Help on Translink Smartlink MJ Card

wirm

Quick question. Does anyone know if I can use my Student Discount Card (15%) when buying the Smartlink card?

Is it worth buying one? Does it really work out cheaper?

thetope

not sure if you can use a discount to actually buy the card (i don't even remember actually buying it, but this is when they were first introduced) but once you have it, each bus trip is 90p instead of £1.20. it is also SOOOO much handier just swiping the card than trying to make sure you always have change in your wallet. i highly recommend it, and if being a student gives you a further discount, then definitely go for it!!

wirm

Could you explain to me how it works? Do I just put money on it? On the leaflet it said the Smartlink card would leave it cheaper.....

arkonite_babe

Wirm, have you checked the Translink website to see if there are any answers there??

There is a student section.

HTH

thetope

it works by going into a shop with a smartlink logo in the window, they sell the cards (cost is £1.50 but you buy them with 5 journeys already on so £6) and also "recharge" them. they are like a credit card and obviously have some chip in them that stores the info. basically the card gets loaded up with multiples of 5 journeys, you pay £4.50 for 5, £9 for 10 journeys, etc. when you go on the bus, you swipe the card and a journey gets deducted. your bus ticket then tells you how many you have left on the card so you don't get caught out and you know when it's time to recharge. it's really very easy to use and so handy.

i think the translink website tells you all the places where you can get the cards/journeys but they are dotted along every route as well as at the city centre... here it is: http://www.translink.co.uk/MetroSmartlinkAgents.asp

squidzin

I go to the kiosk beside the City Hall (near the Apartment) and buy 40 journeys at a time as this works out the cheapest option. If you already have the card (£1.50 to buy) then it costs £34.20 for the 40 journeys. 85.5p a journey ain't bad... yeh? This is for the inner city zone of course where a normal single journey is £1.20. I think to get 40 journeys for the extended city zone works out about a tenner more expensive. Single journeys for the extended city zone are normally £1.50.

D.A.

Sounds good value until you remember you can get to Dublin for 5 quid. ;-)

belfastgal

Gosh ! £5 to Dublin. I went to Coleraine on Friday to see Daughter and it was £7.10 from Belfast to There.Dear enough I thought.