The new Canada Line is the most expensive infrastructure project in B.C. history. But it seems the people who built it forgot to include something pretty basic -- a set of instructions for people trying to buy a ticket, especially with a credit card.

The new ticket dispensers are designed to read chip cards. So the days of the quick swipe are gone.

Some ticket buyers are finding the machines a challenge to use.

Anthony Dioniga considers himself a pretty tech-savvy guy. But on Tuesday, he struggled to get a ticket for the Canada Line.

"I couldn't figure that out," he laughed.

Turns out, if you pull out your credit card before a yellow light goes on, it's no good.

Ditto if you leave the card in the slot too long.

TransLink officials stand by the machines.

"Are there better machines out there? My understanding is we went with the ones that can read the chip technology," said spokesman Drew Snider.

But, he adds, clearer instructions are on their way.

With files from CTV British Columbia's St John Alexander