Melbourne commuters have encountered an unexpected problem in the early days of Victoria's tap-and-go public transport trial: being charged for journeys they never intended to take.
Since the contactless payment system launched on select train lines this month, reports have emerged of passengers being billed as they simply walked past the new readers, with no deliberate tap required. The trial, which allows riders to pay using contactless technology with Visa or Mastercard credit or debit cards, or linked smartphones and smartwatches, launched across parts of the rail network on the Craigieburn, Upfield, Ballarat and Seymour lines.
The problem stems from how Express Transit and pay transit settings function on mobile devices. Express Transit allows users to tap and go without needing to unlock or wake their phone or device. While this feature improves convenience for intentional payments, it can inadvertently trigger charges when a phone or smartwatch simply comes within range of a reader, even when the user has no intention of boarding.
The new readers were specifically designed to charge only for intentional taps. Yet the Express Transit feature's technical operation has circumvented this safeguard during the trial's early stages. Engineers monitoring the system are observing how it copes with high volumes, mixed card types and common user mistakes, with lessons from overseas showing that clear messaging about using a single card or device consistently is crucial to avoiding accidental duplicate fares.
Transport Victoria's immediate response has been pragmatic. The authority is urging trial participants to navigate to their device settings and disable the Express Transit option. For those who believe they have been incorrectly charged, Transport Victoria has established a process to discuss refund options, signalling a willingness to reverse erroneous transactions during this testing phase.
The public trial, running throughout March and April, is optional and designed to give passengers a chance to test the system while authorities fine-tune the technology, with station staff stationed at participating stops to help guide commuters. The broader intention is clear: test the technology thoroughly in controlled conditions before rolling out the system network-wide.
Conduent, a US ticketing company, is operating the Myki ticketing system under a A$1.7 billion contract that began on 1 December 2023. From early 2026, tap and go technology is being rolled out across the public transport network, giving commuters more ways to pay for their travel.
The accidental charge issue reflects a tension inherent in designing frictionless payment systems. Convenience and speed must be balanced against safeguards that protect users from unintended transactions. Other transit networks globally have grappled with similar problems. Transport authorities across the United States advise passengers to tap only the contactless card they intend to use at fare gates to avoid 'card clash', and systems like Philadelphia's SEPTA instruct users to keep physical cards separate from Apple devices when paying using Express Mode.
What distinguishes Victoria's approach is its willingness to pause and adjust during a trial rather than push forward through implementation challenges. The trial is designed to give passengers a chance to test the system while authorities fine-tune technology, with the plan to switch on tap-and-go payments across the rest of the rail network after trials conclude. This allows real-world testing to surface problems like the Express Transit glitch before the system reaches the broader commuting public.
The trial's scope is deliberately modest. The trial is designed for straightforward train journeys, and passengers planning to transfer to another train line, tram or bus will need to start their trip using a Myki card to avoid being overcharged. For now, the system is available only to full fare passengers; concession travellers will still need to use their Myki cards, though they may have the opportunity to participate in later stages of the rollout.
For Melbourne commuters participating in the trial, the practical fix is straightforward but requires active management: checking device settings and manually disabling Express Transit until the issue is resolved. Whether that solution suffices, or whether Conduent and Transport Victoria will need to engineer deeper technical changes to prevent accidental taps, will become clearer as the trial progresses through April. Until then, the system remains in active development, with real passengers serving as test subjects for what is ultimately a complex piece of critical infrastructure.
For more information about the tap-and-go trial and refund processes, commuters can consult Transport Victoria's official guidance or contact the authority directly at 1800 800 007.