Catching the bus in Melbourne is about to become a little easier, with tap and go payments now rolling out across Victoria’s myki-enabled bus network.
The new payment option allows passengers to use a Visa or Mastercard, smartphone or smartwatch to pay for their journey, removing the need to top up or carry a physical myki card for many trips.
The rollout is happening in stages, beginning with bus services in Ballarat, Bendigo, Seymour, Geelong, Traralgon, Warragul, Bacchus Marsh, Sunbury, Berwick, Cranbourne and the Yarra Valley. By 26 July, the technology is expected to be available on all myki-enabled bus routes across metropolitan Melbourne.
Once the rollout is complete, commuters will be able to use tap and go across Victoria’s entire myki-enabled public transport network, including trains, trams and buses.
While the upgrade is underway, passengers should check the ticket reader for the Visa or Mastercard logo before boarding to confirm contactless payments are available on that service. Travellers are also encouraged to keep their myki card handy until every bus has been upgraded, particularly if transferring between services.
The contactless payment system has already proven popular, with more than 2.3 million trips recorded since trials began in March.
Passengers who receive concession fares, seniors and anyone under 18 will still need to use their concession or Youth myki to access discounted or free travel. Standard myki cards will also remain available for anyone who prefers to continue using them.
For more information about contactless public transport payments, visit https://transport.vic.gov.au/tickets-and-myki/contactless-payments.
