Quick, safe and easy
You can pay contactless on the whole STIB-MIVB network. This means you can directly validate your trip using your debit card, credit card, smartphone or smartwatch.
Quick, safe and easy!
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What is contactless payment?
You can find a contactless payment validating machine in every STIB-MIVB metro station, tram and bus. It is a specific device for contactless payment only, in addition to the usual red MOBIB validating machines. You can use any bank card featuring the contactless logo that you have previously used for contactless payment. If you use a smartphone or smartwatch, you can use the Google Pay, Apple Pay, Fitbit Pay and Garmin Pay apps.
No more buying a ticket in advance or carrying cash: everything you need is already in your pocket. Travelling with STIB-MIVB had never been that easy!
How much is a contactless fare?
A single fare is €2.10. This is cheaper than a paper ticket. Validate your bank card, smartphone or smartwatch by holding it in front of the validating machine, where the contactless logo is displayed. Validate the same card or smart device at each connection. Every connection within 60 minutes from the first validation is free of charge, and the maximum amount per day is €7.50. It means that the daily limit is reached from your fourth trip on the same day and that every additional trip is free of charge.
Pre-registering is not necessary: tap your card or smart device and off you go! Contactless payment does not involve any additional costs, but you should have at least €7.50 on your account to be able to travel contactless on the STIB-MIVB network.
If you are a regular or daily user, a MOBIB card will remain the most advantageous solution. Season tickets and multiple journeys are indeed only available on MOBIB cards.
How does it work?
Hold your card or smart device in front of the validating machine, where the contactless logo is displayed. In our stations, you should validate on the machine screen. On the bus or tram, you should validate under the screen. Take your card out of your wallet in order to validate, and make sure that no other card or device could be detected. If the validation is successful, a green screen will be displayed and you will hear a confirmation “beep”, just like with a MOBIB card.
Can I pay for several persons?
No. A same card or device can only be used for 1 person at the same time, so you cannot validate for someone else in addition to yourself. Although a bank card and a smartphone linked to the same card can be used for two different persons. This is also the case for 2 bank cards linked to a same joint account. You will have to validate again at each connection. Always validate with the same card or device so that the daily limit can be calculated properly, and present that same card or device in case of ticket inspection.
Additional tickets can always be bought at a vending machine or in a point of sales. Please note that 10-journey tickets (€15) are only available on MOBIB cards (€5).
How can I get an overview?
You should go to our MyContactless customer portal in order to get an overview of your journeys and fares. Once you have created an account, you will get access to a detailed overview. It will show how much you paid per day for each trip, whether your tap was a connection and when you reached the daily limit. That way you get a clear view on your use!
Why is there an amount of €7.50 blocked?
If you want to travel using the contactless payment system, an amount of €7.50 is temporarily blocked on your account. This amount is the maximum day fare. You could see this €7.50 booking appear in your payment record. This sum will be released once the correct amount has been debited from your account after 2 to 3 business days. Don’t worry: only the completed journeys are debited.
Don’t forget to always use the same card or device (smartphone or smartwatch), even if they are linked to the same account, so that your fare is correctly calculated. If you want to see your journey history, please create an account on our website.
And when departing form the airport?
A specific rate is applicable on our network when departing from Brussels Airport, the Go2City rate. When you pay contactless, this rate amounts to €7, the same price as paid with a MOBIB card. This rate is applied automatically. All you have to do is get on board and validate you bank card, smartphone or smartwatch on the corresponding machine. To go to the airport, no specific rate is applied.
Frequently asked questions
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General information
What is contactless payment?
Contactless payment is a technology that allows customers to make a payment with their bank card or other smart device (smartwatch, smartphone, …) featuring this technology by simply holding their card or smart device close to the card reader or payment terminal, without having to insert the chip into the card reader or payment terminal.
This payment system allows you to travel as of now on the whole STIB-MIVB network without having to purchase your travel ticket in advance. You only need to tap your contactless bank card or smart device on one of the validating machines for contactless payment.
Can I use contactless payment for rides with Taxibus?
No, contactless payment is not possible for Taxibus
Can I also use TEC, De Lijn or SNCB-NMBS via contactless payment on the STIB-MIVB network?
No, a validation (tap) with your contactless bank card or any other smart device featuring this technology (smartwatch, smartphone, …) only allows you to travel on the STIB-MIVB network.
Can I get a discount on Parking Brussels after paying my journey with a contactless bank card or smart device (smartwatch, smartphone, …)?
No, contactless payment does not entitle you to this type of discounts.
Which kind of bank cards can I use for contactless payment?
To find out if your bank card is contactless, just check if the contactless symbol is displayed on it
We accept debit and credit cards, as well as following contactless prepaid cards: Maestro, Mastercard, VPAY et VISA
Important: Is contactless payment enabled on your bank card? Please check with your bank if you are not sure.
Which mobile payment apps can I use to pay contactless?
All mobile payment apps that are compatible with the contactless payment technology: Google Pay, Apple Pay, Garmin Pay, Fitbit Pay, etc.
Is contactless payment safe?
Using your bank card to pay for your journeys is a perfectly secure means of payment. The safety regulations and standards that apply for contactless payment are the same as the ones that apply for your daily payments.
Where can I find the validating machines for contactless payment (in the stations and in the vehicles)?
In our vehicles, you’ll find these specific validating machines near all the doors, except for some buses where it is not possible for technical reasons. In the metro and premetro stations you’ll find them on the entry gates.
Will the gates for strollers and wheelchairs be equipped with an EMV validating machine?
Yes
Can I use a prepaid credit card to pay for my journeys?
Yes, provided a credit of minimum €7.50 is available on that credit card.
Are special rates such as student rates, BIM, RIS, etc. also available through contactless payment?
No, these special rates only apply to season tickets. Season tickets can only be loaded on MOBIB-cards.
Which smartphones or smart devices can I use for contactless payment?
We accept following payment apps:
• A smartphone with contactless payment apps
Google Pay
Apple Pay
• Smartwatches
Fitbit Pay
Garmin Pay
Some advice: please check if your bank accepts the mobile payment apps and make sure you always have enough battery power
Which data is stored?
The data collected in the context of contactless payments covers: type of card, validation date, validation fare, type of validation, validation time, place of validation. A unique reference is stored in order to identify the card used.
In addition, if you choose to create a MyBOOTIK account to track the use of your card, personal data is stored in order to be able to provide after sales services. By personal data, we understand: surname, name, date of birth, gender, e-mail, mobile phone number (not mandatory), language.
Can you track movements?
The data related to the validations (date, time and place) is stored anonymously and used to provide the after sales services to the users. It also enables statistical analyses in order to improve the transport offer.
Fare prices and billing
Does contactless payment involve any additional costs?
No, contactless payment does not include any specific additional cost. A single fare is €2.10, which is the same price as a single fare on a MOBIB card.
What are the different fare prices with contactless payment?
Every journey is charged at the price of €2.10 (except journeys departing from Brussels Airport), which is the cheapest option on the network. From your 4th journey onwards, you reach the daily limit and the price is capped at €7.50, which means your 4th journey will only cost you €1.20. Every additional trip on that same day is free of charge.
What is the price of a journey to and from the airport?
€2.10 for a journey to Brussels Airport and €7.00 for a journey departing from the airport and going to the city (Go2City)
How will a contactless transaction be shown on my bank statements?
On your bank statement you will find your contactless validations grouped as one single payment per day, bearing “STIB” as payment reference.
How can I get a proof of payment of my contactless payment?
No proof of payment is delivered for contactless payments. You can find your contactless payments in your bank statements.
How can I get an overview of my contactless payments and check my validations (taps)?
You can get an overview of your journeys and validations (taps) via your MyBOOTIK account.
These are the steps you need to follow:
• Go to the MyBOOTIK page on our internet site
• Log into your account or create an account free of charge
• Register your bank card
You will get an overview of all your journeys paid with your bank card or smart device (smartwatch, smartphone…) as well as an overview of all your validations (taps).
I have validated when entering and leaving the station but notice that I have been charged €4.20.
Log into your user account on our website and check whether these 2 validations (taps) have been made within the time limit of 1 hour.
I have travelled using contactless payment and would like to check my validations (taps) but they don’t show in my account overview on your website. Is this normal?
Yes, you have to allow for one hour between your validations (taps) and their display in the system.
How can I pay unpaid fares?
Within 14 days, simply replenish your account and the amount will be automatically withdrawn from it. After this period, we advise you to contact our Customer Care service.
How will my contactless payment be processed?
The amount you will be charged depends on the number of journeys you’ve made during that day. The exact amount is calculated during the night and will be automatically debited by your bank.
Have you made a contactless payment with:
A debit card? It can take up to 3 days before the amount charged for your journey(s) is debited from your bank account. The exact period differs from one bank to another.
A credit card? In this case your journey will be shown on your monthly credit card statement. The amount charged for your journey will be debited together with your other expenses
A prepaid card? In this case the amount will be deducted from the available credit on your card after one or more days. The exact period differs from one bank to another.
Technical support
What happens if I tap my card on the wrong validating machine (bank card on MOBIB validating machine and vice versa)
You haven’t lost a journey and you won’t be charged anything.
What to do if my bank card is not or no longer accepted for my travels?
First, check if your card is equipped with the Contactless system by looking for the symbol (waves).
Is the contactless payment activated on your card? If you are not sure, do not hesitate to contact your bank. If your bank card does not work for other contactless payments besides the STIB-MIVB network, please contact your bank advisor.
Check if you have 7,50 EUR on your account (amount temporarily reserved for a day). In the event of a problem, please contact our Customer Care.
How can I report fraudulent use of my bank card or banking app? (someone else has used my bank card for travel without my permission: theft or other)
In case of fraudulent use of your card, you need to report it to your bank and contact Card Stop (070 344 344) to have your card blocked. Your card will then no longer be accepted on our network.
A couple of hours ago I have used my banking app for a journey and I now notice in the payment overview of my banking app that an amount of €7.50 has been held. Is this normal?
When you use your bank card, the validating machine requests an authorisation from your bank for the amount of €7.50, which is the maximum price limit for travel during one day. It is this authorised amount that might be shown in your banking app. This amount will be cleared when your bank account is debited with the exact amount after 2 or 3 working days. You will only be charged and pay €2.10 for 1 journey, €4.20 for 2 journeys, … Please make sure to regularly check your user account on our website to keep tabs on your validations (taps) and expenses.
I have paid contactless for one journey. I notice, however, that 2 journeys have been charged. What should I do?
We recommend you to create a user account, which will allow you to consult an overview of your validations (taps) in MyBOOTIK. In case an error has occurred, please contact our Customer Care department.
Who do I contact if I want to make a complaint about the billing of my journeys?
If you notice a difference between the amount shown in your user account and the amount debited from your bank account you can contact our Customer Care department.
I have validated but the gates won’t open. What should I do?
If the validating machine has confirmed your validation (green screen with the mention "ok") we recommend you to wait a couple of minutes and tap your contactless card or device at another gate.
If the validating machine has not confirmed your tap (red screen wiht the mention "unknown card), you might be experiencing a problem with your contactless bankcard or smart device (smartwatch, smartphone,…).
What if the gates for strollers and wheelchairs aren’t working?
Contactless payment only works for 1 person per card/smart device. Only children under the age of 6 are allowed to pass at the same time as yourself.
In all other cases, push the yellow button to get in touch with our dispatching service.
I have created a user account but am unable to link my contactless card to it.
* Have you already used your contactless card to pay for a journey on our network? If not, it will not be possible to register your card because our system is unable to find it.
* Have you recently received a replacement card (after card expiry, card damage, …)? If this is the case and if your replacement card has the same number as your previous one, you will be unable to register this replacement card. We are currently working on a solution for this problem.
What should I do if the validating machines are not working?
Our stations, trams and the majority of our buses are equipped with several validating machines. Please try at another machine. If it is still not working, it might be due to a problem with your card (card is not contactless, insufficient amount available in your bank account, …) If the problem persists, please contact our Customer Care department. However, please bear in mind that as a traveller you must be in possession of a valid transport ticket for your journey(s) on our network.
I have a new card. Is this card accepted? Why has it not been accepted?
First, check if your card is equipped with the Contactless system by looking for the symbol (waves).
Is the contactless payment activated on your card? If you are not sure, do not hesitate to contact your bank. If the contactless payment is activated on your card, please check whether or not it is supported by our system. The logos on the supported cards are displayed on the screens of our validators.
Do not forget to check if you have a minimum of 7,50 EUR on your account.
I have previously used my card for my travels with STIB-MIVB. Why is it no longer accepted?
Your bank or card issuer may have declined a previous payment. If you have paid your first journey with a contactless debit card, the amount still available in your bank account may be insufficient. You need to have an available amount of at least €7.50 in your bank account.
I have noticed in my account that I have been charged €4.90 for my connecting journey. How is this possible? I thought I could travel free of charge within a time limit of 60 minutes.
This means you have made your connecting journey at the airport. The price of a journey from Brussels Airport (to the city) is €7.0. The first part of your journey has been charged at the normal rate of €2.10 and the remaining €4.90 have been charged when you’ve made your connecting journey.
I would like to add my bank card in order to consult my validations made by contactless payment, but an error message appears. What should I do?
You can only add your card if it is recognised on our network. It must therefore have been validated beforehand on one of our grey validators.
Please also check that you have entered the complete card number (17 digits for Belgian debit cards and 16 digits for most credit cards) without spaces or dashes.
Please also note that it is currently impossible to add a card with a number that contains less than 16 digits (e.g. German girocards which have only 10 digits).
If the problem persists, please contact our Customer service.
Use
When I validate (tap) my contactless bank card or smart device (smartwatch, smartphone, …) does the fare rate show on the screen of the validating machine?
No, the price of your journey is not displayed on the screen of the validating machines. You can get an overview of your validations (taps) when you create a user account on our website.
Can I pay the journey of another person travelling with me with the same contactless card of smart device (smartwatch, smartphone, …) as the one I’ve paid with for my own journey?
No, one card or smart device = one person, For multiple validations you will need to use another bank card or purchase a ticket or a MOBIB card and choose the ticket that best suits your needs. If you’d like to pay contactless for an accompanying person you’ll need to use another card or smart device (e.g. your smartphone to pay the journey for your child and your contactless credit card to pay your own journey)
What should I do if I need to make a connection during my journey?
As with all our other transport tickets, you can travel across the STIB-MIVB network and make connecting journeys within a time limit of 1 hour after the first validation with your contactless card or smart device. This means that within this 1 hour validity period, all other validations (taps) with your contactless card or smart device will not be charged.
What should I do in case of a ticket inspection?
You will need to show the bank card you’ve paid with to our ticket inspectors.
Is there a minimum amount I need to have in my bank account to pay contactless for my travel?
Yes: upon the first validation (tap) of the day an amount of €7.50 will be temporarily put on hold.
How do I use my bank card or smart device (smartwatch, smartphone, …) for my travels with public transport?
You only need to hold your contactless card or smart device (smartwatch, smartphone, …) on the validating machines for contactless payment.
In our stations, you should validate on the machine screen. In our vehicles, you should validate under the screen, the same way as with our MOBIB validating machines.
Can I use my bank card on all the validating machines that are installed on the network?
No, only on the validating machines for contactless payment. These specific validating machines can be found in every vehicle and in every station. Please note that the red validating machines are only working with MOBIB cards and paper tickets.
Can I use my smartphone or another smart device (smartwatch, …) to pay for my travels with public transport?
Yes, provided your smartphone or other smart device is equipped with the contactless technology (NFC) and that a minimum amount of €7.50 is available in your bank account that is linked to your smart device.
What happens if I tap my bank card and my MOBIB card at the same time?
Your validation (tap) may not be valid. The validating machine will display a message asking you to tap only one card. You should only tap the card you would like to use.
Can I hold my wallet on the validating machine to pay contactless?
No, it is preferable to only tap one bank card on the validating machine.
If you don’t remove your bank card from your wallet, the validating machine cannot determine which card it should read and this could have one of the following consequences:
If you pay with another card than the one you intended to pay with, this may cause problems in terms of rates (double payment when you should be in correspondence,...)
it is also possible that the validating machine refuses the validation because he can't detect your card.