Ticketless travel trial set to start in Victoria, Melbourne

By The Media Fact Checker teamUpdated 14 March 20263 articles from 3 independent sources

Consensus Summary

The articles report that a long-awaited ticketless travel trial is set to begin on Monday in Melbourne, Victoria. Commuters on the Craigieburn, Upfield, Ballarat and Seymour train lines will be able to pay for their journeys using their mobile phones, credit or debit cards instead of the Myki system. This is part of a $1.7 billion overhaul of the state's ticketing system that has been delayed several times. The trial is seen as a milestone in modernising Melbourne's public transport ticketing, which has lagged behind other Australian cities. While the initial trial is limited to certain train lines, the government plans to roll out the new tap-and-go system across the entire rail network and eventually to buses and trams once the trial is successfully completed.

✓ Verified by 2+ sources

Key details reported by multiple sources:

Mobile phone payments will be trialled in Melbourne from Monday on the Craigieburn and Upfield metro lines, and Ballarat and Seymour Vline routes
The trial will allow commuters to pay with their phones, credit or debit cards instead of needing a Myki
The $1.7 billion contract to overhaul the Myki ticketing system and introduce tap-and-go payments was awarded to Conduent in 2023
The rollout of the new ticketing system has been delayed, with initial trials scheduled for 2024 but the first trial on four bus routes in Wangaratta not happening until 2025
The trial is a milestone for the government's $1.7 billion ticketing overhaul project aimed at modernising the system

Points of Difference

Details reported by only one source:

ABC News

Passengers changing between lines not involved in the trial, or onto buses or trams, will still need to use a Myki
The state's financial watchdog has been investigating Myki's modernisation, and a report is due to be tabled in parliament in the coming months

The Guardian

Commuters on the Craigieburn, Upfield, Ballarat and Seymour lines will be the first to test the technology
The technology would only support full adult fares, so seniors, students and healthcare card holders must still use their Myki cards if they wish to receive their discounted rates
Nearly 3,000 new ticket readers were installed at 280 stations late last year to support the transition

The Age

Craigieburn, Upfield, Ballarat and Seymour line passengers will have the option of using a bank card or iPhone during the trial through March and April
The new Metro Tunnel stations are not part of the trial
Commuters have been warned not to use contactless payments if they are travelling beyond the four designated train lines because their ticket will not be valid at other stations, or on trams and buses

Source Articles

GUARDIAN

Melbourne to finally get Myki-less public transport on Monday – but only on four train lines

Commuters on Craigieburn, Upfield, Ballarat and Seymour lines will be first to test tap-and-go technology Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Melbourne is finally poised to join other Australian cities in the tap-and-go era, with the state government confirming public trials for contactless credit and debit card payments will launch for suburban rail commuters on Monday. Commuters on the Craigieburn, Upfield, Ballarat and Seymour lines will be the first to test the techn

14 March 2026

THEAGE

Train passengers can finally touch on with an iPhone – but only on some lines

The trial, which also includes bank card payments, is the first time Melburnians can test the $1.7 billion overhaul of the much-maligned myki system.

14 March 2026

ABC