responsibility will be to ensure that should there be any errors with the go card or the card readers, commuters will get the refund they deserve, just as they do across the TransLink network.

“I expect the ease of go card will make taking the Airtrain more attractive to airport users and take pressure off the road network servicing the airport precinct.

"Users of the go card will now be able to avoid the hassle of having to buy a paper ticket when travelling to or from the domestic and international terminals at Brisbane Airport.

"Just like on the rest of the network, they will be able to simply touch on at the beginning of their journey and touch off at the end.

"Fares for Airtrain on go card will be the same as with a paper ticket and, for an introductory period, the frequent user scheme discount will apply to Airtrain travel as well.

"That means if a passenger has travelled at least six times from Monday to Sunday and then uses their go card to travel to the Airport, their fare will be half price.

Minister Mickel said the conditions of travel would be the same as the rest of the network.

However he warned commuters to exercise extra care to ensure they touched off at the end of a journey as Airtrain had set a fixed fare penalty of $25.

"That’s a stiff penalty and I would urge everyone using their go card on the Airtrain makes sure they touch on at the beginning of their trip and touch off at the end.

"I have directed Translink to monitor all information provided on the go card's extension to Airtrain to ensure commuters are aware of the $25 penalty," Mr Mickel said.

Media contact: Shannon Mackay 3237 1125

May 29, 2008