Catching a regional train is about to get a whole lot easier, with tap and go payment technology rolling out across Victoria’s V/Line network.
Passengers can now use a bank card, phone or smartwatch to tap on at stations through to Echuca, with the rest of the regional network progressively joining the system over the coming weeks.
The rollout continues with the Swan Hill Line from August 23, followed by the Shepparton Line on August 30, Ararat and Maryborough on September 6, Warrnambool on September 13, Bairnsdale on September 20 and the Albury Line on September 27.
Benalla and Euroa stations will join the Albury Line rollout later, on November 22, following station upgrade works.
It means passengers will eventually be able to tap on across every train station in Victoria, as well as on trams and myki-enabled buses, making public transport a little simpler for those who don’t want to worry about topping up a myki.
For longer regional journeys, passengers without a reserved seat can also purchase an unreserved fare at their station using tap and go.
Prefer the old-school option? Physical myki cards will continue to work, while concession passengers, seniors and those under 18 should continue using their relevant concession or Youth myki.
The technology has already proved popular, with more than five million journeys made using contactless payment since it launched in March.
The rollout will see 106 new readers installed across 37 V/Line stations that previously required paper or eTickets, bringing tap and go to the entire Victorian train network.
