Travel free with your Seniors Card

From Friday 1 July 2022, South Australian Seniors Card members can travel for free on Adelaide Metro buses, trains and trams – all day, every day. Any unused credit on SA Seniors Cards can be refunded or transferred to a different metroCARD.

Seniors Card & public transport

South Australian Seniors Card members can travel for free on Adelaide Metro buses, trains and trams – all day, every day.

Your Seniors Card is part of Adelaide's metroCARD public transport electronic ticketing system which is operational on all buses, trains and trams. The Seniors Card has the metroCARD technology built in which means you only have to carry one card to access discounts on goods and services and public transport.

Your Seniors Card is ready to use on public transport as soon as you receive it.

You'll need to validate your Seniors Card every time you board an Adelaide Metro bus, train or tram, even though your travel is free. It is important to separate Seniors Card from your other payment methods (cards, phones and devices) when you present it to the validator, to avoid an accidental payment.

New and replacement Seniors Cards are issued through the Seniors Card Unit.

Your South Australian Seniors Card entitles you to free Adelaide Metro public transport at all times.

Your Seniors Card is part of Adelaide's metroCARD public transport electronic ticketing system which is operational on all buses, trains and trams. The Seniors Card has the metroCARD technology built in (Seniors metroCARD) which means you only have to carry one card to access discounts on goods and services and public transport.

Using your Seniors Card on Adelaide Metro public transport is easy and it's ready to use as soon as you receive it.

You'll need to validate your Seniors Card every time you board an Adelaide Metro bus, train or tram, even though your travel is free.

To validate, first separate your Seniors Card from your other payment cards, phones or devices, to avoid an accidental payment. Hold your card against the validator on your bus, train or tram. The validator will then indicate the following:

  • Green = validation success (free)
  • Red = validation unsuccessful (the card is not valid or has been disabled).

A beep and a green light means that it has validated properly.

If your card doesn't validate, speak with the bus driver or an Adelaide Metro staff member.

If you wish to access discounted parking at the Tea Tree Plaza Park ‘n’ Ride, you will need to add credit ($) onto your card.

New and replacement Seniors Cards (Seniors metroCARD) are issued through the Seniors Card Unit.

No. The Seniors Card entitles you to discounts and benefits at participating businesses as well as being your Seniors metroCARD for Adelaide Metro public transport. Refer to the Seniors Card Discounts & Deals Directory for business discounts.

From 1 July 2022, travel on Adelaide Metro public transport services is free all the time for South Australian Seniors Card members.

Seniors Cards will only require credit if members would like to access discounted parking at the Tea Tree Plaza Park ‘n’ Ride.

Any unused credit on SA Seniors Cards can be refunded or transferred to a different metroCARD.

To receive a refund, please visit the Adelaide Metro InfoCentre at the Adelaide Railway Station.

If you are unable to travel into the city, please call the Adelaide Metro InfoLine on 1300 311 108 for assistance (7am-8pm, daily). A customer service representative will assist with processing a refund.

There is no time limit on when you can receive your Seniors Card refund. Please travel to the Adelaide Metro InfoCentre for your refund, at a time that is convenient for you.

If you would like your credit transferred to a different metroCARD, please visit the Adelaide Metro InfoCentre with your Seniors Card and the metroCARD or call the Adelaide Metro InfoLine on 1300 311 108 (7am-8pm daily).

Please note:

  • refunds at the Adelaide Metro InfoCentre will be in cash only
  • refunds and credit transfers require the Seniors Card member to be present or available via phone
  • if you have less than $5 credit, the refund or credit transfer will need to be completed at the Adelaide Metro InfoCentre
  • credit, and a recent validation, will still be required on Seniors Cards to access the discounted parking at the Tea Tree Plaza Park ‘n’ Ride.

You will only need to add credit ($) to your Seniors Card if you want to access the discounted parking at the Tea Tree Plaza Park ‘n’ Ride.

There are a few ways to add credit to your card.

In person

Recharge your Seniors Card in person at:

Simply present your Seniors Card and pay by cash, credit or debit card. The minimum recharge is $5 and the maximum amount you can store on your card is $200.

By phone

Phone the Adelaide Metro InfoLine on 1300 311 108 and transfer funds from your credit or debit card or set up auto-recharge which involves nominating a credit or debit card and an amount that will be automatically loaded onto your Seniors Card when it falls below the minimum amount.

If the recharge is completed before 9.00 pm, it will generally be available on your Seniors Card when you use it the next morning.

Online

Recharge your Seniors Card online by logging into your metroCARD account on the Adelaide Metro website:

  1. visit www.adelaidemetro.com.au/seniors
  2. click on 'Manage metroCARD'
  3. enter your personal account details.

You can recharge your Seniors Card with a credit card or you can set up auto-recharge. Auto-recharge means nominating a credit card and an amount that will be automatically loaded onto your Seniors Card when your credit falls below the minimum of $15.

You can also check the balance remaining on your card and check transaction histories after you log in.

To access your metroCARD account on the Adelaide Metro website, you need to have a login and password.

Your login is the word 'SENIOR' followed by an underscore (_) and then your seven digit Seniors Card number (eg SENIOR_0000000).

If you need your password reset, please email seniorscard@sa.gov.au and staff will email the details to you.

Once you have logged in for the first time, you should change your password. You can do this by clicking on 'update my details'. New passwords need to be between 8 and 16 characters long.

For more information, please visit www.adelaidemetro.com.au/seniors or call the Adelaide Metro InfoLine on 1300 311 108 (7am-8pm daily).

No. However, you do need to validate when you enter and exit Adelaide Railway Station. Remember to separate your Seniors Card from your other payment cards, phones and devices to avoid an accidental payment.

Yes, you can transfer to another service. Just validate your Seniors Card when you board or pass through barrier gates.

Adelaide Metro has contracted various private transport providers to run bus services in regions outside of Adelaide Metro's metropolitan network.

The private bus providers drive regular regional town and school routes, and connect smaller towns with regional centres. They also offer connection routes between regional areas and metropolitan Adelaide.

These providers offer concessions to South Australian Seniors Card members.

For more information, visit the Adelaide Metro website.

Yes. However, it is recommended that you refer to the Adelaide Metro website for more specific information about safe travel for passengers using mobility aids on public transport.

If your card is faulty, use Seniors Card member online services to order a replacement card.

Alternatively, contact the South Australian Seniors Card Unit:

There is no charge for a replacement card.

Details in the Adelaide Fare Collection System (AFCS) are a subset of the details held by the Seniors Card Unit, and include name, address, date of birth and email address. These details are copied into the AFCS so that:

  • a Seniors Card member can add credit to their Seniors Card through the InfoLine or the website
  • a Seniors Card member can be contacted if the Seniors Card has issues related to its metroCARD function
  • a Seniors Card member can be contacted if any outstanding payments need to be made.

Adelaide Metro's website has more information about Adelaide Metro and metroCARD privacy.

Can I anonymise my details in AFCS?

Yes. Contact the Seniors Card Unit to request it (allow two working days). This does not affect the details held by the Seniors Card Unit.

Once completed, the only record held in the AFCS is the Seniors Card number linked to a metroCARD number and a de-identified date of birth. The name and address fields are blanked out in the AFCS.

What are the consequences of anonymisation?

You won't be able to use the Adelaide Metro website to add credit to your Seniors Card for discounted parking or view its transaction history.