Victoria's commuters can pay for some train trips with a tap of their bank card or phone, with a new ticketing trial starting on several rail lines from Monday 16 March 2026.
The test will allow passengers travelling on the Craigieburn, Upfield, Ballarat and Seymour lines to use contactless payments instead of a myki card. Travellers will be able to tap on and tap off using a Mastercard or Visa credit or debit card, as well as a smartphone or smartwatch.
The trial will run through March and April as transport authorities test the technology before a wider rollout across the network. For now the feature will only be available to passengers paying full fares. Concession travellers will still need to use a myki card, although they are expected to be included in later stages of the upgrade.
This represents a significant step toward modernising Victoria's public transport system. Since late 2023, new myki infrastructure including new readers, screens and gates has been tested, and a six-month trial of tap and go payments on local buses in Wangaratta was completed in May 2025. That earlier trial produced encouraging results. Almost 80 per cent of full fare tickets used contactless payment instead of cash and paper tickets across December and January.
Specific card readers and station gates involved in the trial will be clearly marked so passengers know which ones accept contactless payments. Passengers who plan to change to another train line, tram or bus during their trip are being advised to continue using a myki from the beginning of their journey. This is intended to prevent accidental overcharging while the trial is underway.
Victorian public and active transport minister Gabrielle Williams says the testing phase is designed to ensure the system works reliably before being switched on for passengers, calling it "a critical next step in rolling out tap and go payments, allowing us to test the technology in real-world conditions."
Participation in the trial is optional, and station staff will be available to assist passengers who want to test the new system. Tap and go fares are the same as myki fares.
Victorians can look forward to convenient new ways to pay for public transport, including with credit or debit cards, smartphones and smart devices. If the testing phase is successful, the contactless payment option will be expanded across the rest of the metropolitan and regional rail network that currently uses myki. The state government plans to introduce the system on buses and trams at a later date as part of the broader ticketing upgrade.
For more information, passengers can speak to any station staff or contact the Transport Victoria Contact Centre on 1800 800 007 for information or assistance during the trial. Passengers, including school children, will have the option to keep using their physical myki card when new features are introduced.