Tap On Tap Off contactless payments

tapping off using a bank card

Tickets are now even easier and cheaper, with new improved contactless payments Tap On, Tap Off now available on all our buses.

You can pay by:

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • Apple Pay
  • Android Pay

What is tap on, tap off?

  • EASY
  • CONTACTLESS
  • PAPERLESS
  • BEST DAY FARE (not suitable for transfer fares)
    • Tap on, tap off automatically calculates your best available daily fare

Who is it for?

Tap on tap off is suitable for anyone making a single trip or multiple trips on Southern Vectis buses in any one day.  

How does it work?

Simply TAP ON using the driver’s ticket machine at the start of each journey and TAP OFF at the end of each journey on the tap off reader located by the exit door, using a contactless payment method (Visa/Mastercard payment card or device using Apple Pay or Android Pay).

There is no need to tell the driver where you are going, and you don’t need a paper ticket. This all helps to make boarding our buses easier and faster.

How do I know what I will be charged?

If you use tap on tap off, we are initially offering you the best available daily fare guarantee.  The price of any journeys you make will be calculated by the system and charged to your account at the end of each day. The system will automatically calculate your best available daily fare depending on what fare zone you have travelled in.

What if I only make one or two trips?

The system will record exactly where you have travelled from and to and your fare will be charged at the rate of a single journey.

How can I check what I have been charged?

You can check your journey and fare history through our Contactless Customer Portal. The portal will be branded littlepay.  You will need the details of the payment card you used on the bus to track your trips.  You will be able to see transactions for the last 90 days.

Do I have to register my card first?

To use Tap On, Tap Off there is no need to register or sign up - you can board the bus with your contactless card or device to tap on and off. However, if you want to see your trip history, you will need to log into the customer portal.

Can I use more than one bank card?

To get the best available daily fare you will need to use the same card that day. However, you can use other contactless cards, but your transactions will not be linked.

Who is Tap On and Tap Off suitable for?

Adults who buy single or dayrider tickets.

Who does it not work for?

It is not suitable for:

  • Customers purchasing a transfer fare from one route to another
  • Child fares
  • Group tickets
  • Customers purchasing a weekly ticket from the driver
  • Customers buying return tickets that are less than the daily capped zone price
  • Customers who wish to buy promotional discounted tickets from the driver

These will continue to be available on the bus as paper tickets and you can still pay for these tickets using contactless payment devices or cash. You do not need to tap off when buying paper tickets.

What happens if I forget to tap off?

You will be charged the single fare to the end of the route, so always remember to tap off in order to pay the correct fare. If you do forget to tap off and are overcharged as a result, please contact customer services.

How will it appear on my bank statement?

You will see a charge to your bank account from Go South Coast, you may see more than one charge in one day, but the total added together will be no more than the cost of a dayrider.

What if the bus I am on breaks down and I am asked to transfer to another bus?

On the rare occasion this happens our driver will tell you what to do, but you should tap off of the bus you started your journey on, i.e the bus that broke down and do not tap on or off of the bus you are transferred to.  For any additional trips you make that day, please tap on and tap off as normal.

What if I get asked to use my PIN?

The new requirement to enter your PIN number after five contactless transactions does not apply on our buses.

Troubleshooting

My new bank card doesn't work?

If you have a new or replacement contactless card, you might not be able to make a contactless payment until you've made your first chip and PIN transaction. This is a security measure applied by your card issuer.

Also check the 'Valid From' date to ensure it's ready to be used.

My card works at other retailers

If you can make chip and PIN transactions with your card but it's not working for travel on our services, it may be because:

  • Your card wasn't issued in the UK - some contactless cards issued outside the UK aren't accepted on our services

  • Your card isn't contactless - it doesn't display the contactless payment symbol.

My card has stopped working

Sometimes your card won't be accepted, even though you've used it before to travel on our services.

This could be because of unpaid fares

Sometimes your card may be accepted by our card readers, but the payment is declined by your card issuer.

If this happens:

  • You've made a journey that you've not paid for
  • You won't be able to use your card again to travel until the unpaid fare has been paid

Unpaid fares - how do I pay my unpaid fare?

  • Contact your card issuer

If you don't pay your unpaid fare through your account, we'll try by sending requests to your card issuer.

If the payment is successful, this could appear on your bank statement up to 30 days after you travelled.

My card is damaged

You'll need to contact your card issuer if your card is damaged and no longer recognised by card readers.

My card has expired

You'll need to contact your card issuer if your card has expired.