Frequently asked questions about contactless payment

Paying by contactless on the bus means purchasing a ticket using a payment card or another contactless-enabled payment method that is linked to a payment card. With contactless payment, you can only buy adult single tickets (€3.50), except for the €1 ticket on the CITY zone of the Citylinja.

Why can I only pay for my own trip with contactless and not for accompanying children?

You can only pay for your own journey with contactless because:

• Every passenger must have a valid ticket when traveling by bus. When paying with contactless payment, the payment card acts as a personal ticket and is used to verify, for example, your transfer rights when changing buses.
• Contactless payment includes a fare capping feature that ensures the best daily price for the tickets paid with contactless, provided all trips within 24 hours from the first tap are paid using contactless. The fare capping feature only works when you’re paying for your own trip.

Why can’t I buy children’s tickets with contactless?

Contactless payment uses a suitable device (a payment card or a mobile payment app), which is tapped on the reader in the bus. The reader can only check whether there are sufficient funds available – it cannot access personal information such as the customer’s age. Therefore, only adult single tickets can be purchased with contactless. The only exception is the €1 Citylinja ticket for journeys made between the stops on line 1 (Puuvilla–Isomäki).

Bus drivers cannot change or adjust ticket prices. Ticket prices in Pori public transport are decided by the Public Transport Committee.

Can I use both my card and my phone for contactless payments?

Yes, contactless payments can be made using either a physical payment card or a payment card linked to a mobile payment app (e.g., Apple Pay, Google Wallet). However, keep in mind that each payment method tracks its fare cap separately.

So, if you plan to take multiple trips during the day, choose either your mobile payment app or your physical card – and use the same one for all trips to benefit from fare capping.

Why don’t I get a receipt for contactless payments?

You do not receive a paper receipt on the bus due to the fare capping system. With contactless payment, charges are processed retrospectively. The system reserves amounts for the trips you make and finalizes the actual charges within a few days after tapping your payment method on the bus. You can view your charges in the contactless payment customer portal and print a receipt if needed. To log in, use the debit number of your payment card.

NOTE: From May 8, 2025 onwards, logging into the customer portal will require strong authentication with either Mobile ID or online banking credentials.

What is fare capping and how does it work?

The term fare capping comes from the English word capping. It means that if a passenger pays for all journeys within 24 hours using contactless, the system stops charging after reaching a predefined maximum amount (cap).

1. Fare cap – 60 min:
   • The first charge within the CITY-A zone is always €3.50.
   • If you change buses within the next 60 minutes, there is no additional charge.
2. Fare cap – 5h:
   • Two trips (i.e., two taps with the same payment method) within 5 hours but more than 60 minutes apart.
   • The total charge is capped at €5. For example, if you board a bus at 8:30, you’re charged €3.50. If you take another bus at 11:30, you’re charged €1.50 – reaching the 5h cap.
3. Fare cap – 24h:
   • Three or more trips within 24 hours. The total charge is capped at €8.
   • If multiple trips are made within 24 hours and all are paid using the same contactless method, the system recognizes the payment method and ensures that the total daily charge will not exceed €8.

In short:
Fare capping guarantees the lowest daily fare – you’ll never pay more than the price of three single tickets (€8) in the CITY-A zone, as long as you use contactless payment for all trips.