Adelaide metroCARD top ups are in $5 blocks, up to $200. You can either recharge as you go, or set up a convenient auto recharge.
Recharge as you go
You can manually recharge a metroCARD:
If you recharge in person or using a vending machine, your funds will be available immediately. If you recharge online or over the phone, the funds will be available in around one hour and will load to your metroCARD when you next validate it. You need to validate the metroCARD within 3 months of buying a recharge.
On-board vending machines accept credit/debit cards and coins. Vending machines at stops and stations don’t accept cash. Follow the instructions on the vending machine screen and don’t remove your metroCARD until it confirms the recharge has loaded.
If you have an online metroCARD account, it gets updated every night and will show your new balance and transaction history the next day.
Auto recharge
If you have a VISA or Mastercard, you can top up your metroCARD balance automatically when it drops below $5 (for a regular metroCARD), or below $3 (for student, concession or Seniors Card metroCARDs).
You can setup an auto recharge:
You can choose the value of your auto recharge. If you have it setup for multiple metroCARDs, you can have different recharge values for the different cards. If you need to change a recharge amount, simply setup a new recharge and it’ll overwrite your old one.
When you validate your metroCARD on-board a bus, train or tram, or at barrier gates, the validator will flash both green and yellow lights to show it has auto recharged the metroCARD, and will display the new balance on the screen.
If your auto recharge fails (e.g. your credit card has expired), we’ll send an invoice to the email listed in your metroCARD account. If you don’t pay by the due date, we will cancel the auto recharge and, potentially, your metroCARD.
If you don’t use a metroCARD with auto recharge on it for 12 months or more, the auto recharge will get cancelled. You can set it up again when you are ready. The metroCARD itself and any balance left on it will still work.
If your metroCARD gets lost or stolen, cancel the auto recharge as quickly as possible to prevent other people from activating it.
You can remove the auto recharge function on your metroCARD through your metroCARD account or by contacting us. Please note that any changes will be completed when the metroCARD is next validated.