Tap-and-go technology launching on Melbourne trains after months of delays

Melbourne commuters will soon be able to use their credit cards, phones, or smartwatches to pay for train travel, a feature long available in other major cities. The tap-and-go technology is set to launch across the train network this month, after facing repeated delays.

The implementation will be phased, with full-fare passengers gaining access first. The initial rollout this Sunday will cover the Sunbury, Pakenham, Cranbourne, Metro Tunnel, Werribee, Williamstown, Sandringham, Frankston, Stony Point, Bendigo, Gippsland, and Geelong lines. A week later, the Mernda, Hurstbridge, Lilydale, Belgrave, Alamein, and Glen Waverley lines will be included. This expansion covers the entire Metro Trains network and select regional V/Line stations. However, passengers using concession fares, as well as those on trams and buses, will have to wait longer for the technology.

The Allan government has stated it will announce a timeline for introducing contactless payments on trams and buses in the coming weeks. Concession passengers, who represent about one-third of commuters, are part of a planned rollout for next year. This delay means Victoria has lagged behind cities like Sydney in adopting ticketless public transport payment systems.

The project has been plagued by issues, with the Victorian Auditor-General's Office reporting in March that the $2.8 billion, 15-year project was 18 months behind schedule. Blowouts and delays, they found, could have been avoided. In 2023, the state awarded a $1.7 billion contract to overhaul the existing myki system to Conduent, which recently announced plans to sell its public transit business. Premier Jacinta Allan, however, insisted this would not further impede the touch-and-go technology rollout.

Trials for the tap-and-go system began later than planned, starting on just four bus routes in Wangaratta in 2025, a year after initial trials were scheduled. Two Melbourne train lines trialed the functionality in March, recording 88,500 ticketless trips, with four out of five users opting for a phone or smartwatch. This trial was briefly interrupted by a period of free public transport in April and May, a cost-of-living measure introduced during a time of soaring petrol prices. "Victorians are already saving money with half-price fares. Now we're making public transport easier to use too," said Public and Active Transport Minister Gabrielle Williams. "Tap and go means one less card in your wallet and one less thing to worry about on your journey."

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Victorians are already saving money with half-price fares. Now we're making public transport easier to use too. Tap and go means one less card in your wallet and one less thing to worry about on your journey.