The contract for the system was tendered out, and in 2010 was awarded to Affiliated Computer Services using technology used in – among others – Montreal, Canada; Houston, Texas; and Toulouse, France.

[4] MetroCARDs are rechargeable, and passengers can add value to the card at any time online, or by using a vending machine on board trains, trams, and select bus stations.

Regular commuters are encouraged to purchase an auto-recharge, whereby a direct-debit payment of a set amount is taken each time the metroCARD value falls below the value of a peak fare.

[6] The Adelaide Metro network operates on a flat fare system, as passengers validate their cards upon boarding a vehicle and when passing through ticket gates to pay for public transport.

A single fare lasts 2 hours, and passengers can transfer between trains, trams and buses at any time during this period without incurring any additional fees.

From December 2014, validators no longer accepted Multitrip tickets, however users could continue to convert them to metroCARD Trips until 28 February 2015.

[10] In 2013, it was announced that metroCARDs would be able to be used to access secure bike cages, at railway stations fitted with the necessary equipment, for an annual fee.

[18] The new payment method will allow commuters to use physical bank cards, as well as digital wallets, to pay for travel on trains, trams and buses.

Currently, the rollout is expected to be completed by mid-2025, and will involve replacing the existing turnstiles at Adelaide railway station, along with installation of new validators on all trains.

Passengers paying using a debit or credit card interact with the PIN pad located towards the centre to process payment.

A similar version of the vending machines is located at several of the city tram stops, the Adelaide Metro InfoCentres, and some major interchanges that will only recharge metroCARDs and accept EFTPOS payments.