Victorians will finally be able to tap onto trains with smartphones, credit cards from next year
Victorians will be able to pay for public transport using their bank cards and smartphones from next year.
The state government revealed the long-awaited change on Friday, saying it would be a staggered rollout across the rail network from early next year.
More than 20,000 new Myki readers would be installed at metropolitan and V/Line stations over the coming months, a government spokesperson said.
The switch to allowing customers to pay using their bank cards and devices would then be gradually rolled out across the entire public transport network, with changes to the bus and tram network to follow rail.
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“Following a successful start of a ticketless bus trial in Wangaratta, the Allan Labor Government will begin switching on tap-and-go technology across Victoria’s public transport network from early next year in a staged approach – meaning some passengers will soon be able to use their bank cards, phones and smart watches to travel on full fare tickets,” the government spokesperson said.
“The Wangaratta bus trial launched in November last year, enabled passengers to tap and go for the first time in Victoria across four local bus routes – with 79 per cent of full fare tickets using contactless payment instead of cash and paper tickets across December and January.
“The new ticketing system will continue to be underpinned by extensive technical testing and will be carefully rolled out starting with rail from the beginning early next year – allowing full fare passengers more ways to pay for their travel.”
More to come
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