From today onwards, Commonwealth Bank will activate payment technology across the Gold Coast Light Rail (G:link) network to enable local commuters to pay with any MasterCard or Amex debit or credit card, including smartphones and wearables, as well as cash or the traditional go card.
CBA’s payment technology enables new G:link card readers as payment acceptance devices to seamlessly link contactless payments with the relevant payment scheme network (for example MasterCard), while also clearing and settling the contactless payment, regardless of the card or device used. This puts the Gold Coast in the select few global cities around the world that offer this commuter experience.
The pandemic has influenced people’s confidence in paying with cash and the new contactless payment option offers G:link commuters an alternative, and potentially safer, way to pay. At the height of the lockdown in April 2020, the value of cash withdrawals made by households who are CBA customers decreased by 35 per cent compared to same time last year and continue to decrease at a more rapid pace than pre-pandemic*.
CBA Group Executive for Institutional Banking & Markets Andrew Hinchliff said: “A modern payments network is the backbone of a successful economy. CBA recently launched a similar payments solution with the South Australian Government, and has also seen this technology embraced by NSW commuters, who have used this payments solution for over 36 million journeys since 2018.
