Using a Companion Card

Start with the activity you want to do

Choose an activity because it interests you, then work through the arrangements that would make it possible. Find the venue’s current access information and contact its booking team if anything is missing. Be specific about the date, performance, exhibition or service you plan to use. A large organisation can have different arrangements across its sites.

Use our venue guide to reach official affiliate information. If the event is run by a separate organiser, confirm who controls ticketing and who can answer access questions. Save the response so you can refer to the same details when booking.

Ask how to arrange the companion ticket

Venues may handle Companion Card bookings online, by phone or through a dedicated access booking service. Ask which route to use before buying a ticket elsewhere. Explain that you are a cardholder and need attendant care for the activity. Find out what card information the booking team needs and how you will receive or collect both tickets.

• Confirm the admission type, date and session for the cardholder and companion.
• Ask whether you can choose adjacent seating and how wheelchair spaces or other seating needs are reserved.
• Clarify inclusions for packages, meals, optional activities and separately ticketed experiences.
• If more than one person is needed for support, discuss the arrangement with the operator before booking.
• Ask about cancellation or changes if your support arrangements change.

Check the whole visit

An accessible entrance is only one part of an outing. Consider transport, the distance to the entrance, queues, lifts, toilets, seating, communication and the journey home. Ask whether planned works, weather or a temporary event layout will affect the route. If you need a quiet space or a particular hearing or communication support, confirm availability for your session.

It can help to send a short list of essential requirements and ask for written confirmation. For example: “Can you confirm a step-free route from the drop-off point to our seats, and tell me which accessible toilet is on that route?” This gives the operator a clearer question than a broad request for reassurance.

On the day

Follow your issuing program’s terms and the operator’s collection instructions. Take your card, booking confirmation and the access contact details you were given. Allow time to reach the correct entrance or ticket desk. If the actual arrangement differs from what was agreed, show the confirmation and ask the staff member responsible for access bookings to help.

The Victorian guidance says the cardholder must be present with their companion and may be asked to show the card during the visit. The card is personal to the named cardholder. Read the full official terms for your own program rather than treating a companion ticket as a transferable extra ticket.

If something goes wrong

Keep a factual record: the venue, date, booking reference, what was agreed and what happened. Ask the operator to explain or resolve the issue first. If it concerns program participation or use of the card, contact the official issuing program for the appropriate next step. For an access issue, explain the particular barrier and the change that would help.

Planning a longer trip? Our accessible travel planning guide helps connect ticketing with accommodation, transport and support arrangements.

Sources and further reading

• Victoria: how to use your card
• WA: how to use your card
• ACT: using your Companion Card

Official source pages checked on 7 October 2026. Programs and booking arrangements can change. Use the linked official service for current rules and individual enquiries.