Use

1. iLink Cards can be used on all scheduled Metro, NI Railways and Ulsterbus services within each of 5 specified zones in Northern Ireland - (Day Tours, Cross Border and Special Services are excluded).
2. iLink Cards are valid for travel within the zone the card has been issued. The appropriate full fare must be paid for the entire journey if the journey will include an additional zone which is not covered by the iLink Card.
3. Child cards are valid for use by children between the ages of 5 years and 16 years. 16 year olds are permitted to travel on a child card up to 30th June during the school year in which they turn 16 years of age.
4. iLink Cards can be used on all scheduled Metro, NIRailways and Ulsterbus services within each of 5 specified zones in Northern Ireland - (Day Tours, Cross Border and Special Services are excluded).
   
   

   Topping Up & Expiry Dates
   

5. iLink Cards can be loaded with one day, one week or one month’s worth of travel for Zones 1, 2, 3, 4 or North West, or in varying periods of validity e.g. one week top-up followed by a one month top-up.
6. Where an iLink Card has some existing validity, topping up extends the current validity date. For example, a card with 3 days travel is topped up with 7 days travel becomes immediately valid for 10 days from the date of top-up and not 3 days followed by a further 7 days from the date of first use of the newly purchased travel. Any unused travel remaining in the intervening period between top-up and next use will not be eligible for refund.
7. iLink Cards can be topped-up with one month’s travel at Translink bus and rail stations, the Metro Kiosk, Donegall Square West, Belfast, Belfast Welcome Centre, Donegall Place, Belfast, Belfast International Airport Welcome Centre, George Best Belfast City Airport Welcome Centre, Derry Visitor & Convention Bureau and Queen's University Students' Union only. Top-ups of daily and weekly travel are available at Translink bus and rail stations, with the driver or conductor on board Ulsterbus and NIRailways services, at Smartlink Agents within Greater Belfast at the Metro Kiosk, Donegall Square West Belfast, Queen's University Students' Union, Derry Visitor & Convention Bureau and at the Belfast Welcome Centres Donegall Place, Belfast International Airport and George Best Belfast City Airport. You can now also top-up iLink at PayPoint outlets across Northern Ireland.
8. You cannot buy or top-up an iLink Card on board a Metro service.
9. If an iLink top-up is purchased in error the transaction can be cancelled only if this is done before a further transaction has been processed on the ticket machine (cancel transaction facility only available on-bus or at ticket offices)
   
   

   Card Validation
   

10. iLink Cards must be validated on the bus or train for every leg of the journey made. If a valid working iLink Card is not presented to the ticket machine the customer will be required to pay full fare.
11. iLink Cards are validated on a bus by placing the card on the ticket machine reader.
12. Where Translink Platform Validators are located at a train station an iLink Card must be validated on the machine before for each leg of the journey.
13. If a Platform Validator machine is not available an iLink Card must be validated by a member of staff for you.
    
    

    General
    

14. iLink Cards are subject to the conditions of carriage of Translink’s operating companies.
15. Cards remain the property of Translink. If lost cards are found they should be returned to: Translink iLink Office, Translink, 3 Milewater Road, Belfast, BT3 9BG.
16. Cards must be retained by the passenger until the journey is complete and must be presented if requested by authorised Translink personnel.
17. Once the validity of a card has expired it cannot be used for travel until topped-up. Expired cards presented for travel will not be accepted and the appropriate full fare will be charged.
18. iLink Cards are only transferable between passengers who are not travelling on the same journey. They can be passed to someone else wishing to travel at a different time within the zone the card has been issued for. The iLink Card must be retained by the passenger for their entire journey.
    
    

    Refunds
    

19. iLink Card holders may apply for a refund of unused travel remaining on a card if it is no longer required. Refund claims must be received before the expiry date of the card. The refund is calculated on the date the card is received for refund by reimbursing any unused travel (full days only) at the discounted iLink price.
20. A charge of 20% of the value remaining on the card will be deducted. The initial cost of the iLink Card will not be refunded.
21. To apply for a refund the card holder should post the iLink Card to: Refunds, Smartpass Office, Translink, 3 Milewater Rd, Belfast, BT3 9BG.
22. If a card is faulty or damaged and the ticket machine is unable to read the information stored on the card the appropriate full fare will be charged. The card should be returned to the address above. A cheque refund will be issued for the unused travel. The initial cost of the iLink Card will be refunded for electronically faulty cards (without damage) only. A 20% charge will be applied in the case of damaged cards. No charge will be applied for faulty cards. The card holder will be required to purchase a new card.
23. If an iLink Card is lost or stolen the card holder should phone Translink on 028 9075 9129 during office hours to cancel or ‘hotlist’ the card by reporting the iLink Card number printed on the reverse of the card and on any ticket receipts issued. Once ‘hotlisting’ is complete a cheque refund will be issued for the unused travel at the iLink Card price. A charge of 20% of the value remaining on the card will be deducted. The initial cost of the iLink Card will not be refunded.
24. Refund claims less than £1.50 will not be accepted. Cash refunds are not available.
25. Refunds on iLink Cards presented for refund after the expiry date will be permitted only in exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the company.