There are several reasons why a contactless payment might not work, but unfortunately, our drivers won’t know the exact cause. If your payment fails, try using a different card, an Apple or Google Pay-enabled device, or purchasing a ticket through our First Bus App.
Some common reasons for a failed contactless payment include:
- The previous payment to First Bus was declined and so your card has been blocked until the payment is settled. This could be because your bank hasn’t approved the transaction – This could be due to security checks, fraud prevention measures or insufficient funds.
- Multiple contactless payments in a short time – Banks sometimes block further transactions as a precaution.
- More than one card was detected – If multiple cards are in the same wallet or phone case, the reader may not take payment. Try tapping again with just one card.
- Card has expired - Please check that your card is still valid.
- Card type not supported – Not all cards are enabled for contactless travel payments.
- Temporary bank issues – Outages or delays in processing can sometimes cause payments to fail.
- Device settings (for Apple/Google Pay users) – Ensure NFC is enabled, and the correct payment card is set up.
If your payment fails, you can try again using a a different card, pay via Apple/Google Pay, or purchase a ticket in advance using the First Bus App.